Disciples and Christians

This morning I was surprised by my reading a bit. I am sure that I knew this as I have been in the passage at least a couple of times, but I had not put it together until now.

“²⁵So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.” – Acts 11:25-26 (ESV)

It was here in Antioch as a result of the teaching of Christ by Saul and Barnabas that those followers, or disciples of Christ were first labeled as “Christians”. I guess I had not really considered that these disciples were the first Christians on record.

How and what does this mean to me? Well, I see this as a telling example of what actions I should have as a follower of Christ. I determine myself to be a Christian thanks to my following of Christ, and as such I should be a disciple of Christ as well. I have to be more vested in my relationship with Christ than just labeling myself as a Christian.

You see, the disciples of Christ in Antioch did not call themselves Christians, they were called Christians by others. “The unbelieving public in Antioch” gave them the label as they “were beginning to have an identity of their own apart from other Jews” as noted in the commentary of my ESV bible for verse 26. Their actions spoke volumes as to who they followed and it was obvious to those around them that they were in fact different.

So we should be visibly different in our work for the Father. We should be disciples of Him to the extent that the people will label us Christians and not that we label ourselves. It is not what I think of myself and how I label myself that matters. It is how the LORD sees and labels me. Yes, I am a child of God and a brother of Jesus, yet it is my being a disciple that is where I should be striving to be with Christ. Remember our commission:

“¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teahing them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

We are to be disciples first for the LORD and teach others to be disciples of the Father. We are not labeling folks as converts or Christians or any other name. We are working for Christ to teach so they will “go” and teach others. If the outside world would label us as Christians, then so be it. We are disciples of Christ and Christians as seen by others.

What is your identity with Christ? Are you looking to have a label according to the world? What if you focused on being a disciple of Christ and allowed others to see you and not be concerned with the label they place on you?

You First

“³⁷Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; ³⁸give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” – Luke 6:37-38 (ESV)

A pretty common couple of verses. As I continue my study of the word “disciple” the LORD led me to this passage in Luke’s gospel titled “Judging Others” in my ESV Bible. The verse I was led to I have looked through in another writing, but as usual, God leads me where He needs me to be.

The above verses speak of not judging others to keep from being judged ourselves and what great wisdom that is. This passage is filled with wisdom from the LORD related to judgment of others and we will likely recognize the below verses that bring that wisdom home.

“⁴¹Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴²How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” – Luke 6:41-42 (ESV)

Who am I to judge others when I have many things in my life that I need to get right. I have to think of my walk with Christ before I can talk to others about their walk. I have to allow the Holy Spirit to lead me from my heart before using my mind to lead others.

“⁴⁰A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” – Luke 6:40 (ESV)

As a disciple of Christ I have to remember that I can only work to be like Christ and not be Him. Where Jesus was perfect with no “log” in His eye, I am without those logs. I will never have all of the logs out of my eye and there for I have concern myself with my own faults and growth as opposed to others. I have to be first in the order of getting things right. I have to work to remove the log from my eye as it is certainly in the way of clarity when it comes to “knowing” what is “right” for others. If I am not right how can I know what is right for you.

My walk with Christ is ongoing and will lead to many realizations. I have to concern myself with getting right and guiding others to Christ so they can be led by Him to get right. I am not the one to “know”, I can only guide you to the one who does, JESUS. I am a disciple or student of Christ, not the teacher and certainly not Him. I have my own struggle and opportunities and that is where my focus should be. I gotta get right before I judge anyone on where they are.

How are you viewing others? Are you telling them what is what? What if you were to concern yourself with you first and allow the judgment of other to our teacher, Jesus Christ?

Our Obligation to the LORD

Yes, I have obligation to the LORD. He has given more than I deserve and I am obligated to Him for that gift.

I know what you might be thinking, “it was a gift, how do I owe for it”. Well, it is not that I owe anything, it is thanks that I am obligated to give in return. That thanks is partly conveyed in our receiving of the gift, and the balance is conveyed in word and action. I am obligated to say “Thank you” for the gift of salvation and reciprocate with my actions to demonstrate my acceptance of the gift and dedication of my life and self to Him.

But, our reciprocation is not just receipt, thanks, and dedication, it is to be the FIRST things we do. In verses 35 through 37 of Nehemiah 10, there is the outline of those things that are obligated to the LORD. Those things are noted as not just the things, but the first of those things.

“³⁵We obligate ourselves to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of the Lord; ³⁶also to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God, the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks; ³⁷and to bring the first of our dough, and our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and to bring to the Levites the tithes from our ground, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our towns where we labor.” – Nehemiah 10:35-37 (ESV)

So, the obligation I have to the LORD is to reciprocate with the FIRST of everything to Him. I arise in the mornings and pray thanks and petition to the LORD. I give the first of my day to Him. I study His Word first and then on with the rest of my day. I give first to Him and then live on the rest. I am dedicating my life and self to Him and His worship. I am prioritizing the LORD over all else.

What a thing to say it out loud for me and all to hear, as I have done in the above paragraph. It is one thing to internalize things, it is another to say it aloud. I will obligate, and not just obligate, but the first of me to the LORD. He GAVE me the GIFT of salvation and I am obligated to thanks and dedication to Him in return.

What is your thoughts on your obligation to the LORD? Did you just get the gift of salvation and it is time to move on? What if you realized the gift and reciprocated with receipt, thanks, and dedication to Him and did so through obligation and with the first of you?