Durante
a Idade de Ouro da Grécia o jovem Platão podia ser visto caminhando pelas suas
de Atenas em busca de mestre: o maltrapilho, descalço e brilhante Sócrates.
Aqui, provavelmente, estava o início de um discipulado. Sócrates não escreveu
livros. Seus alunos escutavam atentamente cada palavra que ele dizia e eles
observavam tudo o que ele fazia, preparando-se para ensinar outros. Aparentemente
o sistema funcionou. Mais tarde Platão fundou a Academia, onde Filosofia e
Ciência continuaram a ser ensinados por 900 anos.
Jesus usou relacionamento semelhante com os homens que
ele treinou a fim de difundir o reino de Deus. Seus discípulos estiveram com
Ele dia e noite por três anos. Escutavam os seus sermões e memorizavam os seus
ensinamentos. Viram-no viver a vida que ele ensinava. Então, após sua ascensão,
os discípulos confiaram as palavras de Cristo a outros e encorajam-nos a adotar
o seu estilo de vida e obedecer ao seu reino.
Discípulo é o aluno que aprende as palavras, os atos e estilo de vida de
seu mestre, com a finalidade de ensinar a outros.
O discípulo cristão
é um relacionamento de mestre e aluno, baseado no modelo de Cristo e seus discípulos,
no qual o Mestre reproduz tão bem no aluno a plenitude da vida que tem em
Cristo, que o aluno é capaz de treinar outros para ensinarem a outros.
Um estudo cuidadoso do ensino da vida de Cristo revela
que o discipulado possui dois componentes essenciais: morte de si mesmo e
reprodução. São estas as notas tônicas de todo o ministério de Jesus. Ele
morreu para que pudesse reproduzir nova vida. E ele requer que cada um de seus
discípulos lhe siga o exemplo.
Morte
de sim mesmo
O
chamado de Cristo para o discipulado é um chamado para a morte do eu, uma entrega absoluta a Deus. Jesus disse: “Se alguém quer vir após mim, a si mesmo se
negue, dia a dia tome a sua cruz, e siga-me. Pois quem quiser salvar sua vida perdê-la-a;
quem perder a vida por minha causa, esse a salvará”. (Lucas 9:23-24).
Da perspectiva do mundo, a fraqueza de Cristo em chamar
as pessoas para segui-lo parece ser exagerada. Hoje, se alguém quisesse
“vender” um estilo de vida tão exigente, uma entrega tão total, provavelmente
contrataria a firma mais sofisticada de publicidade para descrever
detalhadamente, num folheto ilustrado com lindas fotografias coloridas, os
benefícios de tal decisão. Ou então contrataria uma atriz glamorosa e a
cercaria de figuras famosas, obviamente felizes pelo deleite e satisfação de
sua nova vida em Cristo. Então ele captaria a mágica do momento no vídeotape,
com a esperança de colocar o filme no ar no intervalo do programa de mais alto
índice do IPOBE.
Mas Jesus é honesto e direto: para compartilhar de sua
glória, primeiro a pessoa terá de compartilhar de sua morte. Jesus é Senhor dos
senhores e Rei dos reis. E o Senhor do universo ordena que toda pessoa o siga.
Seus chamado a Pedro e André (Mateus 4:18-19) e a Tiago e João (Mateus 4:21)
foi uma ordem. “Segue-me” sempre tem sido uma ordem, nunca um convite (João
1:43).
Jesus nunca implorou que alguém o seguisse. Ele era
embaraçosamente direto. Ele confrontou a mulher no poço com o seu adultério; a
Nicodemos ele confrontou com o seu orgulho intelectual e aos fariseus com sua
auto-justificação. Ninguém pode interpretar “Arrependei-vos, porque está próximo o reino dos céus”, como uma
súplica (Mateus 4:17). Jesus ordenou a cada pessoa que renunciasse a seus
próprios interesses, abandonasse seus pecados e obedecesse completamente a ele.
Quando o jovem rico recusou vender tudo o que possuía
para segui-lo (Mateus 19:21), Jesus não sai correndo atrás dele tentando fazer
uma conciliação. Ele nunca diluiu o seu perdão. Jesus declarou apenas: “Se alguém se serve, siga-me” (João
12:26).
Jesus esperava obediência imediata. Ele não aceitava
desculpas (Lucas 9:62) . Quando um homem quis primeiro enterrar o seu pai antes
de seguir a Cristo, ele replicou: “Segue-me,
e deixa aos mortos o sepultar os seus próprios mortos” (Mateus 8:22). Homem
nenhum recebeu louvor por ter obedecido à ordem de Cristo de segui-lo e
tornar-se seu discípulo; era o que se esperava de todos. Jesus disse: “Assim também vós, depois de haverdes feito
quanto vos foi ordenado, dizei: Somos servos inúteis, porque fizemos apenas o
que devíamos fazer” (Lucas 17:10).
Sendo assim, quando é que você se torna um cristão, um
discípulo de Cristo? Quando vai à frente em resposta a um apelo? Quando se
ajoelha diante do altar? Quando chora sinceramente? Nem sempre. Os seguidores
originais de Cristo tornaram-se discípulos quando lhe obedeciam, quando “no
mesmo instante, deixando o barco e seu pai, o seguiram” (Mateus 4:22).
A obediência à ordem de Cristo “segue-me” resulta na
morte de si mesmo. O Cristianismo sem a morte de si mesmo é apenas uma
filosofia abstrata. É um Cristianismo sem Cristo.
Talvez o erro mais fundamental cometido por muitos
cristãos seja fazer distinção entre o receber a salvação e o tornar-se
discípulo. Colocam as duas coisas em níveis diferentes de maturidade cristã,
presumindo que é suficiente ser salvo sem fazer compromisso com as exigências
mais radicais de Jesus como “tomar a sua cruz” e segui-lo (Mateus 10:38).
(Translation into English)
What is Discipleship?
During the Golden Age of Greece the young Plato could
be seen walking through Athens in search of his master: the ragged, barefoot
and bright Socrates. Here, probably was an early discipleship. Socrates wrote
no books. His pupils listened attentively to every word he said and they
watched everything he did, preparing to teach others. Apparently the system
worked. Later Plato founded the Academy, where philosophy and science continued
to be taught for 900 years.
Jesus used similar relationship with the men he trained in order to spread the kingdom of God. His disciples were with Him day and night for three years. They listened to his sermons and memorized his teachings. They saw him live the life that he taught. Then, after his ascension, the disciples trusted the words of Christ to others and encouraged them to adopt his lifestyle and conform to his kingdom. A disciple is a student who learns the words, actions and lifestyle of his master, in order to teach others.
The Christian disciple is a relationship of master and pupil, based on the model of Christ and his disciples, in which the Master reproduces so well in the student the fullness of life that is in Christ, which the student is able to train others to teach others.
A careful study of the teaching of Christ's life reveals that discipleship has two essential components: the death of himself and reproduction. These are the tonic notes of the entire ministry of Jesus. He died so we could reproduce new life. And it requires every one of his disciples to follow the example.
Yes even death.
Christ's call to discipleship is a call for the death of me, an absolute surrender to God. Jesus said, "If anyone would come after Me. let him deny himself, day by day and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; whoever loses his life for my sake, will save it." (Luke 9:23-24).
From the perspective of the world, the frankness of Christ in calling people to follow him it seems to be exaggerated. Today, if someone wanted to "sell" a so demanding lifestyle, so a total surrender, the company would probably hire the most sophisticated advertising to describe in detail in a booklet illustrated with beautiful colored photographs, the benefits of such a decision. Or it would hire a glamorous actress and would surround her with famous leading figures obviously happy for the delight and satisfaction of her new life in Christ. Then he would capture the magic of the moment in the DVD, hoping to put the film in the air in the break of the program's highest rate IPOBE.
But he is honest and straightforward: to share his glory, the first one will have to share his death. Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings. The Lord of the universe demands that everyone to follow him. His call to Peter and Andrew (Matthew 4:18-19) and James and John (Matthew 4:21) was an order. "Follow me" has always been an order, not an invitation (John 1:43).
Jesus never begged anyone to follow him. He was embarrassingly direct. He confronted the woman at the well with her adultery, Nicodemus he confronted with his intellectual pride and the Pharisees with their self-justification. No one can interpret "Repent, because it is near the kingdom of heaven" as a prayer (Matthew 4:17). Jesus commanded every person to renounce their own interests, forsake their sins and obey him completely.
When the rich young man refused to sell all he had to follow him (Matthew 19:21), Jesus did not go running after him trying to strike up a compromise. He never diluted his forgiveness. Jesus said only: "If anyone serves me, follows me" (John 12:26).
Jesus expected instant obedience. He did not accept excuses (Luke 9:62). When a man wanted to bury his father first before following Christ, he replied: "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead" (Matthew 8:22). No man has received praise for having obeyed the command of Christ to follow him and become his pupil; it was expected of everyone. Jesus said: "So you also, after you have done as you were commanded, say: We are unprofitable servants, because we did just what we should do" (Luke 17:10).
So, when do you become a Christian, a disciple of Christ? When you go forward in response to an appeal? When you kneel at the altar? When you sincerely cry? Not always. The original followers of Christ became his disciples when they followed him, when "on the fly, leaving the boat and their father and followed him" (Matthew 4:22).
Obedience to Christ's command "follow me” results in the death of yourself. Christianity without the death itself is only an abstract philosophy. It is Christianity without Christ.
Perhaps the most fundamental error committed by many Christians is to distinguish between receiving salvation and becoming a disciple. They put the two things at different levels of Christian maturity, assuming that it is sufficient to be saved without commitment to the most radical demands of Jesus as "taking up your cross" and follow him (Matthew 10:38).
Jesus used similar relationship with the men he trained in order to spread the kingdom of God. His disciples were with Him day and night for three years. They listened to his sermons and memorized his teachings. They saw him live the life that he taught. Then, after his ascension, the disciples trusted the words of Christ to others and encouraged them to adopt his lifestyle and conform to his kingdom. A disciple is a student who learns the words, actions and lifestyle of his master, in order to teach others.
The Christian disciple is a relationship of master and pupil, based on the model of Christ and his disciples, in which the Master reproduces so well in the student the fullness of life that is in Christ, which the student is able to train others to teach others.
A careful study of the teaching of Christ's life reveals that discipleship has two essential components: the death of himself and reproduction. These are the tonic notes of the entire ministry of Jesus. He died so we could reproduce new life. And it requires every one of his disciples to follow the example.
Yes even death.
Christ's call to discipleship is a call for the death of me, an absolute surrender to God. Jesus said, "If anyone would come after Me. let him deny himself, day by day and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; whoever loses his life for my sake, will save it." (Luke 9:23-24).
From the perspective of the world, the frankness of Christ in calling people to follow him it seems to be exaggerated. Today, if someone wanted to "sell" a so demanding lifestyle, so a total surrender, the company would probably hire the most sophisticated advertising to describe in detail in a booklet illustrated with beautiful colored photographs, the benefits of such a decision. Or it would hire a glamorous actress and would surround her with famous leading figures obviously happy for the delight and satisfaction of her new life in Christ. Then he would capture the magic of the moment in the DVD, hoping to put the film in the air in the break of the program's highest rate IPOBE.
But he is honest and straightforward: to share his glory, the first one will have to share his death. Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings. The Lord of the universe demands that everyone to follow him. His call to Peter and Andrew (Matthew 4:18-19) and James and John (Matthew 4:21) was an order. "Follow me" has always been an order, not an invitation (John 1:43).
Jesus never begged anyone to follow him. He was embarrassingly direct. He confronted the woman at the well with her adultery, Nicodemus he confronted with his intellectual pride and the Pharisees with their self-justification. No one can interpret "Repent, because it is near the kingdom of heaven" as a prayer (Matthew 4:17). Jesus commanded every person to renounce their own interests, forsake their sins and obey him completely.
When the rich young man refused to sell all he had to follow him (Matthew 19:21), Jesus did not go running after him trying to strike up a compromise. He never diluted his forgiveness. Jesus said only: "If anyone serves me, follows me" (John 12:26).
Jesus expected instant obedience. He did not accept excuses (Luke 9:62). When a man wanted to bury his father first before following Christ, he replied: "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead" (Matthew 8:22). No man has received praise for having obeyed the command of Christ to follow him and become his pupil; it was expected of everyone. Jesus said: "So you also, after you have done as you were commanded, say: We are unprofitable servants, because we did just what we should do" (Luke 17:10).
So, when do you become a Christian, a disciple of Christ? When you go forward in response to an appeal? When you kneel at the altar? When you sincerely cry? Not always. The original followers of Christ became his disciples when they followed him, when "on the fly, leaving the boat and their father and followed him" (Matthew 4:22).
Obedience to Christ's command "follow me” results in the death of yourself. Christianity without the death itself is only an abstract philosophy. It is Christianity without Christ.
Perhaps the most fundamental error committed by many Christians is to distinguish between receiving salvation and becoming a disciple. They put the two things at different levels of Christian maturity, assuming that it is sufficient to be saved without commitment to the most radical demands of Jesus as "taking up your cross" and follow him (Matthew 10:38).
Autoria de Keith Phillips
