Burunche’s Blog

In view of the Iranian conflict, I feel God wants me to re-post the series I originally wrote on the Book of Esther in 2023.

Queen Vashti Deposed

“This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,(Ahasuerus in Hebrew) the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush(the Upper Nile Region):  At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

For a full 180 days (6 months) he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality. By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished. (Some versions say “the drinking was not compulsory,” indicating that some rulers would force their guests to get drunk.) Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas—to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. (It’s possible that Xerxes wanted Vashti to be naked apart from her crown; he was drunk enough to do that!) Then the king became furious and burned with anger.

Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom. “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”

Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.

“Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”

The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed. He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.”

Talk about celebrating your achievements! King Xerxes has been celebrating himself and his empire for the last six months. There have been parades, military demonstrations, athletic games, horse races, and every other entertainment an immensely powerful ruler can imagine. Now Xerxes has given a final banquet lasting seven days for all the men in the kingdom. (What? You thought “people” referred to women? No way!) Xerxes himself has probably stayed drunk for much of that time, although he has allowed his guests to drink as much or as little as they wish. This fact is noted because in those days, some rulers would have forced their guests to become completely wasted. Gee, what a great guy! After drinking and feasting for seven days straight, Xerxes suddenly decides that Q               ueen Vashti should appear in her royal crown – likely in her crown and nothing else – so that he can flaunt the fact that his queen is the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. Being sober and in her right mind, Vashti refuses. But this refusal infuriates Xerxes. Having spent the last six months celebrating himself and being thoroughly drunk, Xerxes is in no mood for refusals by anybody, especially a woman, no matter how beautiful she is.

Xerxes consults his seven advisers, who are probably just as drunk as he is. Thanks to some anonymous scribe, we even know the names of these men: “Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.” These guys might be drunk, but they aren’t stupid, and they realize that their own positions depend on whether or not Xerxes accepts their advice. There are probably lots of other sages in the kingdom who would be more than happy to replace them. Given the reality of the situation and the unspoken threats from King Xerxes, the advisers have little choice but to suggest that Queen Vashti be retired to the royal harem, where she will spend the rest of her life in seclusion. Then Xerxes can find some new and even more gorgeous queen and women throughout the empire will be afraid to say anything against their husbands for fear of similar banishment. And to hide Xerxes’ embarrassment, the advisers send out a royal edict stating that “every man should be ruler over his own household” in all the various languages used throughout the various parts of the empire.   

APPLICATION: The Book of Esther is quirky. Why preserve the account of a six-month long royal indulgence capped off by a seven-day long drunk and followed by a capricious royal edict? And yet….and yet God has allowed this small Book to be included for lots of reasons. Most of us have relatively little control over many of the circumstances of our lives. As the line from the song from Fiddler on the Roof says, “Life has a way of abusing us, blessing and bruising us!”

Through the years, God has used this small Book to encourage believers in all kinds of circumstances, including concentration camps, prisons, poverty, joblessness, etc. TODAY GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT HE IS ENGINEERING YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES, WEIRD AS THEY MIGHT SEEM! GOD WANTS YOU TO WATCH, BECAUSE HE IS GOING TO USE THE VERY THINGS THAT HURT AND CONFUSE YOU TO WORK OUT SOMETHING WONDERFUL!

Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are bewildered by the chaos around us. Help us to realize that Your hand is never shortened and that You are never confused or bewildered and that You are a God of peace. Please send Your peace into the hearts of all who read these words. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Ephesians 4:11-13 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

An apostle is fundamentally a “messenger” or “one who is sent out” (from the Greek apostolos), acting as an authorized ambassador or envoy. In Christianity, this refers to the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus to spread his teachings, as well as early leaders like Paul, focusing on mission-driven, pioneering ministry. 

Key Aspects of an Apostle:

• Definition & Origin: Derived from the Greek apo (“from”) and stellein (“to send”), it implies a person sent with a specific, important commission, going beyond just a messenger to a delegate.
• The Twelve Apostles: The primary, original group selected by Jesus to preach the gospel, which included Peter, Andrew, James, John, and others, with Matthias replacing Judas Iscariot.
• Paul the Apostle: Often called the “Apostle to the Gentiles,” he was not part of the original twelve but considered an apostle due to his direct calling by Christ and his extensive missionary work.
• Broader Meaning: The term can also refer to any early Christian missionary, a, leader who establishes a new church, or, in a non-religious context, an ardent supporter of a new cause or reform movement.
• Distinction from Disciple: While a disciple is a “learner” or follower, an apostle is one sent forth to act with authority, notes Study.com. 

Well! As if the call to discipleship wasn’t strenuous enough, now we must consider possibly going even further, examining the call to become apostles. But if an apostle is “one sent forth to act with authority,” who does the sending? How do we know where to go? And what mission will we have?

The question is this: Should we be content with merely being disciples, or should we ask God if He wants us to become apostles in addition? Apostleship can take all kinds of forms, but God will generally send us to specific people groups. What is a people group? “For evangelization purposes, a people group is the largest group within which the Gospel can spread as a church planting movement without encountering barriers of understanding or acceptance” (Source: 1982 Lausanne Committee Chicago meeting.)

People groups can be defined in all kinds of ways, sometimes by ethnicity and other times by profession. During one missionary training school years ago, we met a couple who had become apostles to taxicab drivers in Hong Kong. Due to the exigencies of the work, many of these drivers had no homes, but basically lived in their cabs. This couple identified places where the cab drivers congregated and then met with them, teaching them about Jesus and giving them Christian literature and Bibles so that they could read while waiting for new customers.  

Apostleship is not limited to men. One missionary wife in Ghana found herself in a suburb with a number of wealthy Lebanese ladies who were bored and spiritually hungry. For several years, this lady led a very effective Bible study, showing the Bible study members the way to Jesus. At the same time, this lady also witnessed to other young mothers sending their children to the same schools her children attended, thus reaching two different people groups.

We have a young missionary friend who is an apostle to the Asheninka Indians in Peru. With his Peruvian wife Karla, our friend Isaiah travels extensively by canoe, preaching, teaching, and establishing churches. Some of Isaiah’s adventures sound as if they have come straight from the Book of Acts. But must apostleship be this dramatic?

Much of the most effective evangelism is carried out in quiet meetings with a few people. The Contagious Disciple Making movement teaches ordinary Christians how to reach their friends and neighbors in small meetings. In countries where churches might be attacked and Christians’ lives are at risk, small meetings under trees or on verandahs are far more effective than attempting large crusades. And while large crusades do have a place, if converts do not receive effective teaching after the crusade ends, little is gained.

My husband used to travel to villages with a team showing the Jesus Film in a local language. Part of the ministry of the Jesus Film project involves local churches committing to follow up after the film has been shown. Although a local church had promised to handle the follow-up in this village, they later refused, whining about the cost of fueling a motorcycle to send workers to the village, etc. When the team returned to show the film in that village a second time, a leader came to the team and said something very sad. “Last time, you came and showed the film, and we accepted Jesus. But nobody came to teach us. Before we saw the film, we were animists and Muslims. But without teaching, what are we now?”

Romans 10:14-15 tells us, “But how can they call on Him if they have not put their trust in Him? And how can they put their trust in Him if they have not heard of Him? And how can they hear of Him unless someone tells them? And how can someone tell them if he is not sent? The Holy Writings say, “The feet of those who bring the Good News are beautiful.”

God calls all of us to reach the people around us; however, not all of us are listening. When Isaiah received his calling as a prophet, there were others in the temple that same morning, but he was the only one watching and waiting for God to speak. Today, why not ask God to show you the person or persons to whom He is sending you? And then see the opportunities that God will present and begin to act on them. When you start with something small, God can use that and multiply it.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, please help all those who read these words to hear the call You are placing on their lives. Send forth Your apostles! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

13:1-5 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

NOTE: MUCH OF THE MATERIAL FROM YESTERDAY AND TODAY COMES FROM DOWNLINE MINISTRIES, WHICH HAS AN EXCELLENT WEBSITE, Downline Ministries

3. The Goal of Discipleship: To Present Everyone Mature in Christ.

Not only does the book of Colossians emphasize that Christ’s redeeming work saves His people, but it also teaches that through Christ’s redeeming work, believers grow in maturity. The goal of discipleship, therefore, is not only to make converts that make converts, but for all believers to become increasingly like Jesus. True discipleship involves investing in younger believers, walking through life with them, and shepherding them to Christian maturity.

Throughout Scripture, discipleship is compared to parenting. The two have amazing parallels. It is appropriate to view yourself as a sort of spiritual parent to those you disciple. Like a good mother, seek to nurture and love those you lead, and like a good father, seek to meet their needs and encourage them to live lives worthy of their calling (See 1 Thessalonians 2). However, don’t coddle them. Good parents don’t hand feed their children forever but train them to feed and take care of themselves. They have an ultimate goal of launching their children out. In spiritual parenting, we must think through the same lens.

Temptation to fight: Seeking fulfillment in being needed. Don’t allow those you disciple to be too dependent on you. Don’t be Jesus to them, point them to Jesus. One veteran disciple says, “I struggle with this one, because I like to feel needed. But it isn’t me that girls need, it’s Jesus. Like a young child, those we have the privilege to disciple will need more from us in the early stages of their faith, but as they grow and mature, they should become less and less dependent on us, especially for the fundamentals. Don’t let your own desire to be the hero keep you from challenging those you lead in the ways they truly need.”

Personal story: Years ago, three friends and I were in a twelve-step Bible study for co-dependency. While other groups in the same church worked through their material in the time allotted, somehow, our group leader kept finding reasons to delay completion of each of the units. Eventually we gave up, realizing that our group leader was dragging things out as long as possible because he needed the affirmation he was receiving by serving as group leader. We all agreed that the lesson material was excellent; however, we felt that we could learn more somewhere else. Through these misapprehensions, our group leader actually lost the very thing that he was most seeking.

4. The Cost of Discipleship: Toil and Struggle.

Discipleship is purposeful, fun, and rewarding. It is one of the greatest joys of a disciple’s life. However, like most valuable things, discipleship also requires energy, time, and hard work. It is costly.

In this description of his ministry, Paul uses the words “toil” and “struggle”. The Greek word which is translated as “toil” in this passage means “to grow weary, tired, exhausted”, or “to labor with wearisome effort”. And the word for “struggle” is often used to describe the strenuous exertion that goes into an athletic competition or a fight. Paul fought and labored to the point of exhaustion to present believers mature in Christ. Discipleship cost him greatly, and it should cost us as well.

Temptation to fight: Idolizing ease of life. Our culture loves comfort and ease of life. It teaches us to believe that if we are uncomfortable and strained, then something is wrong. If we function under this lie, it will lead to half-hearted discipleship. If our discipleship isn’t involving struggle and sacrifice, we should evaluate whether we have become too comfortable.

5. The Power of Discipleship: His Energy. 

Paul says that he toils and struggles, but he follows those words with a very important clause. He writes, “I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.”

While discipleship takes a lot of energy, the good news is that the Lord gives us His. We toil and struggle, yet we have Him to depend on. No matter how experienced you are in discipleship, it is crucial that you are constantly coming to the Lord to ask for His energy and power. While we do exert our energy, it is not ultimately our energy that will do the work of transforming hearts and lives, but the power of God. We are simply instruments in His hands.

Temptation to fight: Dependence on self. As we grow in our discipleship and in our knowledge of God’s Word, we might become less aware of our need for the Lord in our spiritual leadership. But, the truth is that we never start needing Him less. It is not our knowledge or skill that will develop disciples, but the power of God working within us. We must constantly acknowledge that before Him, prayerfully depend on Him, and never fall prey to trusting in our own abilities.

By Downline Ministries

Do disciples continue to need discipling? Yes! Proverbs 27:17 tells us, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” We need fellowship with like-minded believers who will help set us straight when we veer off-course and will help us remain devoted solely to the ministry of Jesus Christ. While there are famous Bible teachers who seem to maintain their humility, most of us thrive far better in obscurity, far away from adulation.

One profoundly troubling practice that has crept into churches here in Ghana is for the church sign to feature a large color photo of the pastor, or the pastor and his wife, dressed in elegant clothing, as if they are the ones who can save people from their sins. Billboards and posters announcing miracle crusades are quite common. But where is God in the midst of this? Accept sufficient praise and soon you might feel that the adoration should go to you and not to God. And what of miracles? Miracles will only occur if the Holy Spirit shows up. Now God might use a preacher who is not humble simply because people are so spiritually hungry; after all, God spoke through Balaam’s donkey. But if the Holy Spirit stays away, the results will be meager.

There’s a story told about Pastor Elijah Namula Panka, the first national General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Ghana. Once this humble man of God knew that he had been chosen to head the church, his family reported that he went through the house singing, “Keep me true, Lord Jesus, keep me true.” As disciples, this should be our song as well.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help each one of us to become a fervent disciple, more interested in spreading the news of Your Kingdom than we are of creating kingdoms for ourselves. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 10:34-36 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 

Simon Peter might be a fisherman, but he had always prided himself on separating himself from gentiles whenever possible. The last thing Peter wanted was for God to send him to minister to Cornelius, a Roman centurion. There’s a saying, “Tell God your plans and watch Him laugh!” And God was laughing heartily, for first He gave Peter a vision and then virtually pushed Peter out the door, sending him to Cornelius’ house. When Peter arrived at Cornelius’ house, he boldly stated his previous objections and then explained that God had caused him to change his mind. Before the whole thing was through, God even sovereignly baptized all those in Cornelius’ house in the Holy Spirit, without Peter even laying hands on them! Why? Because God knew that Peter hadn’t abandoned all his prejudices. If these people were to receive the Holy Spirit, God was going to have to do it without using Peter. And it was the very fact of this Holy Spirit baptism that helped convince Peter that the Gospel WAS for the gentiles as well as for the Jews.

Once we agree to become Jesus’ disciples, we must give up our rights to ourselves, to our prejudices, and to our assumptions about others. We might look at someone and judge them by their hairstyle, their tattoos, their piercings; meanwhile, that person might become a fiery evangelist to rival Saint Paul. David Wilkerson was a skinny young preacher from a small coal town in eastern Pennsylvania when God moved him to go to New York City to witness to gang members. One of Pastor Wilkerson’s converts was Nicky Cruz, a vicious gang leader whose Puerto Rican parents practiced witchcraft and beat Nicky regularly. Nicky became a leader in a murderous street gang in Brooklyn. But when David Wilkerson witnessed to Nicky and Nicky accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, Nicky changed completely. For decades, Nicky Cruz has traveled the world, preaching and teaching about Jesus. Millions have heard about the saving power of Jesus Christ because David Wilkerson willingly witnessed to young gang members who could have killed him.

Many people have no idea what it means to be a disciple. Being a disciple is an enormous blessing; however, there are also pitfalls. Here are several practices disciples must carry out, along with the temptations that accompany them:

1. The Heart of Discipleship: Proclaiming Jesus.

“Him we proclaim.” First and foremost, discipleship is about proclaiming Jesus and making much of His name. A couple major themes of Colossians are that Christ is Lord over all creation, and that Christ is our redeemer.  It is within this context that Paul writes these powerful words. Just before these words, in verse 27, Paul reminds the Colossians that God has revealed the mystery of Christ to them and that Christ is personally present with them. This is wonderful news. We proclaim this wonderful news—both to the lost and to the saved.

Discipleship should be outward focused. We don’t invest in someone only for the sake of that individual, but we do so with the others they will impact in mind. We proclaim Jesus to men and women who will go on to proclaim Jesus to the world.

Temptation to fight: Proclaiming ourselves. Even if outwardly, we are “proclaiming Jesus” in how we do discipleship, we must make sure that inwardly, our motive is to make much of Him, rather than to make much of ourselves. Yet another temptation is to keep score as to how many converts we have made, how many people we have discipled. The Kingdom of God is not about score-keeping but love, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit.

The concepts in the remainder of this article should fall under the umbrella of this first principle. The reason we devote ourselves to all the following principles is to bring fame and praise to the name of Jesus.

2. The Means of Discipleship: Teaching and Warning With Wisdom.

 Scripture has a lot more to say regarding how to make disciples, but Paul gives us some basics in this passage: “warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom.” Teaching, or instruction, might seem like an obvious component of discipleship. We must train those we lead in the Word of God and show them how to live lives that glorify Him. But this passage reveals that our responsibility is not only to teach those we disciple the right way, but also to warn them when they are going the wrong way. Out of love for those we disciple, we must not be silent when they are living in opposition to the Scriptures.

Paul says that we teach and train everyone “with all wisdom”. James 1:5 says to ask God for wisdom, and this is so important. As we disciple others, we must continually seek the Lord’s wisdom and guidance. We must be spending regular time in the Word and in prayer. Any time we teach or warn, we must make sure we are doing so in submission to Him.

Temptations to fight: People-pleasing and harshness. Depending on your personality, you might be someone who tends to dodge conflict. For you, the temptation will be to avoid having hard conversations with those you lead out of a desire to please them. However, if you tend to like power and control, you might be more prone to be too harsh in your correction. Don’t forget that Scripture also says that this must be done in a spirit of gentleness (Galatians 6:1) and out of love. And as believers, we must bear with other people’s shortcomings.  Galatians 6:1-3 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

Finally, let’s remember the advice Paul gave the Roman Christians. Romans 15:5-9 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them.

 May God, who has called all of us to become disciples, strengthen and encourage you, so that you may be willing to witness to anyone, at anytime, anywhere.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, give each of us a passion to become true disciples and to disciple others as well. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

John 8:31-32 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Definition of a disciple: a follower or pupil of a teacher, leader, or philosopher.

When Jesus began his ministry, he had lots of interested people who followed him wherever he went for the sake of the teachings he gave. Matthew 7:28-29 tells us, “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.” The difference was simple; the teachers of the law could only transmit the law with all the arguments surrounding it. Much of that teaching must have sounded like this: “Well, on the one hand, this portion of the Law of Moses says ______. But on the other hand, another portion disagrees with it.” The problem wasn’t in the Law but in the myriads of attempts to explain the Law that had developed since God gave it to Moses. While these academic discussions might have satisfied those interested in such things, others seeking for spiritual knowledge would remain unsatisfied. Jesus, on the other hand, presented things plainly, simply, and with God-given authority, and his listeners recognized the difference. Later, when religious authorities sent their soldiers to arrest Jesus, the soldiers refused, stating that “No man has ever spoken like this one.” (John 7:46 Temple guards sent to arrest Jesus returned empty-handed and told the leading priests and Pharisees that they could not seize him because his teaching was uniquely authoritative and compelling.) 

So Jesus had many followers; however, his disciples were far fewer. What makes the difference between a follower and a disciple, and why should we become disciples rather than remaining as followers?

Being a follower is simple; you go, you listen, and you only commit to the degree to which you feel comfortable. As a follower, you can always distance yourself, walking away if things become difficult. But discipleship is a totally different matter. The following aspects of discipleship are gleaned from a number of different sources, every one of which is well worth investigating on its own.

The Bible defines discipleship as a lifelong process of following Jesus, committing to his teachings, and transforming to be like him while helping others do the same. It requires self-denial, carrying one’s cross (Luke 9:23), and loving other believers (John 13:35), all centered on the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). 

Key Biblical Aspects of Discipleship:

• Following and Abiding: Discipleship is not just learning, but adhering to Jesus’ teachings, which leads to freedom and truth (John 8:31-32) Mosaic International.
• The Cost: True discipleship requires placing Jesus above all else, including family and one’s own life (Luke 14:26-27) Bible Study Tools, C.S. Lewis Institute.
• The Great Commission: Disciples are called to actively make more disciples by teaching others to obey everything Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:19-20) {Link: Jesus Film Project, Cru.org.
• Bearing Fruit: Abiding in Christ results in producing spiritual fruit, such as love, obedience, and good works (John 15:5-8) GotQuestions.org.
• Mentoring/Replication: Paul emphasizes passing on the faith to others who will in turn teach others (2 Timothy 2:2) Life on Life. 

Discipleship is essentially a transformation from self-centeredness to Christ-centeredness (Galatians 2:20), aimed at growing into spiritual maturity and service Discipleship.org. 

In Colossians 1:28-29, Paul writes, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.”

Why should we passionately desire to become disciples when we know it might become difficult, painful, or even end in a violent death as it has for many people in places such as northern Nigeria or Sudan? The answer is simple: when we truly love Jesus, we want to grow as close to Him as possible. The more we learn about Jesus, the more we love Him, and the more we love Him, the more we will want to learn about Him. One friend who has since gone to be with Jesus always prayed, “Lord, help me to love you more today than I did yesterday.” We might echo that prayer and add, “Lord, help me to be more like You today than I was yesterday.”

C.H. Spurgeon, the famous British evangelist of the nineteenth century, once said, “Our knowledge of Christ is somewhat like climbing one of our Welsh mountains. When you are at the base you see but little… Climb the first rising knoll, and the valley lengthens and widens… Mount still, and the scene enlarges… Now, the Christian life is of the same order. When we first believe in Christ, we see but little of Him. The higher we climb the more we discover of His beauties.”
— C.H. Spurgeon (from Morning and Evening, based on Isaiah 40:9) 

There’s an old Gospel song entitled “The Longer I Serve Him, The Sweeter He Grows.” This is absolutely true! Don’t settle for being a follower when you can become a disciple!

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, please help all who read these words to become disciples, passionately in love with You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 5:12-16 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

A new sect has appeared, one inspired by a Galilean carpenter, of all people. And unlike so many of the previous rebellious groups, these people are preaching about the kingdom of God and healing people and delivering them from demons. BUT these Jesus followers are proclaiming that the long-awaited Messiah has come in the presence of Jesus and that after a shameful death by crucifixion, he has risen from the dead and ascended into heaven.
“HERESY!” think Jewish high council members…all except Gamaliel.

Acts 5:29-39 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”

When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.

“So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”

Later, Paul is defending himself against accusations brought by Jewish religious leaders. Acts 22:3 tells us, “Then Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today.

Rabbi Gamaliel was one of the most respected teachers of the Law, a voice of reason among a group of religious hotheads. Who was Gamaliel? Encyclopedia Britannica gives the following information:

According to tradition—but not historical fact—Gamaliel succeeded his father, Simon, and his grandfather, the renowned sage Hillel (to whose school of thought he belonged), as nasi (president) of the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish court. It is certain, though, that Gamaliel held a leading position in the Sanhedrin and that he enjoyed the highest repute as a teacher of the Law. He was the first to be given the title rabban (“our master” or “our teacher”). Like his grandfather, Gamaliel was also given the title ha-Zaqen (the Elder). According to tradition, Gamaliel’s grandson was Gamaliel II, also a noted nasi of the Sanhedrin, and his grandson was Judah ha-Nasi (Judah the Prince), who was instrumental in compiling the Mishna.

Gamaliel established a number of lenient ordinances—in particular, laws affecting women and non-Jews. Of his teachings, only one saying is preserved, in the first book of the Pirkei Avot (“Chapters of the Fathers,” often called “Ethics of the Fathers”) within the Mishna: “Make for yourself a mentor, remove yourself from doubt, and do not frequently tithe by estimation.” Gamaliel’s renown is summed up in these words recorded in the Talmud: “When Rabban Gamaliel the Elder died, regard for the Torah [Jewish Law] ceased, and purity and piety died.”

According to Christian tradition, Gamaliel embraced Christianity and was baptized by St. Peter and St. John. His body was supposedly discovered in the 5th century and transported to a cathedral in Pisa, Italy. In Eastern Orthodoxy he is considered a saint with a feast day of August 2, the supposed day that his relics were found, and among Roman Catholics his feast day is August 3.

The Jewish Encyclopedia says this about Gamaliel:

Key aspects of the Jewish view of Gamaliel include:

• Supreme Authority: He was a respected authority in the Sanhedrin, known for his deep knowledge of the law.
• “Rabban” Status: He was held in such high esteem that he was the first to be called Rabban, a title higher than Rabbi.
• Legal Leniency: Gamaliel introduced several legal reforms aimed at Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and easing restrictions for women and non-Jews.
• Scholarly Legacy: Only one of his sayings is directly preserved in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers): “Make for yourself a mentor, remove yourself from doubt, and do not frequently tithe by estimation”.
• Talmudic Mention: He is characterized as a towering figure whose death coincided with a significant decline in the level of scholarship and piety in Israel. 

Americans have a favorite saying, “If you can read this, thank a teacher!” Christians should amend that saying to “If the Epistles move you, thank Gamaliel!” What makes a good teacher? An internet search reveals the following:

A good teacher combines subject expertise with core traits like patience, empathy, and adaptability to foster an engaging, inclusive learning environment. They are effective communicators, passionate about their craft, and build strong relationships with students to foster trust and academic success. Ultimately, a good teacher goes beyond delivering information; they build genuine connections that encourage academic risk-taking and personal growth.

 Tikkun Olam (Hebrew for “repairing the world”) is a Jewish concept referring to actions taken to fix, improve, and heal the world, bringing it closer to a state of harmony with divine intent. It encompasses social justice, environmentalism, charity, and ethical behavior, often aiming to alleviate suffering and foster a more equitable society.

By all accounts, Gamaliel passionately taught his students so that each one of them would go out to heal the world by their teaching, their scholarship, and their actions. Later, Saint Paul would write to the Ephesians about the variety of God’s callings. Ephesians 4:11-13 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

When Paul was writing these words, he must have been fondly remembering Gamaliel with his passion, his insight, his sly sense of humor, and his intense love for God. For the rest of Paul’s life, one of his chief sources of inspiration would have been Gamaliel, the prince of scholars and a seeker for truth. And when August 2^nd and 3^rd come, remember Saint Gamaliel, one of the inspirations for the Epistles.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, thank You for creating teachers and gifting them with passion, courage, and dedication. Please help us to bless those who teach us and give us teachable minds. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 16:11-15 Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

Lydia, featured in Acts 16:13-15, 40, was a wealthy businesswoman and the first documented convert to Christianity in Europe. Originally from Thyatira, she was a dealer of expensive purple cloth living in Philippi. Upon hearing the Apostle Paul, she believed, was baptized with her household, and provided crucial hospitality to the early church. 

Key Details About Lydia in the Bible:

• Role and Background: She was a “seller of purple goods”—a luxury trade—and was a “worshipper of God” (a Gentile drawn to Judaism).
• Conversion: When Paul visited Philippi (his second missionary journey), Lydia was praying with other women by the river, where the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to Paul’s message

.Hospitality and Leadership: She immediately offered her home to Paul and his companions (Silas, Timothy, and Luke). Her home became a hub for the new church in Philippi.

• Significance: Lydia is recognized as a pioneering woman of faith, demonstrating, leadership, and independence in the early church. 

 https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/lydia-from-the-bible/ gives us the following information about Lydia:

Tyrian Purple

Archaeological finds have shed new light upon the purple dye industry in the Mediterranean world. The purple material was the most desirable and expensive, partially due to its colorfastness. This “Tyrian purple” was wool colored with a dye made from tiny Mediterranean mollusks. Additional methods of purple dyeing utilizing plants and other materials were developed. Thyatira was a center for this purple dye industry. Thus, Lydia may have been a dealer in the Thyatira purple cloth, or she may have been an importer of the royal “Tyrian purple.” Either way, she was a smart, and probably wealthy, businesswoman.

One Sabbath day, Lydia went to the river’s shore that had been designated by the Roman authorities of Philippi as a place of prayer and worship for the Jews. There she met Paul and Silas, who had been in Philippi only a short time. While others along the river may have rejected Paul’s words about Jesus, Lydia accepted them and became a believer (Acts 16:14).

Once she believed, she made a confession of her faith to her whole world through baptism, and then she assembled her entire household, told them what had happened to her, and asked them to believe. After her entire household accepted Christ as Savior and was baptized, Lydia invited Paul and Silas to stay in her home (Acts 16:15). When Paul and Silas were thrown into a Philippian prison, Lydia visited them and attended to their needs. Her house became the meeting place of the first European church.

Lydia was quick to perceive that what had been hers before her conversion—home, business and possessions—now belonged to the Lord.

• She had a new partner—the Lord Jesus
• A new purpose—to serve him
• And a new satisfaction—seeking to be effective and successful in order to glorify the Lord.

Lydia’s career aspirations did not hinder her sharing the gospel with family and friends. And she was not too busy to take time for hospitality (Acts 16:15).

Lydia’s Influence Made a Mark on Generations to Come

Lydia’s name appears in the Bible only twice. She was seemingly the first Gentile convert in Europe and the first believer to open her home as a worship center for European Christians. This benefited not only Paul and the early church but also the lives of future generations of believers. Her life was a model of determination, foresight and generosity that offers encouragement to us today. (Article edited from a study feature in the NIV Woman’s Study Bible.)

Perhaps you don’t feel hospitality is your calling. You don’t think your house is nice enough or clean enough. We had a friend who has since gone to be with Jesus who was one of the most hospitable ladies we knew. This lady’s house was clean but messy. You might have to shift a pile of magazines off a chair if you wanted a place to sit. But nobody ever left that house unloved, uncomforted, or unfed. Every Christmas and New Year’s Day, our friend would make huge pots of soup and feed all comers. Our friend had a wonderful sign that read “If you’ve come to me, come anytime! If you want to see the house, make an appointment!”

 Lydia undoubtedly had a highly organized household with lots of servants, plenty of food and drink, and comfortable rooms for guests. But hospitality doesn’t have to be complicated.

Offer what you have and God will bless it-and you!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to realize that You bring people to us, expecting only that we will give what we have in love. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 4:32-37 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Joses didn’t think he’d done anything very wonderful. Moved by the Holy Spirit, Joses sold some land he had inherited and donated the money to the apostles. Joses was one of those men with a perpetual smile. No matter how bad the weather, no matter how frightening the threats from Jewish religious leaders, no matter how many personal conflicts others were having, Joses continued to smile and deal quietly and effectively with problems. Donating the proceeds from the land sale just seemed to be the right thing to do. Too bad that some others in the church, a couple named Ananias and Sapphira, sold land and then held back some of the proceeds while lying that they were donating the full price just as Joses had done. Those lies resulted in Ananias and Sapphira being struck dead by the Lord.

Say the name “Joses” to most Christians and they won’t recognize it. But say “Barnabas” and lots of people will recognize the name instantly. “Barnabas” means “son of encouragement” and is an affectionate nickname Joses earned by his sunny disposition and his willingness to cheer others on, seeing the best in them. From this point on, Joses would forever be known as Barnabas.

Acts 9:26-30 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

“Saul of Tarsus has become a Christian??? Are you kidding me?” Once Saul escaped from Damascus, he immediately made his way to Jerusalem, where he expected the Christians to welcome him with open arms. But these were the same people Saul had recently been persecuting, and they had no intention of trusting this guy. For all the Christians knew, Saul might be play-acting to entice Christians to expose themselves so that Jewish religious leaders could capture them. Only when Barnabas met with Saul and then met with church leaders did the church leaders relax. But the church leaders rapidly realized they had a tiger by the tail, for Saul immediately took on the Hellenists, the very people whose accusations had led to Stephen’s death. Church leadership had to hustle Saul off to the port of Caesarea, where he caught a ship for Tarsus.

Acts 11:19-26 Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

One of the hallmarks of Barnabas’ ministry was his humility. Recognizing that Saul was a brilliant scholar and speaker, Barnabas had no problems recruiting Saul and bringing him to Antioch to teach.

Acts 13:1-5 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John Mark as their assistant.

As a Cypriot, for Barnabas, returning to Cyprus was returning home. And Saul and Barnabas were taking John Mark, a young cousin of Barnabas, with them as an assistant. This first missionary journey would set the tone for the rest of Barnabas’ life, for he would continue traveling, preaching, and encouraging for the rest of his life. When Judaizers tried to force Gentile converts to Christianity to follow Jewish laws, Saul, now Paul, and Barnabas were the ones sent to Jerusalem to settle the matter with church leaders. (Acts 15)

Eventually, Barnabas separated from Paul, not because he disliked him but because Paul refused to take John Mark along on his second missionary journey. John Mark had left Paul and Barnabas at Pamphylia, refusing to accompany them at that point. Paul rejected John Mark as an unreliable quitter, while Barnabas felt John Mark was simply young and inexperienced and had the potential to do far better. Once more, Barnabas was living up to that nickname. Although this dispute created some friction, ultimately, Barnabas and John Mark returned to Cyprus while Paul recruited Silas to accompany him, thus doubling the number of missionary outreach teams.

According to tradition and the apocryphal Acts of Barnabas, Saint Barnabas was martyred around AD 61 in Salamis, Cyprus. He was reportedly stoned to death by Jews who were angered by his successful preaching. Another account suggests he was bound with a rope, dragged, and then burned to death. There’s one thing we can be sure of: Barnabas died trying to point as many people to Jesus as possible, remaining a “son of encouragement” to the very end.

What can we learn from Barnabas? Barnabas was faithful, generous, honest, and humble. Although Barnabas interacted well with people, there’s nothing to indicate that he was unusually wealthy or highly educated. Barnabas demonstrated his humility while recruiting Saul from Tarsus, thus launching Saul’s missionary travels. Barnabas salvaged John Mark’s career as a missionary when Saul would have marked him as a failure. Barnabas continued to see the best in people and to encourage them to live up to the divine standard wherever he went.

Any one of us can be a son or daughter of encouragement. If we eat in a restaurant or buy something in a store and we receive excellent service, my husband will find the supervisor and praise the worker in front of their supervisor. My husband thanks janitors, cleaners, and other service personnel who remain invisible to many passers-by. Kind words and sincere smiles cost nothing but may save lives. There’s a frequently repeated story of a high school kid who was walking home when he noticed one of his classmates carrying a huge load of books. The boy helped carry the books and then invited the other boy back to his home, where they played video games together and then enjoyed supper together. After that day, the boys became friends, sharing meals, playing, and attending school games together. At graduation, the boy who had carried the huge load of books gave a speech as the top student in his class. That was the day that everyone learned that when he was heading home with all his books, he had cleaned out his locker and was going home to kill himself because he felt nobody cared about him. When the second boy helped him and then shared games and a meal with him, the depressed boy changed his mind, rejecting the idea of suicide. You never know when you might become someone else’s lifeline.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to become enthusiastic encouragers, knowing that You are the Source of all comfort, all hope, and all joy. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.