DISCIPLESHIP JOURNEY: FIRM FOUNDATIONS
Monday, February 17, 2014
The following is
written from notes taken and thoughts generated yesterday during Pastor Josh
Klein’s morning sermon at Benson Baptist Church. EBB4
Daniel chapter 3
Romans [NLT] 1:16 [Apostle Paul]
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at
work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
2Timothy [GW] 3:16-17 Every
Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching,
pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has
God's approval. They equip God's servants so that they are completely prepared
to do good things.
Reading of Nebuchadnezzar in the Book of Daniel we see he
was not satisfied with being king of the powerful nation of Babylon. He aspired
to being king of kings.
As was the warring
custom then, children and teens were captured and taken home to be reeducated
in the ways of the conqueror: “Among these young men were some Judeans: Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The chief-of-staff gave them Babylonian names:
To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar. To Hananiah he gave the name Shadrach.
To Mishael he gave the name Meshach. And to Azariah he gave the name Abednego.”
(Dan.1:6-7) Changing their names however didn’t change who they were; believers
of Jehovah God, contrary to Babylonian religion. As we know, this led to a lion’s
den and fiery furnace, and experiencing God’s deliverance.
As disciples trusting
Jehovah they then and afterward deviated not from godly purpose!
What of us today?
Do we claim to be Christians but live apart from discipleship? Dietrich
Bonhoeffer stated that Christianity without discipleship is Christianity
without Christ. Do we agree?
When Jesus spoke
of yoking (Mt.11:29-30) and carrying the cross of self-denial (Lk.9:23), He was
referring to discipleship.
How does
discipleship look different? It’s a matter of seeking equipping from God’s
Word, and then taking action as result of.
When we are
disciples we are “church” without edifice! Thinking church is a building is
rigidly apart from being a river of living waters to those a-thirsting.
(Jn.4:10-14)
Let us every day
prepare and act accordingly.
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