This is a hard but essential concept for those who are serious about being a disciple of Jesus.
A FALSE NOTION
We humans have an exalted sense of where we fit into the big picture of things. Honestly, don’t we think that the universe centers around us? Sorry, but it doesn’t.
The world, and all that is in it, centers around God, and in particular His Son Jesus. The flowers, birds, and animals; the sun, moon and stars; and humans – – all exist for Him. Consider Col. 1:15-20.
SO THAT – –
Remember I Peter 2:9, the verse that this topic started from? Read it again in several translations at https://biblehub.com/1_peter/2-9.htm and note the “that” or “so that.” It connects who we are, and what we do. We are a chosen race – – so that – -! The two are inseparable, just as you assume that a fireman puts out fires or a truck driver drives a truck.
A DISCIPLE IS – –
A disciple is one who follows his master and is becoming like him. Jesus came to do His part in the reconciliation of God and man after we were enslaved to Satan through Adam’s sin, and He struggled with His human weakness in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was His surrender to the will of the Father that enabled Him to follow through.
While His disciples don’t struggle with the burden of having to take the sins of the world upon themselves as He did, we do struggle with surrendering to Him in the way that enables us to do our part in the Father’s plan. Our part is to tell the world of the Good News of what Jesus did, and it can’t happen unless we follow His example. Taking up our own cross, as Jesus spoke of in Luke 9:23-26, is essential to being His disciple.
As the fireman, who we are and what we do are inseparable. Making Jesus known, is to dominate our life. We offer ourselves as His servants. Tomorrow we’ll consider more of what that means, and it will give you some meat to chew on over the weekend.
We are a chosen race – – so that – -!
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, OH USA
April 22, 2021
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