Disciples Depend on Jesus

When Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew to follow Him and be His disciples Scripture said they left what they were doing. Peter, Andrew, James, and John left their fishing business. Matthew left his tax collecting service. They depended on Jesus for everything.

Disciples depend on Jesus.

This meant that for these first disciples they physically followed Jesus around all over Judea, Galilee, and at times Samaria. They depended on Jesus for what they needed to live.

What does it mean for us as Jesus’ disciples in the twenty-first century to depend on Jesus?

First it means that we live and operate under Jesus’ authority.

Matthew 10:1
And He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.

Jesus gives the twelve authority. He gives them His authority over both spiritual and physical forces.

In Matthew 28:18 we are told that Jesus has all authority on heaven and earth.

When I try to live and minister based on my human abilities and resources I am very limited. I can only accomplish what is possible through my human abilities and resources.

When I live and minister based on Jesus and His authority, then I am not limited. I am depending on Jesus, not me.

Matthew 19:26 Jesus says, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

God can accomplish whatever He sets out to accomplish. Nothing is impossible for God. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present. He is not bound by time or space or any of the limitations as we as humans are.

Disciples operate under Jesus’ authority .

Another aspect of depending on Jesus is believing the Bible, God’s Word.

John 2:22
When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

The disciples believed the words that Jesus spoke. They believed the Old Testament scriptures because they saw that they revealed the truth about the Messiah, Jesus.

In a culture that does not believe in absolute truth, we as the disciples of Jesus must proclaim and live out the absolute truth of God’s Word.

It is not just about knowing God’s Word. I have met people who know God’s Word in detail, but don’t really believe it. We as Jesus’ disciples must make the Word of God the foundational authority for everything we do.

The Word of God is described in Hebrews 4:12 as:
Living
Active
Piercing
Discerning

As Jesus’ disciples we have to let the Bible do that in our lives every day.

A third thing it means to depend on Jesus is not to depend on rules and traditions, but to depend on relationship.

The disciples of Jesus were criticized by the religious leaders for not following the Sabbath rules. They picked grain and ate on the Sabbath.

The disciples of Jesus were criticized by the religious leaders for not washing their hands (my mother used to get on to me about that one) in the way the rules required it to be done.

The disciples of Jesus were criticized by the religious leaders for not fasting according to the rules.

Jesus’ response is found in Matthew 12:8. He says, “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Depending on rules, rituals, regulations, or traditions is like the man who built his house on the sand. When the storms of life came, the house didn’t stand. If our lives are built on rules, rituals, regulations, or traditions, our lives will not stand.

But if, like the man who built his house on a rock, we build our lives on the Rock, Jesus, then when the storms of life come we will stand.

When Jesus came, He followed the commands of God not the rules of men.

Jesus taught and demonstrated how to follow God’s commands. The disciples learned to depend on Jesus, not be bound by the law.

God created us to have order and structure to our lives. Order and structure produced by man-based rules will only give an outward appearance of order. Lives that are ordered and structured by depending on Jesus will be lives filled with inward hope, peace, and joy. They will have real order.

I remember going to help a friend buy a car one time. We got to the car dealership and he asked me to pray with him about what kind of car to buy. My friend began to pray and he asked God to show him in detail what kind of car to buy. He even asked God to tell him what color car to buy. When he had finished praying I asked him if he thought God really cared what color of car he bought. He told me that no, God didn’t really care what color the car was, but that he wanted to bring everything to Jesus, even the trivial things. That way, he knew and Jesus knew that he was depending on Him for everything.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about following Jesus as a disciple. Disciples depend on Jesus by living and ministering under Jesus’ authority. Disciples depend on Jesus by believing God’s Word and living in obedience to it. Disciples depend on Jesus by living based on their relationship with Jesus, not based on rules.

Depending on Jesus will not always be easy but will form us into the image of Jesus and that is the goal of the Father: for us to be like Jesus.

Depending of Jesus to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe