Like Interns Following A Doctor

Not everyone who calls out to me, “Lord! Lord!” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.   Matthew 7:21

The gospel is often reduced to something like a “get out of jail free” card in the game of Monopoly: players receive a “get out of hell free” card—if they land on the “church” square and follow the directions. The result is “Christians” who are little different from the world, show no obvious signs of submission to the King, and are dangerously sure about everlasting life.

Jesus undermines such complacency. His first public sermon begins with the word repent (see Matthew 4:17), and he didn’t mean “say you’re sorry.” He meant “turn around and move in a different direction.” Then Jesus spoke about seed that springs up quickly, but when pressure comes, it withers away; and about seed that falls among thorns and is choked by worry or wealth (see 13:20-22).

True faith is like a tree filled with the fruit of obedience. That’s why Paul talks about the obedience that comes from faith (see Romans 1:5). Faith joins us to Christ so his life can begin to flow into us and through us in order that we may bear fruit. Where there is no fruit of obedience, there is no spiritual life.

In the Gospels, Jesus calls people to a different kind of life. The first call of the Gospel is not to believe in Jesus, but to follow him. If we settle for something less, we miss authentic Christianity. We must discover what it means to be a disciple.

The word disciple was in common use at the time of Jesus. It was a term used for students and literally means “one who goes somewhere with someone.” In Jesus’ day, students learned by going where their teacher went, listening to what their teacher said, and watching what the teacher did. Disciples were like interns following a doctor on his rounds. An intern learns by observing and participating in what the doctor is doing.

Jesus’ call to his disciples was “Come, follow me” (Matthew 4:19). A disciple of Jesus is a person whose life is bound up with his and is marked by a distinct loyalty to Christ. Could this be said of you?

For further reading, see Matthew 7