Burial Plans
Have you noticed that when Yeshua began his ministry, he was already preparing for his exit? He started early making burial plans. That's not the typical progession of most ministers. Usually, the individual works hard for decades, building, building, expanding, consolidating, reaching, creating a field of dependents. Yeshua, on the other hand, conducted a rapid discipleship workshop of about three years. With only a few years of training, the disciples made apostles, and they changed the world.
Yeshua even sent the disciples out to practice in pairs, as a student pointed out this week, stripping them of everything they could lean on: no food, no money, no rollerboard bags, earbuds, podcasts, or iPhones. Not even a Bible or Powerpoint projector. Well, scroll. They had good practice thinking on their feet without props, which opened their ears to the inspiration of the Ruach HaKodesh.
Inspiration is wonderful, spontaneous, unplanned. Disciples of Yeshua should indeed be prepared to witness in just such a manner.
Yeshua, however, demostrated another method as he made burial plans. It was his custom to go to the synagogue for the scheduled reading of the Word and prayer. He attended the feasts. He urged the disciples to listen to those speaking from "Moses' seat," or those teaching the Word, even if they were not to imitate hypocritical behavior.
There is a balance here. Inspiration should not blow us in every direction. The five-fold ministry is a way of maintaining balance in the assemblies of Adonai. Our shepherds and evangelists, those with gifts of healing, will inspire us. With qualified teachers, however, the winds of inspiration will not blow us all over the place. The Torah portion schedule is a great way to build and grow a congregation. After over twenty-five years of following either the triennial or annual schedule, I can see incredible growth compared to how I used to study.
Talk to someone who has studied on the Torah schedule for five years or more, and he or she will probably agree. Inspiration keeps us moving. Targeted and planned teaching helps us grow. A topical diet of study is likely to result in just that...superficial growth. When one jumps from website to website, teacher to teacher, ministry to ministry, the danger is it will lack discipline. On the other hand, some ministries or ministers may complement one another, such as John and Yeshua, or Paul and Silas.
Disciple is the root of discipline. While we are not to say we are "of Paul" or "of Apollos" in order to rank, separate, or identify ourselves, it does a lot of good to actually become disciples, learning from spiritual mentors more than just the Word, but how they think, study, prepare, behave, and solve problems. Paul instructed the congregations to look to the elder men and women, who could give stability to the younger and guide the inspiration of youth.
As we make our burial plans, we are discipling others, instilling in them the skills and lessons learned through both success and failure. If we do this well, even greater work will they do after us, the highest compliment paid to any teacher.
Yeshua had limited time, though, and so do we. Knowing he had approximately three and a half years, Yeshua required disciples to follow him. Completely. They left behind friends, family, and occupations. Wives and little children. Aging parents and grandparents. The disciples devoted themselves to learning all they could, even to receiving Yeshua's exasperated rebukes when they were slow to understand.
Others, though, didn't follow him. They went to him when they needed a dispute settled, healing, a free meal, forgiveness, a blessing, an explanation, or a prophetic word. They used him for concierge service. They didn't allow, or maybe trust Yeshua to direct their growth; instead, they directed him to their need.
I don't think this invalidates what Yeshua did for them. I think it does, however, encourage us to do better than seek concierge services from the Father, Yeshua, or human ministers. There were parables that Yeshua told because he DIDN'T want the average person to understand them. He reserved these gems for his disciples who followed him everywhere and who gave up their own lives for the Kingdom.
This week I had the great honor of certifying yet more Creation Gospel trainers at the CG retreat. As I looked through their tests and listened to them teach me the basics of Workbook One, I was thrilled. Each student taught the same paradigm, yet the delivery was unique as the person. They owned it, and they could teach it. It's not an easy course or test, yet each student set aside something in his or her own life and pursued the goal. Some took the course multiple times to make sure he/she was ready. Those who had previously certified brought their teaching aids to share, expanding worksheets and activities to appeal to every learning style or age.
Again, what an honor to witness discipleship in action. There was both inspiration and growth, and I know these students will change the world with their commitment to the Word. And then I noticed something else. Kisha Gallagher has done more than teach the workbooks, she has mentored the students into becoming teachers and mentors to others. They are not just competent with the Word, they are humbly walking in it as examples. Disciples making disciples making disciples making disciples...
Don't worry, I don't think I'm going anywhere soon, but who knew that burial plans would grow to such abundant life?
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Shabbat Shalom!
