What Edison, Willard and Jesus Have in Common

As you know if you've sat through enough of my sermons, I quote from Dallas Willard every once in a while (okay, maybe a little more than that).  That's because I believe he has much to teach us all about what it means to become all that Christ knows we can become in him.  One of my favorite Willard quotes is about the cost of non-discipleship.  That's right.  We often hear about the cost of discipleship, but there is a greater cost for our non-discipleship.  He writes:

Non-discipleship costs abiding peace, a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everything in the light of God’s overriding governance for good, hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil. In short, it costs exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring (John 10:10). (Devotional Classics, p.16)

Another quote - this one from Thomas Edison: "Discontent is the first necessity of progress."  Surely if we are to BECOME something more and better than what we are, we must experience some discontent first.  I believe this is the discontent of non-discipleship.  Surely you and I would rather not live lives devoid of the peace, love, faith, hope and power that Jesus came to bring us.  If we are not yet "there" (and who of us is?), then I pray we sense the depth of our discontent and allow it to be "the first necessity" of our progress toward spiritual maturity.  So often we think of what we will have to "give up" when we follow Christ.  But look at what we get!  God has great plans for each of us and for us as a community.  

On Sunday I shared with you another quote from Dallas Willard that I want to zero in on here as several of you have asked to have it made available to you.  Here it is again (and the link to the article in which I found it):

As Jesus’ disciple, I am his apprentice in kingdom living. I am learning from him how to lead my life in the Kingdom of the Heavens as he would lead my life if he were I. It is my faith in him that led me to become his disciple. My confidence in him simply means that I believe that he is right about everything: that all that he is and says shows what life is at its best, what it was intended by God to be.  - Dallas Willard

I love the power of these words, particularly in that third sentence: My confidence in him simply means that I believe that he is right about everything...  When is the last time you knew anyone you thought was right about everything?  And if you truly believed they were right about everything, why wouldn't you do whatever they said to do?  Imagine the simplicity of following someone, receiving teaching from someone who is right about everything.  It's a no-brainer - at least on an intellectual level.

Of course, it's one thing to know Jesus is right about everything; it's quite another to follow him.  This is where our discontent comes into play.  If Jesus is right about everything, then there are likely places in my life where my beliefs and behaviors are wrong.  And if that is the case, then there is more yet for me to learn and do and become.  I pray we all experience the full force of our discontentment, brothers and sisters.  I pray we sense a deep discontent where we are not yet enjoying the full blessings of discipleship; and I pray that we do not stay there, but move forward, becoming all that God plans for us to become.  Amen.

Pastor Stacey