Embracing Community: Discipleship in the New Israel
Summary
In 2016, during a sabbatical, I had the profound experience of visiting Israel, which deepened my understanding of Jesus as a historical figure. Standing on Mount Zion, I realized that Jesus was not just a religious concept but a real person who walked the earth. This revelation is the foundation of our series, "Knowing Jesus: The Story Behind the Stories," where we explore the historical context of Jesus to enrich our faith and understanding.
Today, we focus on the significance of Jesus choosing 12 disciples, a symbolic act that mirrors the 12 tribes of Israel. This choice signifies Jesus' mission to restore and reconstitute Israel, establishing a new people of God. The 12 disciples represent the new Israel, and by extension, we, as followers of Jesus, are part of this new community. This understanding challenges us to embrace our communal identity, which is vital to our discipleship.
In our individualistic society, we often overlook the importance of community in our spiritual journey. The New Testament emphasizes togetherness and unity, which are essential for thriving as a community of believers. The example of the Corinthian church illustrates the power of community in shaping and restoring individuals. We are called to commit to our church community, finding ways to serve and connect with others, thereby strengthening our collective identity as the people of God.
Jesus' call to his disciples involved two key aspects: being with him and doing the work he did. This model of discipleship emphasizes the importance of close relationships and shared experiences. Just as Jesus opened his life to his disciples, we are encouraged to come alongside others in our faith journey, fostering relationships that allow for the transference of life and spiritual growth.
In conclusion, our discipleship is enriched by our commitment to community and intentional relationships. By embracing our role as the new Israel and engaging in meaningful connections, we fulfill Jesus' vision for his followers. Let us pray for guidance and strength as we seek to live out this calling in our lives.
Key Takeaways:
1. Jesus as a Historical Figure: Visiting Israel helped me realize that Jesus was not just a religious concept but a real person who walked the earth. This understanding deepens our faith and encourages us to explore the historical context of Jesus to enrich our spiritual journey. [02:29]
2. Symbolism of the 12 Disciples: Jesus' choice of 12 disciples mirrors the 12 tribes of Israel, signifying his mission to restore and reconstitute Israel. This act establishes a new people of God, and as followers of Jesus, we are part of this new community. [09:11]
3. Importance of Communal Identity: Our communal identity is vital to our discipleship. In a society focused on individualism, we must emphasize togetherness and unity, as these are essential for thriving as a community of believers. [13:38]
4. Commitment to Community: We are called to commit to our church community, finding ways to serve and connect with others. This strengthens our collective identity as the people of God and enriches our spiritual journey. [17:38]
5. Discipleship Through Relationships: Jesus' model of discipleship involved being with his disciples and doing the work he did. We are encouraged to foster relationships that allow for the transference of life and spiritual growth, fulfilling Jesus' vision for his followers. [25:14]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:29] - Realizing Jesus as a Historical Figure
- [05:24] - Significance of the Number 12
- [06:53] - The Exile and the Lost Tribes
- [09:11] - Jesus Restores Israel
- [11:41] - The Role of the Disciples
- [13:38] - Our Communal Identity
- [15:42] - The Corinthian Church Example
- [17:38] - Commitment to Community
- [19:05] - Application: Community Involvement
- [20:32] - Jesus' Call to the Disciples
- [21:34] - The Strategy of Discipleship
- [23:23] - Wireless Charging Analogy
- [25:14] - Building Discipleship Relationships
- [26:35] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Knowing Jesus: The Story Behind the Stories"
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 19:28 - "Jesus said to them, 'Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'" [11:41]
2. 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 - Paul's instructions to the Corinthian church about dealing with sin within the community.
3. 2 Corinthians 2:5-8 - Paul's guidance on restoring a repentant sinner back into the community.
Observation Questions:
1. What realization did the pastor have while visiting Israel that changed his perception of Jesus? [02:29]
2. How does the number 12 play a significant role in both the Old and New Testaments, according to the sermon? [05:24]
3. What was the Corinthian church's approach to dealing with a member's sin, and how did it change over time? [15:42]
4. What were the two main aspects of Jesus' call to his disciples, as discussed in the sermon? [20:32]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does understanding Jesus as a historical figure impact one's faith and spiritual journey? [02:29]
2. In what ways does the symbolism of the 12 disciples as the new Israel challenge the traditional understanding of community in the church? [09:11]
3. How does the example of the Corinthian church illustrate the importance of community in spiritual restoration and growth? [15:42]
4. What might be the significance of Jesus' strategy of discipleship through close relationships and shared experiences? [21:34]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own perception of Jesus. How does viewing Him as a historical figure rather than just a religious concept change your relationship with Him? [02:29]
2. In what ways can you embrace your role as part of the new Israel and strengthen your communal identity within your church? [13:38]
3. Consider the level of commitment you have to your church community. What specific steps can you take to deepen your involvement and connection with others? [19:05]
4. Think about a time when you were part of a community that helped restore or shape you. How can you contribute to creating such an environment for others in your church? [15:42]
5. Identify someone in your church or community with whom you can build a discipleship relationship. What practical steps can you take to foster this connection? [25:14]
6. How can you balance your individual freedoms with the need for community and togetherness in your spiritual journey? [17:38]
7. Reflect on the concept of discipleship as a transference of life. How can you open your life to others to facilitate spiritual growth and mentorship? [23:23]
Devotional
Day 1: Jesus as a Tangible Historical Figure
Understanding Jesus as a real person who walked the earth can profoundly deepen one's faith. This realization encourages believers to explore the historical context of Jesus, enriching their spiritual journey. By acknowledging Jesus as a historical figure, we move beyond seeing Him as merely a religious concept and begin to appreciate the tangible reality of His life and teachings. This perspective invites us to engage with the stories of Jesus in a more meaningful way, allowing His life to impact our own. [02:29]
"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:30-31, ESV)
Reflection: How does viewing Jesus as a historical figure change the way you approach your faith and daily life? What steps can you take to explore the historical context of Jesus more deeply?
Day 2: The Symbolic Choice of the 12 Disciples
Jesus' selection of 12 disciples was a deliberate act that mirrored the 12 tribes of Israel, symbolizing His mission to restore and reconstitute Israel. This choice established a new people of God, with the disciples representing the new Israel. As followers of Jesus, we are invited to see ourselves as part of this new community, embracing our role in God's ongoing story. This understanding challenges us to reflect on our identity as members of this spiritual family and to consider how we can contribute to its mission. [09:11]
"And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach." (Mark 3:13-14, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways do you see yourself as part of the new community of God? How can you actively participate in the mission of this community today?
Day 3: Embracing Our Communal Identity
In a society that often prioritizes individualism, the importance of communal identity in our spiritual journey cannot be overstated. The New Testament emphasizes togetherness and unity, which are essential for thriving as a community of believers. By embracing our communal identity, we strengthen our discipleship and reflect the unity that Jesus envisioned for His followers. This communal focus encourages us to prioritize relationships and to seek ways to build and nurture our church community. [13:38]
"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:12, ESV)
Reflection: How can you contribute to fostering unity and togetherness within your church community? What specific actions can you take this week to strengthen your communal identity?
Day 4: Commitment to Community
Being part of a church community involves a commitment to serve and connect with others. This commitment strengthens our collective identity as the people of God and enriches our spiritual journey. By actively participating in our church community, we not only grow individually but also contribute to the growth and well-being of others. This commitment calls us to find ways to serve, support, and build relationships within our community, reflecting the love and unity that Jesus taught. [17:38]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: What are some practical ways you can serve and connect with others in your church community this week? How can you encourage others to do the same?
Day 5: Discipleship Through Relationships
Jesus' model of discipleship involved being with His disciples and doing the work He did. This approach emphasizes the importance of close relationships and shared experiences in spiritual growth. By fostering relationships that allow for the transference of life and spiritual growth, we fulfill Jesus' vision for His followers. This relational approach to discipleship encourages us to open our lives to others, sharing our journey and learning from one another in a way that deepens our faith and understanding. [25:14]
"And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:2, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life can you invite into a deeper discipleship relationship? How can you intentionally invest in this relationship to foster mutual spiritual growth?
Quotes
"In 2016, I had the privilege of visiting Israel. I was on my sabbatical, and I was thinking what to do. And actually, as I visited Israel, it was actually a very profound spiritual experience for me. Up to that point, I never desired to travel to Israel. But because I was on sabbatical, I was thinking what to do, and this course at Regent popped up, and I started thinking, maybe I should attend this. And after some prayer and thinking through it, it seemed as if God was opening the door for me to do that, and so I registered. And I remember the very first evening, the first day of the course, as we were on Mount Zion, so the course was held at Jerusalem University College, which is just on the mountain here, and it's just on the edge of the old city. And it looks old. It's over the rest of Jerusalem, so I would have been up on that hill looking over and seeing the view, and it would have been the opposite direction, you can kind of imagine. But I remember that evening, as the sun was setting, and the evening winds were blowing in over Mount Zion, I just had this realization." [00:00:06] (76 seconds)
"And, you know, I've been a Christian for almost all my life, and I've thought about these things. I've thought about Scripture, and I've thought about Jesus. I've taught about Jesus. But something clicked for me that day, that evening in my heart that made Jesus a little bit more real for me than he had been previously. There was something in my mind and heart that Jesus was just an idea or just a religion or just something we believe in. But as I visited Israel, something clicked for me that Jesus wasn't just a religion. He wasn't just an idea, just not just a religion, not just something we believe in. But he was a person in history, someone who is real, just like me, just like you." [00:01:40] (50 seconds)
"because we're still talking about it, right? We're talking about Jesus. But my intention with this series is to help us to try to understand with fresh historical understanding, looking at the person of Jesus in his first century context, and perhaps to open our minds and our hearts a little bit to try to understand Jesus as he was in the first century, and hopefully to therefore open our hearts and our lives to him as a real person who was alive, had a will, had a mind, had a heart, had a body, and has an intention for us today, okay?" [00:02:43] (41 seconds)
"So if you know the Old Testament story, God establishes the nation of Israel, and within the nation of Israel are 12 tribes. And that goes back to Jacob and his 12 sons. And they end up in Egypt. That's how the story goes. That's how history goes, is Jacob and his sons end up in Egypt. And there, that's how they start to become a nation, because these 12 families multiply, and they grow, and they eventually become a nation over generations. And then God brings them out of Egypt. He rescues them from slavery, and he brings them into the Promised Land. And they enter this land, and these 12 tribes are allotted 12 different regions, except for the Levites. They don't have any land. They live within the institution of the temple, and off of the generosity of everyone else, as they offer their tithes and offerings to the temple. But these 12 tribes are allotted different specific regions within Palestine, within Israel." [00:05:37] (60 seconds)
"God sends into the land enemies, the Assyrians, first of all. The Assyrians come into the northern kingdoms or the northern kingdom with 10 tribes who had been living in that region and essentially destroy them, destroy their capital city, and the exile take away thousands, thousands of Jewish people. All the leaders, all the prominent figures, that was their policy to weaken their enemies. They exiled them, deported them to Assyria, and they imported. They imported their own people into the land. Eventually what happens, generation after generation, these people mix and they become eventually the Samaritans that we hear of sometimes in the Gospels." [00:07:05] (47 seconds)
"as well as in the intertestamental literature, the literature that we have in the history from that time between the Old Testament and the New Testament, that when God returns, when Messiah comes, one of the things he's going to do is he's going to restore the 12 tribes. Why is that significant? Well, because for us it's significant because as we think about who Jesus was and what he was doing, intentionally he's calling disciples to himself, and then he points, what, 10 people? 11? 13? No, 12! 12 disciples. And this is attested in all of the Gospels, and not just in the Gospels, but outside the Gospels, like in Paul and in Acts, Jesus and the 12. It was a very common way of referring those 12 disciples. Why is that significant?" [00:08:10] (61 seconds)
"It's representing that Jesus as Messiah is reinstating Israel. He's reconstituting Israel. He's reestablishing, he's restoring Israel. Are you following? 12 tribes, 12 disciples. In fact, a very interesting thing that happens is the story of acts not judas right the traitor he kills himself so this is after a crucifixion um because of his his his treachery uh he he kills himself so there's only 11 disciples left now in the story of acts at the beginning of the story of acts jesus is is gone now he's not no longer physically with them but what do the 12 disciples do i mean sorry the 11 disciples what do they do now they choose a 12 disciple jesus is gone so he's no longer be going to be like teaching them and training them discipling them but they still have to restore this number 12 because it's significant it's a symbolic way for them to to basically say we are israel we are the people of israel so even when someone leaves at 12 they reestablish it and choose a 12th person now that has real implications for us as jesus's disciples because" [00:09:11] (95 seconds)
"His church, his disciples are the people of God. This is what God has been trying to do all along from the very beginning of this story, establish a people for himself. Does that make sense? Okay. Coming back to my outline now, another verse I want to read out to you, Matthew chapter 19. Jesus says, Truly I say to you, in the new world, in the new age, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. So this is on the way to the cross. He's speaking to his disciples. And this is one of the phrases that the early church has remembered and placed on the lips of Jesus." [00:11:26] (46 seconds)
"what probably will happen? They'll probably pack up the stuff and go down the church, down the street to the church, you know, down the street, right, and become a member there or something. And then life will go on and the community goes on. So there's almost no impact when we think about how we live in terms of our community vis -a -vis New Testament community. So all I'm saying is that part of what I think Jesus wants when he says, I'm appointing 12, the disciples are people of God, the people of God is what God has always been about, trying to manufacture or trying to create is a sense of solidarity, unity, community, fellowship, these things that are hard to come by in our society." [00:17:44] (50 seconds)
"he's just one person so actually it's a brilliant strategy if you think about it he meets with and trains 12 people and within those three people in particular and then he sends them out so it's not just one person now it's three or it's 12 and the multiplication happens more and more it's exponential so it's I think it's actually a brilliant strategy because his influences increased exponentially I think that's partly what Jesus is doing but the way that he did it first of all was just opening himself to 12 people opening his life 2 to 3 people and we think about churches maybe just an hour or an hour and a half on Sundays or maybe in another hour have community groups or something like that. But discipleship for Jesus was, he was with them all the time, or almost all the time, right?" [00:21:50] (68 seconds)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?