“And the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God. Those by the roadside are the ones who hear; then the Devil comes and takes the Word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who, when they hear, receive the Word with joy. And these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And those which fell among thorns are the ones who, when they have heard, go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of life, and do not bear to maturity. But those on the good ground are the ones who, in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience.”
Luke 8:11-15
As I continue this study, I will now take a brief look at the next two hazards or pitfalls that endanger effective discipleship. Starting with the ‘Cultural Changes’ that have separated us from the culture of the first-century. The daily problems that we face seem to be totally different from those of biblical times.
These changes affect things like the meaning of words, ideas, and actions. For the disciples of today, it is critical that we make adjustments in our thinking. I wonder if our ideas of discipleship today have caused the rejection of Jesus’ style of making disciples.
The next pitfall to true discipleship, I believe, are the ‘Imperfect Role Models’ of today. For many, the church is seen for its imperfections and hypocrisies rather than a place to be changed and molded into the image (disciples) of Christ. It is also seen as a place of disunity and greed. I have come to believe that these four pitfalls are the largest hazards to true discipleship. I also believe there are more than these, but it’s a starting place to begin this study.
Next week I will take a closer look at our scripture text to see what Jesus says about the heart issues that hinder the very spirit of discipleship.