I Found It - Discipleship

'Jesus said, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.' Luke 9:23

In 1976 the Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) launched a world evangelism campaign, 'I Found It.' CCC, Singapore, partnering 200 churches used this theme to bring the gospel to as many as 71,841 persons. Of these 36% indicated decisions for Christ and more than 5000 enrolled in follow-up classes. It was a very successful campaign perhaps the first of its kind to use the mass media extensively.

On 24 May 1738 an earlier I Found It moment occurred. John Wesley felt his heart strangely warmed and recorded in his journal, "I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins." The Methodist Church was born that day and today there are 40.5 million of 'the people who call themselves Methodist' in 138 countries.

Why the name Methodist? Bishop Solomon explained, 'the word "Method" comes from two Greek words - meta (after) and hodos (way). It means "following after a way." In this regard it is noted that in the Gospels, our Lord described Himself as 'the Way' (John 14:6).' Ref 1. Methodists, so to speak, have found found the Way, Jesus.

Finding Christ is not just a simple slogan of I Found It. Finding Jesus in Jesus' time meant to go with him, observe him, study him and follow him by imitation and obedience. My brother Quek Koh Eng, in contemplating Luke 9:23 wrote "the challenge is for all who are called by God to take their faith seriously, grow as disciples of Christ, and not be content to be merely pew warmers but true believers who know and serve the will of God." Like a true army Colonel, Koh Eng said "God’s order has always been that every believer should be a witness; "you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). 

Of this John Wesley said “we are all at it and at it always.” It means having a desire and  making a decision to be a follower of Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book the cost of discipleship, pointed out that one cannot be a disciple of Christ without forfeiting things normally sought in human life. On the other hand, Dallas Willard wrote that the cost of non-discipleship will be much more than what a disciple might forfeit. Willard wrote, non-discipleship costs 

• abiding peace, 
• a life penetrated throughout by love, 
• faith that sees everything in the light of God's over-riding governance for good, 
• hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances
• power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil.

Willard wrote, "non-discipleship costs you exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring (John 10:10)." Ref 2

During the 'I Found It' campaign many found salvation in Jesus Christ but they stopped there. No doubt, it is a very important first step; the Chinese have a saying, 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.' However there are innumerable more steps to take. The Christian journey will go on through eternity, so we cannot stop there, congratulating ourselves. The 'I Found It' campaign was not just to get people a ticket to heaven but to bring them to God.

Salvation alone does not define a Christ follower and does not lead to Christian witness and testimony. The last imperative Jesus gave whilst on earth, is recorded in Matthew 28:19 and 20 "Therefore go and make disciples....teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

Being a disciple is a inner transformation of our core being in such a way that the we take on the character of Christ. This inner transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit aptly described by this hymn, Breathe on Me, Breath of God

1. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   Fill me with life anew,
   That I may love what Thou dost love,
   And do what Thou wouldst do.
2. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   Until my heart is pure,
   Until with Thee I will one will,
   To do and to endure.
3. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   Till I am wholly Thine,
   Until this earthly part of me
   Glows with Thy fire divine.
4. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   So shall I never die,
   But live with Thee the perfect life
   Of Thine eternity.

There is a the car decal that states, 'Don't Follow Me. I'm Lost.' This is terrible testimony but articulates the pathetic situation of the modern society. On the other hand, the transformed Christian disciple lives by the example of St Paul the apostle, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." 1 Cor 10:34. In other words, 'Follow me. I'm Found.'

Lionel        

  

Ref 1: Robert M Solomon. Following Jesus in a Fallen World. Chapter 20, Beyond Method; Rediscovering the Heart of Methodism. Genesis Book 2009

Ref 2: Dallas Willard. The Great Omission- Reclaiming Jesus' Essential Teachings on Discipleship. Chapter 1, Discipleship, For Super Christians only? HarperOne, 2006

You Don't Know Me

' Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' Psalm 46:10

In 1956 Cynthia Walker and Eddie Arnold wrote this song You Don't Know Me set to a rather haunting and lamenting a melody. It is a song about unfulfilled relationship, a man was too shy to approach the woman he loved, too afraid to start a relationship. He stood in the shadows and watched as the woman walked away with another man. 

You give your hand to me,

And then you say hello

And I can hardly speak,

My heart is beating so

You think you know me well

But you don't know me, 

No you don't know me.

You give your hand to me

And then you say goodbye

I watch you walk away 

Beside the lucky guy

Oh you will never know

The one who loves you so

Well you won't know me

What a missed opportunity! A relationship did not develop because one party was too afraid to commit. 

There is another man who could say to us, "You don't know me." Jesus warned that some may face that prospect. This revelation in Matthew 7:21-23 will be very devastating for some.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers.'

We think we know God but many nominal Christians miss the opportunity of really knowing because we cannot commit to a meaningful relationship. A meaningful relationship with God through the person of Jesus requires our undivided attention, our absolute obedience and our sincere hearts. 

King David had a special relationship with God, a longing to know God deeply. He expressed this beautifully in Psalm 139 with an opening sentence, Psalm 139:1

"You have searched me, Lord, and you know me." 

David realised that there was no escaping the presence of God Psalm 139:7

"Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?"

David recognised that God knew him thoroughly, Psalm 139:14-15

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you 

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of God."

David reconciled to the full exposure of his life before God, Psalms 139:23-24

"Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting."

When Jesus was on earth He told His followers, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." John 10:14. Knowing God and being known by God is an existential imperative. It is the highest goal for every Christian.

Lionel