Discipleship

I begin with a couple quotes about discipleship that I picked up from a couple commentaries that I used for a couple messages recently.  The language is strong, perhaps even hard to take. Thankfully we don’t have to figure this stuff out on our own.  We have each other as sisters and brothers in Christ.  And we have Christ’s gift of the Holy Spirit, giving us guidance and strength…

“Discipleship is not part-time volunteer work that one does as an extracurricular activity.  God refuses to accept a minor role in one’s life; He requires a controlling place.“  (David E. Garland, Mark [NIVAC; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996], p.327)

“Faith comes when one steps into the boat with Jesus and does not prefer to remain in safety on the shore.“  (Eduard Schweizer, quoted in James R. Edwards The Gospel According to Mark [PNTC; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002], p. 237)