Last week-end I attended a training session in Eureka Springs for those of us who are going to be leading a men’s retreat next week-end. I heard a young man give a message that he will be sharing with the men at the retreat. Those sharing for the first time at the week-end we like to hear their talk at the training session. The young man was a history teacher and I must say did an excellent job. His topic was “Discipleship.” In his comments he mentioned the fact that in New Testament times there were many Rabbis (teachers) who had disciples. But that being a disciple meant more than just merely following the teacher. It meant following him literally so close that as they traveled the dusty roads of the Holy Land the disciple would be covered with the dust being stirred up by his Rabbi. Often one Rabbi would ask another, about the progress of one of his disciples. But he would ask by saying, “How much dust does he have one him?” A dusty disciple was one who was intent on staying extremely close to his teacher. In truth a disciple is more than one who follows his teacher; he is one who wants to be like his teacher. But the disciple cannot become like his teacher (Rabbi) unless he follows him.
And Oh By The Way, I know something about getting dusty, following behind. A few years back there were four of us couples at the church who scheduled a four-wheeler ride on a Saturday. We had a great time and rode more than 50 miles that day. Though the weather was nice for such an outing, the roads were rather dusty. One of the couples was to lead the way and the rest were to follow. Marie and I had never traveled in that part of the county and did not know the directions to our planned destination were we were to have a picnic. Our choices were simply. We could fall behind the leader far enough to avoid the dust but run the risk of losing our way because we could easily miss a turn-off. We could get ahead of the leader in which case we would have been continually confused and uncertain about the roads we should travel. The best choice, the one we stayed with, was to follow close behind the leader, even though it meant getting very dusty. At the end of our trip that day the only clean places on our bodies were little white rings around our eyes were we were wearing our glasses.
The Scripture says in Luke 14:33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple; And again in Luke 9:62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
The spiritual application is clear. We are called as disciples to follow Jesus. We could fall behind so far that we lose site of which way Jesus is leading. We could get ahead of our Lord, and thereby become spiritually confused and get completely lost and maybe lead someone else down the wrong road. What we must do is follow our Rabbi, our Lord Jesus, so closely that we bear the evidence of our following Him. Our prayer life, Bible study, and life of obedience is the dust of the master that can even be recognized by others.
So the question becomes, “As a disciple how dusty are you?” How close to our Teacher do you walk? Have you allowed too much distance between you and Him? Have you tried to get ahead of Him at times? For me, I choose to be a very dusty disciple.
And Oh By The Way, I know something about getting dusty, following behind. A few years back there were four of us couples at the church who scheduled a four-wheeler ride on a Saturday. We had a great time and rode more than 50 miles that day. Though the weather was nice for such an outing, the roads were rather dusty. One of the couples was to lead the way and the rest were to follow. Marie and I had never traveled in that part of the county and did not know the directions to our planned destination were we were to have a picnic. Our choices were simply. We could fall behind the leader far enough to avoid the dust but run the risk of losing our way because we could easily miss a turn-off. We could get ahead of the leader in which case we would have been continually confused and uncertain about the roads we should travel. The best choice, the one we stayed with, was to follow close behind the leader, even though it meant getting very dusty. At the end of our trip that day the only clean places on our bodies were little white rings around our eyes were we were wearing our glasses.
The Scripture says in Luke 14:33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple; And again in Luke 9:62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
The spiritual application is clear. We are called as disciples to follow Jesus. We could fall behind so far that we lose site of which way Jesus is leading. We could get ahead of our Lord, and thereby become spiritually confused and get completely lost and maybe lead someone else down the wrong road. What we must do is follow our Rabbi, our Lord Jesus, so closely that we bear the evidence of our following Him. Our prayer life, Bible study, and life of obedience is the dust of the master that can even be recognized by others.
So the question becomes, “As a disciple how dusty are you?” How close to our Teacher do you walk? Have you allowed too much distance between you and Him? Have you tried to get ahead of Him at times? For me, I choose to be a very dusty disciple.
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