Every now and then there is some small, cool point within the passage that I am studying for Sunday’s message at Tapestry that I am fairly sure will get lost in the rest of the message but I feel is fascinating. Tomorrow’s passage (Luke 8:1-15) has one such element that I thought I would quickly post concerning.
In regards to verse 1b-2a of the eight chapter of the Gospel According to Luke “The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases” Joel Green writes in his New International Commentary of the New Testament “The Gospel of Luke“:
As a summary, this text also introduces more blatantly what has only begun to be apparent in the narrative—namely, the ongoing presence of traveling companions “with” Jesus. Being “with Jesus” connotes “discipleship” 3—an implication immediately born out by the identification of Jesus’ companions as “the twelve” and as women who (as we will see below) embody the meaning of discipleship for Luke. (emphasis mine)
I love this description of discipleship (the process of growing as a follower of Jesus Christ), being with Jesus. Far too often discipleship gets turned into a program. Do this for this, then this, then this. I’ve discussed my struggle with discipleship program before here. When these programs work properly they are a means to helping us to be with Jesus. When they aren’t working properly they become a end themselves, rather than being something that helps us to be with Jesus. We just have to always remember that “being with Jesus” is the means and the end of discipleship.