"A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher." Luke 6:40
In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus said to his apostles, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The very definition of the word disciple is one who believes and helps to spread the doctrine or teaching of another. This said, it would seem to imply that Jesus is instructing those in his inner circle (and by extension, us) to teach others about him, baptize them into him (Galatians 3:27) and continue to teach. Our instruction in the Lord is therefore foundational, continual and required to achieve the highest ideal of being like him.
Beloved we are often fascinated by the exploits of people who can do the things that we cannot. Athletes, famous musicians, singers and dancers, and in my case, people who perform as part of the amazing Cirque du Soleil seem to have abilities that are unobtainable by "normal" people. The fact is that they are "normal" people but have had teaching and training from a very early age. This comparison is made to indicate that it is possible to live holy lives full of joy and spirit in the Lord if we would avail ourselves of his teaching and discipline ourselves to follow it. It is entirely possible for us to go from the bumps, bruises, trips and falls of early Christian adolescence to the dexterity and agility of Christian maturity if we would adhere to the Word.
A church member once said to his pastor, who also happened to be a Bible scholar and had memorized vast portions of the word, "I would give my life to know the Bible as well as you do." The pastor replied, "That's what I did." The path to being like our Lord is paved with his teaching but we must be propelled by our own desire to pursue him.
Committed,
Lee
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