Articles
Disciples or Latchkey Christians?
Discipleship demands a close relationship with our Master. Jesus wants His disciples to be “with Him” (Mark 3:14).
I like this thought by Robert Coleman, who describes Jesus’ relationship with His disciples this way: “They walked together along the lonely roads; they visited together in the crowded cities; they sat and fished together in the Sea of Galilee; they prayed together in the deserts and in the mountains; and they worshiped together in the Synagogues and in the Temple. Such close and constant association, of course, meant virtually that Jesus had no time to call His own. Like little children clamoring for the attention of their father, the disciples were always under foot of the Master … But Jesus would have it no other way. He wanted to be with them. They were His spiritual children…and the only way that a father can properly raise a family is to be with them.”
I wonder if, today, we are raising disciples or latchkey Christians–spiritual children given the key to the door of the building, but no one to help them grow? Latchkey Christians are weak and immature; disciples grow to maturity with confidence in their relationship with the Master.
When Jesus began to gather His disciples, the most common method of discipleship was the one practiced by the Pharisees. To be considered one of their followers, one had to abide by their strict system of 365 prohibitions and 250 commandments. Anyone who could not keep up with this meticulous version of the Mosaic Law was labeled a sinner.
Jesus, on the other hand, invited people to follow Him. “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men’” (Mark. 1:16-17). His disciples enrolled in Jesus school of learning the moment they laid down their nets (John 1:35-39). By opening the door to the place where He was staying, Jesus was opening the door to a relationship with Him. He consistently chose being with His disciples over being with the masses.
Jesus used a boat as His classroom (Matthew 8:23-27). The subject He taught was faith. He used a mountain blanketed with hungry people as His classroom to show that He was sufficient to meet any need (John. 6:3-13). At the end of class that day, His disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers planting a truth that Jesus wanted to take root in their minds: with God, nothing is impossible.
Jesus’ disciples were taught in a boat, on a mountainside, and along the roads of Palestine. They learned from a blind man being healed that Jesus was light. They saw the importance of faith when Peter walked on water. And they grasped Christ’s principle of humility when He washed their feet. He simply spent time with people.
