Luke 9:23 "And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

What does it mean to be a disciple?

If anyone would come after me...

1. Wait, what? If? If anyone? If anyone would come after me?? It sounds like the decision to follow Jesus is up to me. Jesus, shouldn’t you say, “everyone must come after me!” but your words feel a little different.  It is kind of like…a farmer scattering seeds into the air. The seeds are very important because each one carries life inside it. but not all the seeds grow. Some get blown away by the wind. Some fall on rocky ground and don’t take root. Some get eaten by birds. The seeds are small and very fragile. They can be easily lost and rejected. Jesus’ words are like seeds. If we become “anyone who wants to follow Jesus,” it means, we hold the seeds very carefully and let them grow inside us. Following Jesus means choosing to receive something precious but also risky. It means stepping into the unknown, knowing that not everyone will accept or understand this choice...

What about deny himself? 

What about take up his cross daily and follow me? 

 오늘은 제자가 된다는 것이 어떤 의미인지에 대해서 살펴보았어요. 

예수님께서는 누구든지 나를 따라오려거든...말씀하시면서 예수님을 따르는 것이 마치 우리에게 결정권이 있다고 하시는 것 같았어요. 농부가 씨를 뿌리지만, 그 씨가 모두 열매로 이어지진 않아요.

어떤 씨앗은 길가에 떨어지기도 하고, 돌밭에 떨어지기도 하고, 새가 먹어버리기도 하지요. 씨앗은 생명을 담고 있는 귀한것이지만, 밟히고 버려지고 무시당할 수 있어요.

예수님의 말씀도, 예수님의 calling 도 이와 같아요. 예수님은 오병이어의 기적을 베푸신 후, 사람들에게 "나를 따르라!" "무조건 나를 따르라!" 하지 않으셨어요.

예수님의 말씀을(씨앗을) 귀하게 받아들인 사람들만이 주님의 다음 말씀에 귀를 기울일 수 있어요. 

말씀을 나눈 후, 우리는 제자됨의 상징인 신발을 만들어봤어요.

신발을 만들면서, 우리가 부인해야 할 self-lordship에 대해서 생각해 봤어요.

Have a blessed week!