Radical Disciple 1

Welcome to this new series of studies we’re putting together around the themes suggested by John Stott’s farewell book: The Radical Disciple. s someone who has contributed so much to the church nationally and globally! John Stott is well placed to speak with insight and clarity into the current issues we face today. So the fact that he has chosen discipleship as the theme of his final book should get our attention. John Stott brings a wealth of e"perience! understanding and #iblical thinking to this often neglected and misunderstood area. We’ll  $ourney through through his his book! del%ing del%ing in and and out of scripture! and and e"ploring e"ploring where these themes themes encourage and challenge us. We hope you en$oy this series of studies through this term of  Small &roups! but more importantly' that we’ll grow closer to Jesus as we’re instructed and inspired together to follow (im more passionately! more intentionally and more effecti%ely. Simeon and Jon.

The book begins by helping to define our terms of reference! firstly: - Disciple... “It comes as a surprise to most people to discover that the followers of Jesus Christ are called ‘Christian’ only three times in the New Testament... Testament... One wishes in some ways that the word ‘disciple’ had continued into the following centuries so that Christians were self! consciously disciples of Jesus and too" seriously their responsi#ility to #e ‘under discipline’.$  )*+ s a personal reflection! ,’%e noticed a increasing trend amongst my -hristian friends on social networking websites to list their religion as: follower of Jesus/! rather than -hristian/. 0ne friend e%en put the sentence: “not the least #it interested in religion % #ut wholeheartedly committed to the way of Jesus.$  There are ob%iously many reasons for this shift! but what words and pictures spring to mind when you hear the word: -hristian/ )1+ What words and pictures spring to mind when you hear the word: Disciple/ )2+ What are the ma$or differences in the perceptions of the terms 3-hristian’ 4 3Disciple’5 )6+ (ow can -hristians stay “self!consciously$  disciples  disciples of Jesus5 )7+ What does it mean to take seriously our responsibility to be “under discipline$ 5

The ne"t two definitions: - Radical... “The &nglish word ‘radical’ is derived from the 'atin word ‘radi(’ a root... it came to #e applied generally to those whose opinions went to the roots  and who were thoroughgoing in their commitment .$  - Radical Disciple...  “There are different levels of commitment in the Christian community. Jesus )imself illustrated this in what happened to the seeds he descri#es in the *ara#le of the +ower. The difference #etween the seeds lay in the "ind of soil which received them. Of the seed sown on roc"y soil Jesus said ‘ It has no root.’ $  ),t will help you to read the parable in: 8uke 9:6*7+

);+ arable of the Sower that can pre%ent this deepening of commitment which leads the greater growth from decision to disciple5

John Stott ends his preface with these words: “Our common way of avoiding radical discipleship is to #e selective, choosing those areas in which commitment suits us and staying away from those areas in which it will  #e costly. -ut #ecause Jesus is 'ord we have no right to pick and choose  the areas in which we will su#mit to )is authority.$  )9+ John Stott’s words ring true with this ?uote  “If )e is not 'ord of all )e is not 'ord at all.$  What do you think of that statement5 )@+ (ow can we a%oid the tendency to selfselect the areas of our commitment5

The rest of book picks eight nonoptional areas of discipleship that we’ll e"plore together o%er this term. The first one is to do with nonconformity... and so we turn to the first chapter of the book.

“The church has a dou#le responsi#ility in relation to the world around us. On one hand we are to live serve and witness in the world. On the other hand we are to avoid #ecoming contaminated #y the world. +o we are neither to see" to preserve our holiness #y escaping from the world nor to sacrifice our holiness #y conforming to the world. &scapism and conformism are thus #oth for#idden to us.$ 

Read these passages together: 8e%iticus *9:26! ABekiel **:*1! Catthew ;:9! Romans *1:1 “)ere then is /od0s call to radical discipleship to a radical non!conformity to the surrounding culture. It is a call to develop a Christian counter!culture. It is a call to engagement without compromise.$ 

 (ow can we help each other to a%oid the common pitfalls of: )i+ conformity! 4 )ii+ escapism5 Stott then goes on to list four contemporary challenges  four places where! as radical disciples we engage with! but must not compromise o%er: 1. Pluralism. “*luralism affirms that every 0ism0 has its own independent validity and an e1ual right to respect. It therefore re2ects Christian claims to finality and uni1ueness and condemns as sheer arrogance the attempt to convert any#ody 3let alone every#ody4 to what it sees as merely our opinions$  Read: John *6:;= −  What do JesusE words say to the challenge of pluralism. −  (ow can we preser%e and present the uni?ueness and finality of Jesus in ways that are at one and the same time honest and humble5 2.

Materialism. “5aterialism is a preoccupation with material things which can smother our spiritual life$ 

Read: Catthew ;:17 −  Why is materialism such a dangerous challenge to the radical disciple today5 −  ,n what ways could -hristians today be accused of conforming to trend of materialism5

3.

Ethical relativism. “6ll around us moral standards are slipping. ...*eople are confused as to whether there are any a#solutes left. 7elativism has permeated culture and is seeping into the church.$ 

What do you make of this poem by braham Adel )*@F91FF=+: It all depends on where you are it all depends on who you are It all depends on what you feel it all depends on how you feel. It all depends on how you0re raised it all depends on what is praised. 8hat0s right today is wrong tomorrow Joy in 9rance in &ngland sorrow. It all depends on point of view 6ustralia or Tim#uctoo In 7ome do as the 7omans do. If tastes 2ust happen to agree then you have morality  -ut where there are conflicting trends it all depends it all depends...

Gow read: 8uke ;:6;6@ together. What does JesusE parable teach us about how we respond to the challenge of ethical relati%ism5  -ould the church be accused of compromise in this area5 4.

Narcissism “...0Narcissism0 is an e(cessive love for oneself an un#ounded admiration of 0self0.$ 

Read: Catthew 11:266F JesusE words ob%iously do not teach selfloathing! because to lo%e your neighbour as yourself makes no sense if we hate oursel%es)H+  but teaches us that the focus of our li%es should be on two things: )i+ lo%e for &od! )ii+ lo%e for others. − -an you remember )or imagine if not+ where this demonstration of lo%e challenges the culture of narcissism5

John Stott ends this chapter by concluding: “8e are not to #e li"e reeds sha"en #y the wind #lowing down #efore the gusts of pu#lic opinion #ut as immovea#le as roc"s in a mountain stream. 8e are not to #e li"e fish floating with the stream... 8e are not to #e li"e chameleons... #ut to stand out visa#ly against our surroundings... 8e are to #e li"e Christ 0conformed to the image of /od0s +on0 37omans :;<4./ And by praying for each other that these words would be true of us as we say no/ to the worldEs standards and a deliberate yes/ to following Jesus in radical and costly ways.