backstory

i wanted to take some time and explain the title of this blog and why i chose this name.

some of you, i'm sure, have read the book velvet elvis, by rob bell. if you haven't, i strongly suggest you pick it up. there has been a lot of talk about this book since it was published a couple of years ago; some good, some bad, a lot misunderstood, but for my part, it has been a book that changed the way i view my relationship with God. the approach he takes in relating very historical information to our lives as christians today makes for compelling insight into who we are and what we were meant to be. let me explain...

in the fifth "movement" (chapter) of this book, bell takes considerable time illustrating the traditional jewish practice of discipleship. for me that word had only christian implications: the twelve disciples of Jesus, but the practice of having disciples was common for every rabbi at the time of Christ. yes, Jesus was a jewish rabbi; He was indeed a jew, and He was indeed a teacher. much like the twelve disciple of Jesus, other disciples of other rabbis would follow their teacher day and night wanting for their very lives to become like that of their master's. from this, a common admonition would be offered to disciples of that day, and it is here i will begin quoting from chapter five...

"'cover yourself with the dust of [your rabbi's] feet.' this idea of being covered in the dust of your rabbi came from something everybody had seen. a rabbi would come to town, and right behind him would be this group of students, doing their best to keep up with the rabbi as he went about teaching his yoke (his theology) from one place to another. by the end of a day of walking in the dirt directly behind their rabbi, the students would have the dust from his feet all over them.
and that was a good thing."

what a beautiful image of the way we are called to follow our master. in matthew 16:24-25 Christ says, "if anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. for whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." if i am truly to be a disciple of Christ, i must follow Him everywhere and do everything He did; that is the definition of discipleship, pure and simple. for, "a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. it is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master" (matt. 10:24-25).

but the call to be a disciple of Christ is something out of the ordinary for the world, because Christ's actions while He was here were entirely out of the ordinary. following Christ was never meant to be a "clean" affair. Jesus was beaten and killed to save the world; if i am to be His disciple, and to be a disciple is to be like my master, then i must literally offer my life to God, whatever the cost. do we do this today? do we take seriously the call to take up our crosses and follow Him? because many of those who followed Jesus Christ on this earth did die for their faith and for preaching His gospel to the lost; many today are being killed for their faith in God through Jesus. (if you don't believe me, check out the link to christian solidarity to the right).

what would it look like if christians really did start taking up their crosses? what would it look like if we gave everything to God, including our lives? is it really that outrageous a claim? what do we have that is ours anyway? everything i have is from the Lord, and my soul has been bought with His blood on the cross. who am i to deny God what He rightly owns?

francis of assisi wrote,
"keep a clear eye toward life's end. do not forget your purpose and destiny as God's creature. what you are in His sight is what you are and nothing more. remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received - fading symbols of honor, trappings of power - but only what you have given: a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice, and courage."

discipleship to Christ can no longer be something important for us, it must be the only thing about us. "Lord, let me no longer live a life of rebellion to You; instead let me find myself a slave to you, free in your captivity, and satisfied only by Your everlasting love. amen."