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Here is the great paradox of life—we must die to ourselves to live in Christ, and in that renunciation of ourselves, we must give ourselves away in service and devotion to our Lord.
in a thoroughly practical point of view, we live by what we do.
Note that Jesus did not force the lesson on them, but rather he just kept praying until at last the disciples got so hungry that they asked him to teach them what he was doing.
One thing is certain: unless they grasped the meaning of prayer, and learned how to practice it with consistency, not much would ever come from their lives.
His method was so real and practical that it just came naturally.
He did not ask anyone to do or be anything that he had not demonstrated first in his own life, thereby not only proving its workability but also its relevance to his mission in life.
It is good to tell people what we mean, but it is infinitely better to show them. People are looking for a demonstration, not an explanation.
People are looking for a demonstration, not an explanation.
mere knowledge is not enough. There comes a time for action. To disregard this privilege can nullify all that has been acquired in the process of learning. Indeed, knowledge unapplied to living can become a stumbling stone to further truth.
Like a mother eagle teaching her young to fly by pushing them out of the nest, Jesus pushed his disciples out into the world to try their own wings.
This principle of establishing a beachhead in a new place of labor by connecting with a potentially key follow-up leader is not to be minimized. Jesus had lived by it with his own disciples, and he expected them to do the same.
but in spite of all their precautions, the fact remained that the world was not likely to receive the disciples with favor when they faithfully preached the gospel.
And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:34–38).
But before they went out, he teamed them up in pairs (Mark 6:7).2 Doubtless this plan was intended to provide for his disciples’ needed companionship along the way.
He never asked anyone to do something that he was unwilling to do.
Evangelism is not an optional accessory to our life. It is the heartbeat of all that we are called to be and do.
What does matter though, as the record shows, is that after the disciples were sent out to work, they were expected to share their experiences later with the group.
kept after them constantly, giving them increasingly more attention as his ministry on earth came to a close.
No matter what they did, there was always more to do and to learn.
Here was on-the-job training at its best. Jesus would let his followers have some experience or make some observation of their own, and then he would use this as a starting point to teach a lesson of discipleship.
He did not expect more from his disciples than they could do, but he did expect their best, and this he expected always to be improved as they grew in knowledge and grace.
It is thus crucial that those engaging in the work of evangelism have personal supervision and guidance until such time as they are mature enough to carry on alone.
All too many times one has been brought to the place of service only to be discharged with no further training or inspiration.
