Crowd or Disciple?

I have been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. 

There seems to be two parts to my heart: the part that likes to be around Jesus when the crowds surround him and the part that pursues him when most people are not interested. 

It's not nearly so easy being a disciple. 

The following passage helps me to get a clearer picture of all this:

Matthew 5:1 NIV

"Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them."

Pay attention to what happened here:  Jesus saw the crowds that had gathered and left them behind. Then the disciples separated themselves from the crowd by pursuing Jesus on the mountain. It was then that Jesus blessed them by filling them with life and truth. 

I think Jesus knows that when we make the commitment to spend time with him that our hearts are really ready to receive-  to him who has ears to hear let him hear.......

Our hope rests entirely in the power and love of Jesus. But he also invites us to participate in this faith life too. The disciples "heard" his invitation while the crowd didn't. And I'm pretty sure that any from the crowd that would have come he would have taught them too. 

So where are you?  Are you a disciple or part of the crowd?  If you are like me you are parts of both and Jesus can work with that. 

We are in his hands and he always wants the best for us. He is inviting us to walk away from the crowd, away from half commitment, and to walk up the mountain to spend time with him with open and committed hearts. 

Jesus, give us the strength to walk with you wherever you go. 

BT

Pastor Brian Tysdal

Rock of Ages Church

Saskatoon, Sask.