Teach me Thy Way, O LORD!
"And
when they were alone, He
expounded all things to His
disciples.”
-MARK
4:34 [KJV]
What
is the exact meaning of the word disciple? It means properly a
learner, one who is under a teacher, whose submissive and devoted
pupil he has become, and from whom he receives continual instruction.
And thus a disciple of Christ is one who is admitted by the Lord
Jesus into His school, whom He Himself condescends personally to
instruct, and who therefore learns of Him to be meek and lowly of
heart. A disciple of Jesus is one who sits meekly at the Redeemer's
feet, receiving into his heart the gracious words which fall from His
lips. This was Mary's happy posture, whom the Lord commended for
choosing the better part. Such is also the posture of all the saints
of God, according to the ancient declaration, "Yea, He
loved the people; all His saints are in
Thy hand; and they sat down at Thy
feet, every one shall receive of Thy
words" [DEUTERONOMY
33:3].
But
a true and sincere disciple not only listens to his Master's
instructions, but acts as He bids. So a disciple of Jesus is one who
copies his Master's example, and is conformed to his Master's image.
A sincere disciple is also characterized by the love which he bears
to his Master; so a disciple of Jesus is one who treasures up the
words of Christ in his heart, ponders over His precious promises, and
delights in His glorious Person, love, and blood. A disciple of Jesus
is one who bears some reflection to the image of his heavenly Master;
he carries it about with him wherever he goes, that men may take
knowledge of him that he has been with Jesus; and as when Moses came
down from the mount his face shone from the reflection of the
heavenly glory which had streamed upon his countenance, so does the
true disciple shine before men with some sparkles of the glory of the
Son of God. To have some of these divine features stamped upon the
heart, lip, and life, is to be a disciple of Jesus.
To
be much with Jesus is to be made like unto Jesus; to sit at Jesus'
feet is to drink in Jesus' words; to lean upon Jesus' breast is to
feel the warm heart of Jesus pulsating with love; and to feel this
pulsation, causes the heart of the disciple to beat in tender and
affectionate unison; to look up to Jesus, is to see a face more
marred than the sons of men, yet a face beaming with heavenly beauty,
dignity, and glory. To be a disciple, then, of Jesus, is to copy His
example; to do the things pleasing in His sight; and to avoid the
things which He abhors. To be a disciple of Jesus, is to be meek as
He was; humble as He was; lowly as He was; self-denying as He was;
separate from the world as He was; living a life of communion with
God, as He lived when He walked here below.
To
take a worm of the earth and make him a disciple of Jesus is the
greatest privilege God can bestow upon man. To select an obstinate,
ungodly, perverse rebel, and place him in the school of Christ and at
the feet of Jesus, is the highest favour God can bestow upon any
child of the dust. How unsurpassingly great must be that kindness
whereby the Lord condescends to bestow His grace on an alien and an
enemy, and to soften and meeken him by His Spirit, and thus cause him
to grow up into the image and likeness of His own dear Son. What are
earthly honours and titles when compared with the favour thus
conferred upon those whose foundation is in the dust? Compared with
this high privilege, all earthly honours, stars and garters, titles
and robes, sink into utter insignificance.
-Gospel
report by preacher J.C. Philpot (1802-1869 A.D.)
April
4th, EARS FROM HARVESTED SHEAVES
Comments