Discipleship -- What Does It Truly Mean?

I am thinking about, what is now being referred to as, ‘old churchy term.’  Terms that have come to be of no real value to those ages forty years old and below.

I am referring to such terms as: sin, sinner, salvation, justification, sanctification and phrases like membership, kingdom of God.

All of these, once important words have somehow lost their relevance, meaning and usefulness. 

If you really think about it most of them, come out of, and are defined by an ancient way of thinking.   Which today has no relevant meaning to the younger mind.

If I understand correctly, what the younger generation wants, it is not all of the old traditions, and institutions, of the church fathers; but a way to know God/Jesus in very real and purposeful ways. 

Ways in which they can feel that they are making a difference in the crazy world they have inherited from their grandparents and parents.  

A world that to them seems to be reversing itself from all the treasured Christian values and understandings, of what it means to follow Jesus.

If I have one description of the younger mind searching to fit into the old ways it would be: more willing to question.  More willing to be less narrow and more inclusive of those who have been seen as outside of God’s possibility. 

So this morning I am going to make a relatively bold statement — assumption — about Jesus' Call to live as his disciples -- his students -- on this planet earth.   

I make this assumption because I believe that this new generation of Jesus’ followers actually understands the Call correctly. 

Jesus, I believe, was looking for minds that were graving a close relationship with a God who promises to love and accept them for who they are.  

A relationship with Jesus who came to show us a radically different way of living that actually shows us -- models for us -- better ways of being together.

Jesus’ Call to discipleship is a call that takes precedence over all the old rules and earthly securities.

To follow in the ways Jesus, that is his way of being, is a probing and deliberative process where we find our ability to enter the difficult questions about life and living in this very different and diverse world. 

A life, by the way, that in not just informative, but interactive -- not simply a pew-sitting-crowd of church goers. 

It is a life that is involved in reconciliation; bring peace and justice to the entire population of God’s children.    

To be continued.