Beatitudes: Discipleship Through Brokenness

I’ve been itrigued lately with a Bibial study of the word “brokenness.” You won’t find the word in the Bible, but there is much written about the concept without naming it as such.

It is not a popular word, rarely spoken from the pulpit and in some circles ridiculed. As seen in one web site: “I believe that God is a GOOD God – All the time. God wants you WHOLE, complete, nothing missing nothing broken! Physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, financially, etc… That’s what I believe - and the scriptures back it up. WHOLE is the complete opposite of broken.”
What do you think?

Examine with me today the Beatitudes from a perspective of discipleship through brokenness. We’ll begin by taking a quick spin through Matthew chapters one through five depicting the beginnings of the life of Christ. Chapters one and two are His geneology, birth and earliest childhood. A 30 year leap in time happens between chapter two and three where He is pictured in His adult years being baptised by John.

Chapter 4 records Jesus’ temptation by satan and the beginning of his teaching ministry. The disciples are chosen. Immediately following their selection Matthew 4:23 describes Jesus indoctrinating his disciples and modeling for them. “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” Teaching, preaching and healing.

It was like Jesus was saying to his disciples, “This is the life with me you’re about to experience. So let me help you prepare.” Enter Matthew chapter five, usually called the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:1-2 reads, “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them,” Notice He is not teaching the crowd. There may have been a crowd following and listening but Christ’s attention was riveted on his disciples – teaching them the attributes of being His disciple. Christianity’s first discipleship program.

First question: are you part of the crowd as a follower of Christ; or, are you a disciple of Christ; or, are you possibly a pre-christian? A follower of Christ can be described as one who commits his life to Christ for what can be received – eternal life, joy, peace, contentment, etc. A disciple of Christ is one whose motivation is to allow Christ’s life to permeate his own life so that it spills over and affects everyone he touches. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 describes it this way: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.”

The disciple spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ. A disciple influences his world. How would you evaluate yourself today – a follower of Christ? A disciple of Christ? Or a pre-christian?

In tomorrow’s post we’ll begin to look at the beginning of discipleship instruction.