We are born sleepwalking through life, mistaking our human experience for spiritual reality. We need help seeing things as they really are. Discipleship is awakening someone to their identity and role in the kingdom of God.
Knowing this, Jesus continually threw his disciples into the deep end so that they might learn to swim. He took them through what looks to me like three phases that resulted in their spiritual growth – waking them up to kingdom reality.
1. Destabilize
Jesus sent his disciples out two by two to practice all he had been showing them. His words to them weren’t exactly reassuring. “Don’t take anything on the trip. People will mistreat you.” And then he sent them out. Because 90% of what people do is habitual, it becomes routine. They depend on what they know. We get our needs met from God,
2. Dependence
We need God to make it through life, yet we prefer to try and make it on our own. He can seem so distant an intangible, only a time of real need can expose the reality that we find true life as we rely on him.
3. Dance
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I'm motivated to join God in his global reclamation project. He's on the move, setting his sons and daughters free from their places of captivity. And he's partnering with those of us who have been freed to go and free others.
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No coincidence that our preacher taught on redemption this past Sunday, and that what you’ve said expands on what he said. That always amazes me, and it shouldn’t…
oh wow Seth. Thanks for this!
“We are born sleepwalking through life, mistaking our human experience for spiritual reality. We need help seeing things as they really are.” – amen. And even after radical encounters full of the Spirit and this true life, I at least find myself sometimes “sleepwalking” back into old patterns of belief/behaviors.
But not today. Today I think I’d rather dance. 🙂 Thanks for the reminder!
Hey Seth, I get destablization and dependance, but I don’t dance nearly enough. It makes me think of the times I have danced and enjoyed it so much. I don’t dance because I’m uptight and worried about how I look dancing, goofy maybe. But when the rythym and the crowd become overwhelming I give in and then wonder “what was I waiting for?” How many dances have I missed? Too many, but there are so many more.
Thanks Seth, love ya man.
making my core students read this too. thanks seth.