Jesus' First Element of Discipleship: "Be with Me" (A Reflection on Mark 3:13-19) |
- Jesus' First Element of Discipleship: "Be with Me" (A Reflection on Mark 3:13-19)
- Mempunyai Beban bagi Orang yang Belum Mengenal Yesus Kristus
- Let the People (Not Evil Spirits) say that "Jesus is the Son of God!" (A Reflection on Mark 3:11-12)
| Jesus' First Element of Discipleship: "Be with Me" (A Reflection on Mark 3:13-19) Posted: 13 Apr 2014 11:17 AM PDT 
They came to him, and he chose twelves whom he named apostles" (Mark 3:13-14, GNB). After rejection from the religious teachers, healed many people and exorcized evil spirits, Jesus went on in action to choose twelves men to be his advocates, that is – the Twelve apostles. These were the ones that Jesus had shared so many meals and experiences together. It was they who became the first leaders of the Christian movement after Jesus' ascension. They were the men on whose training much of His attention would be focused, and on whom the continuation of His mission would depend. "I have chosen you to be with me," Jesus told them. "I will also send you out to preach, and you will have authority to drive out demons" (Mark 3:14-15). Three specific reasons why Jesus chose them: to be with Him, to preach and to drive out demons. Here I notice that the last two – preaching and exorcism – are specific activities Jesus want them to do. The first element in discipleship, a purpose that took priority over these two activities, is "to be with [Jesus]." They were not first called to be martyrs and not to kill people in the name of god like pagan religious does; they were called to be with a person – Jesus Himself. Their relationship with Him was the secret of their effective discipleship. I want to focus on these three words: "Be with me." "Be With Me" Jesus called them (and us) to be something before He commissioned them to do something. Being is more important than doing. Preaching the Good News and casting out demons were and are important tasks. But first Jesus wanted a relationship of closeness and intimacy with Him. In the midst of our activity-based of doing Christian ministries today, I perceive that we have missed the first requirement for Christian life – to be with Jesus. Often we are so wrapped up in what we need to do for Jesus that we miss the primary joy of being with Jesus. I don't care if our preaching or Bible studies or worship or practise of exorcism are producing fruits, what we need to ask ourselves first is: "Do I have a personal relationship with Jesus?"Jesus invites us to be with Him. But I wonder, who exactly can "be with Jesus" since He is the Holy One of Israel, the Son of God? If this invitation is based on my goodness, then I am automatically disqualified! (You too okay!) But rejoices! His invitations were and always will be based on His mercy and grace. Just read who Jesus appointed as His apostles (Mark 3:16-19). They were ordinary men like most of us. They were mixed of people like everyone of us. They were sinners just like all of us. Truly, the Good News from God about Jesus Christ is for all and to all who are willing to repent of their sins, believe in Him, follow Him, and "be with Him." This is the first element in discipleship: "Be with Jesus." THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.   | ||
| Mempunyai Beban bagi Orang yang Belum Mengenal Yesus Kristus Posted: 12 Apr 2014 02:05 AM PDT
"[Saya] mau menyatakan kesedihan saya yang sangat besar! Dan apa yang akan saya katakan sekarang benar sekali. Saya tidak berbohong. Saya mengetahui hal ini kerana bersatu dengan Kristus, dan kerana Roh Kudus yang memberi keyakinan bahawa hal ini benar dalam pandangan Allah. Yang saya mau katakan adalah hati saya sangat sedih kerana orang Israel. Kerana mereka adalah saudara-saudari saya sebangsa, dan mereka seperti darah daging saya sendiri di dunia ini. Jadi saya ingin sekali menolong mereka! – sampai saya rela dikutuk dan dipisahkan dari Kristus demi mereka, asalkan hal itu membuat mereka diselamatkan." (Roma 9:1-3, TSI) Apabila saya membaca surat dari Rasul Paulus kepada gereja di Roma – hati saya tersentuh. Paulus memiliki sesuatu yang sangat diperlukan oleh kita untuk menjadi seorang "penjala manusia" (Markus 1:17) yang efektif, iaitu, beban dari Tuhan kepada orang yang belum mengenal Yesus Kristus. Bagi Paulus, beban dia ialah kepada orang Israel "saudara-saudari sebangsa[nya]" Dia peduli. Dia terbeban. Dia sangat mengambil berat. Seorang pelayan misi yang saya kenal pernah menyatakan hasratnya untuk membawa ramai lagi anak-anak muda untuk pergi melakukan misi penginjilan di pendalaman negeri Sarawak bersama dengan dia. "Supaya mereka melihat dan mengalami sendiri realiti bahawa ramai lagi orang yang belum mengenal dan menerima Yesus Kristus sebagai Tuhan dan Juruselamat mereka," katanya. Dia menasihati saya, "Kamu harus mencabar pelajar-pelajar di kampus yang kamu pergi untuk memberitakan Berita Baik tentang Yesus Kristus di tempat mereka belajar. Ajar mereka untuk bersaksi!" Dia kemudian berkongsi tentang kebebasan dan sukacita melalui kasih kurnia Allah dan Keselamatan di dalam Kristus, dan kesengsaraan murka Allah bagi orang yang tidak mengenal dan menerima Dia. Saya merasakan bahawa Roma 9:1-3 ini ditulis untuk mengingatkan kita bahawa kita perlu mempunyai beban terhadap orang yang belum mengenal Yesus Kristus. Kita tidak sepatutnya terlalu obses terhadap politik, alam sekitar, masalah peribadi dan asyik berfikir tentang pembangunan rohani sendiri sehinggakan Keselamatan orang lain kita abaikan. Paulus sangat terbeban sehinggakan dia menulis dengan penuh dramatik sekali: "Saya rela dikutuk dan dipisahkan dari Kristus demi mereka, asalkan hal itu membuat mereka diselamatkan" (Roma 9:3). Sebagai seorang pengikut Kristus, kamu dan saya mempunyai tanggungjawab untuk membawa ramai orang yang di luar lingkungan gereja kita untuk mengenal Kristus. Jika benar kita mengasihi Tuhan dan kasih Dia ada bersama kita, ia sepatutnya mendorang kita untuk melakukan sesuatu yang indah bagi-Nya. Berdoalah agar Dia memberikan beban itu kepada kamu (Hati-hati Dia mungkin akan menjawab doa kamu dengan segera!). Perhatikanlah, apabila Roh Kudus-Nya menyertai kamu, hidup kamu akan berubah – kamu semakin menjadi seperti Kristus. Amen. Adakah kamu mempunyai beban supaya Malaysia mengenal dan percaya kepada Yesus Kristus? THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. | ||
| Let the People (Not Evil Spirits) say that "Jesus is the Son of God!" (A Reflection on Mark 3:11-12) Posted: 10 Apr 2014 09:37 PM PDT "[Whenever] the people who had evil spirits in them saw him, they would fall down before him and scream, 'You are the Son of God!' Jesus sternly ordered the evil spirits not to tell anyone who he was" (Mark 3:11-12, GNB). This scene reminds me of a true story told by my colleague. There was a booth set by religious club in campus with a sign: 'Jesus is a Muslim.' When a very concern student when to the booth, she was bombarded with many twisted-quotations and doubtful-questions to refute her confession of faith about Jesus of the Bible. Thanks God she was aware of what was going on and reported it to the campus authority. Frankly, it was a religious agenda to convert Christian students to become Muslims (we must speak the truth!) in campus by claiming that Jesus is not who He is – the Son of God.  But in contrast, the evil spirits "fall down before him" and tell the truth (for they were in the presence of the Holy One) and "scream" publicly that "You [Jesus] are the Son of God!" Isn't that the same testimony as the Book of Mark reminds us earlier that "Jesus [is] the Son of God" (Mark 1:1)? It is the truth, isn't it? So, why Jesus told them "not to tell anyone who he was"? Why not the evil spirits just tell lies such as "You are the Son of the Devil!" or "You are not the Son of God!"? Why the command to silent? If you understand the way Jesus (or rather, God of the Bible) wins people to Himself, He doesn't force or manipulate people to confess that He is Lord and Savior. He never once told people that "If you refuse to follow Me, I'll kill you!" He gives clues – sufficient evidences – either by His miracles and healings, the virgin birth and the cross, the transfiguration and the ascension, the empty tomb and the resurrection, the Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the universe and our conscious, all of these may lead us to conclude for ourselves that He is Lord and Savior, "the Son of God." Jesus don't need demoniac testimony to His Person even though such testimony would have been irrefutable (so shut up you evil spirits!) for He had others in mind for that task – the apostles (Mark 3:13-19) and now to us, His followers (Mark 16:15). Again, I repeat: Jesus doesn't need the evil spirits or religious clubs to make Himself known. He wants people (including you and me) to find out who He is by listening to God's Word – the Bible – and by observing His deeds in the gospel stories. He desires the church to spread the truth about Him. He desires our witnesses to tell others about God's salvation. He desires our personal lives to make the difference in people's lives. He wants us, living and redeemed people of God, to "Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all people" (Mark 16:15, GNB). This is God's desire. THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. |
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