Discipleship

My word for today is discipleship.  What does it mean to be a disciple?  The word disciple must share the same root as the word discipline – which has multiple meanings or connotations – a discipline can be a field of study – to discipline is to offer some sort of corrective measure to another so that they adhere to a certain way of being – discipleship is about following and learning, sharing and growing in a particular path or way.

Jesus called 12 people from a variety of walks of life to be his first disciples and then of course there were many woman, never officially called disciples who supported his work, offered hospitality, stayed at the cross to the bitter end and were the first messengers of the resurrection.

To be a follower of Jesus is to be a disciple.  I think discipleship is a lifestyle, a way of being.  It is an answer to the question, “Will you come and follow me?”  The words of the hymn in Voices United #567 ring in my mind,

 “Will you come and follow me, if I but call your name?   

Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?  

 Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known, 

will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?"  

The first aspect of discipleship is saying “yes” and then it involves a lifetime of figuring out how to live into the “yes” and that looks different for all of us.

This Sunday we are celebrating conformation with 10 teenagers and 2 adults.  This is one of the ways we mark the commitment to discipleship.  Each of these people will be saying “yes” in response to the invitation to follow Jesus in their life. 

 Confirmation Retreat with our teenagers at the cottage.

 We are invited daily to say "yes" and to discern in this day what that looks like.