Second Insight: Jesus models what He teaches.
Consider the placement of this story of Martha and Mary by Luke. It follows closely on Jesus' instructions to the 42 teams (Lk. 10:1-23) about how to plant churches ("new families of God").
Jesus' teaching on how to plant churches: Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. Mt. 10:11.
Jesus' teaching on how to plant churches: When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Lk. 10:8.
Jesus' practice of planting churches: As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. Lk. 10:38.
The point? Luke is giving us a real life example of the very thing Jesus has just taught His disciples. Jesus teaches a pattern of behavior with his words. Then, he teaches that same pattern of behavior with his actions. Roger Gehring says it this way, "These instructions (of Jesus for house-to-house outreach) correspond almost entirely to what we have just discovered regarding Jesus' own approach... a master functions as an example for his pupils." House Church and Mission, p. 48.
Let me say it again. Jesus is a church planter. And, he trains His disciples to be church planters. Birthing "vibrant families of God" is at the heart of His strategy for the expansion of His kingdom.
Take another look at the picture above. This is a picture of a church being born. Focus this time on the disciples watching Jesus. What do you imagine they are thinking about? What are they learning?
John
My thought this morning is that as church is born there is a struggle to decide if we will sit and listen to Jesus or if we will work hard in making preparation for good things. Maybe it is true that Jesus is still the church planter among us.
ReplyDeleteLove your thought, Hobby... Jesus is still the church planter among us... gonna dwell on that one for a bit and see what comes out. :)
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