New Hope Church

Day 32 – Lenten Devotional

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL – DAY 32 – THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2019

Jesus Walked With His Disciples

John 12:35  “So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.”

As Jesus walked from town to town with His disciples; preaching, praying, sharing the “Good News,” sharing the word of God, engaging them in conversation…He was “building” DISCIPLES by “building” RELATIONSHIPS.

According to various calculations, a conservative estimate of how far Jesus walked during His three and a half year ministry is at least 3,600 miles.  Considering John 21:25, Jesus most likely walked much more!  If two miles in one hour is a comfortable walking pace then Jesus spent a bare minimum of at least 1,800 hours “walking” with His disciples; which means that His disciples spent one to two hours per day “walking” with God! (which obviously doesn’t include the hours of time per day they spent with Jesus other than physically walking.)

Walking is something the American or Western Culture Christianity finds somewhat foreign.  We live in a fast paced, mechanical, industrialized world of cars, planes, to-do lists, email, text messaging, Facebook, and more.  Communication with God and with one another is suppressed into small time capsules that conveniently fit into one’s priority list.

“Walking” is used in Scripture in both literal and figurative language.  It is both action and a way of life.  “Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who FOLLOWS Me will not WALK in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12).  So truly walking with someone means:

  • there is a desire for the other person to want you to be with them,
  • there is a desire for you to want to walk with them,
  • you take the time to listen to them,
  • you talk with them in meaningful dialogue,
  • demonstrating active movement in the same direction,

…and before you know it a deep relationship is built!

Jesus spent time with His followers to make true disciples!  Jesus disciple-making lesson is a lesson for the church!

REFLECT:  Disciple-being is walking with God, your active participation in His plan for your life…following Him, following His Word, going where Christ goes…relationship!  Disciple-making is walking with others to help them along with their walk with God…relationship!

REPENT:  How is your walk with God? Do you spend time with God and others each day? Confess your cultural laziness of spending time with your Lord.  Confess your reluctance to build disciple-making relationships with others.  Ask God to give you the discipline to be a good disciple and disciple-maker.

RESTORE:  Your walk with Christ will reflect your relationship with Him.  The closer and more active your walk with the Lord is, the more you will reflect Christ by being closer and more active to others.  That is what is meant by Gal 2:20, “…it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me…”

Galatians 5:22-25  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”  

Blessings,
Pastor Tom Bellhy