What does it mean to be with Jesus?
In the Bible we gain some insight into this question in Acts 4:13: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
That kind of recognition is revolutionary; strangers recognized that the disciples had been with Jesus simply from their actions. Can you think of anyone in your community who carries the recognizable character of Jesus? What is it about their lives that makes them stand out so much?
And would people say the same about you?
Being with Jesus should mean that we reflect him undeniably in the very way we are — so how do we get there?
Remember when Moses’ face shone after coming down from Mount Sinai? He had been with God
In Exodus 34, we’re told the story of how Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive the ten commandments from the Lord. After being with him, Moses’ face shone with God’s shekinah, or glory, and when he came down from the mountain, Aaron and all the leaders and Israelites saw it and recognized it — and in the entire time he had been up there, Moses had only seen God’s back.
After the disciples had been with Jesus, they were not left with any traces of shining glory; but they were given the power of the Holy Spirit, which is the same gift we have today. When we decide to be with Jesus by being his disciple, the Holy Spirit comes alive in us, residing in us at all times. We are led by the Spirit, and while our faces may not literally reflect God like Moses’ did, we still have the opportunity to reflect God in our lives, being undeniable beacons of Christ-likeness to everyone we come into contact with.
So what does it look like to be a disciple of Jesus every day?
There’s no difference between “secular” and “sacred” areas of your life; God wants to be with you in all of it
Most of us are used to compartmentalizing our lives into “work,” “home,” and “faith,” etc. But God never intended for our lives to be segregated this way; work was always meant to be deeply integrated with our life and purpose as a whole, extending God’s kingdom on earth through beauty, culture, biblical justice, and righteousness.
The decision to become a disciple of Christ isn’t an opt-in to sign up for involvement in the local church community while trying to invite co-workers to church to ultimately do the same; it’s a whole-life transformation.
If you do a quick Google search on being a disciple of Christ, you’ll find endless results that describe being a disciple as “following in Jesus’ footsteps.” That’s not a general description of walking along the same path as Jesus; following in someone’s footsteps is specifically placing your feet in their footprints, trying to do exactly as they have done, modeling your life after theirs.
Being a disciple is intentional and all-encompassing; it’s an apprenticeship.
Apprenticeship in Action
Being an apprentice means considering how Jesus would have acted in any of the day-to-day situations we face — at home, at work, at church. Anywhere.
Imagine a Renaissance apprentice learning from a master artist. The apprentice would leave their home to live with the master, and they would begin their studies by copying drawings, or preparing surfaces and mixing paints as instructed by the master. Everything they did was by instruction, or from example. They were there to learn, not apply their best guess about how they should mix colors or prepare a canvas.
In most cases, they were taught in a particular style of art as well — and their later works would go on to reflect that style.
Similarly, as apprentices of Jesus, our first impulse should be to consider how Jesus would approach something. In other words, we are meant to apply his wisdom. We have the written Word to inform us, and the Holy Spirit lives in us, offering guidance. When we stop and reflect on how we can emulate God in a given situation, we practice sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.
We also have the opportunity to ask God what we should do in any scenario. Just as an apprentice might ask their master for direction, we can and should consult God in prayer. He is deeply invested in speaking to us.
Just as Jesus was sent with a mission, so are you
Modeling your life after Christ means becoming like him in every possible way, and it has significant implications for the work you pursue and the activities you invest in to live out your purpose.
Jesus specifically said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). As John Stott observes, this statement is “more than a vague parallel between his mission and ours. He made his mission the model of ours.” This means we should get to know everything about Jesus’ mission — and how he was sent is particularly important.
He was sent:
- Into the world
- Into our culture
- Into our temptations
Our mission is not contained within the confines of our churches; it extends across all spheres of society. We are not supposed to build a haven shut away from the temptations and cultures of our world, but be creators of culture that reflects the goodness and character of God, transforming our cities and communities around us.
What’s your sphere of influence, and where are your opportunities to transform your community? How can you follow in the footsteps of Jesus more closely, applying your apprenticeship with him to these areas of your life? How can you reflect God in your city, empowered by the Holy Spirit?
This article is part of an ongoing series exploring what it means to live out the Christian faith in all areas of life: family, media, church, art & entertainment, education, government, commerce & technology.
©2021 Cities Project Global
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