E-pistle for June 22, 2007
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E-pistle
Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation June 22, 2007
How Jesus Mentored His Disciples
(John 21)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
What was the best, most memorable gift your father every gave you?
One Christmas, my Dad gave me a Johnny Mize mitt; another time he (and Santa)
gave me an electric train. But the best gift he gave me was not the ball glove,
but the time he spent with me playing in the backyard. His most memorable
present wasn't a model train, but the tales he told me about the years he spent
working for the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Rail Road. His
best gift to me? HIMSELF!
In John 21, we see Jesus "Fathering" His disciples. Here He sets the example
for ministers who are mentoring those less mature Christians who are following in our
paths. Notice the techniques Jesus used in dealing with the seven disciples who had
back-slidden to their old way of life . . . to their old jobs: fishing.
In this passage, let's only "read the red" . . . focusing on the WORDS of Jesus:
1. Jesus expressed concern about the disciples' needs, desires, and problems.
"Children, have you any food?" (verse 5) A good mentor notices
and expresses concern about the needs and problems of people.
This concern includes basic food, clothing, and shelter needs, of
course, but also involves physical environment (home, job, associates)
and spiritual environment (God's wall of protection and His canopy
of blessing).
Just as earthly parents know how to give good gifts to their children
. . . bread, not a stone; fish, not a snake; egg, not a scorpion . . . even,
so mentors must exhibit concern (See Matthew 7:7-11; and Luke 11:9-13)
2. Jesus gave wise counsel and direction (discipline) which, when followed
produced positive results . . . based on spiritual insight.
"Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some," (verse 6).
Jesus was able to give practical help because He knew where the fish
were swimming. He saw and knew something which the disciples didn't
see or know.
Good mentors both model and give wise counsel and direction. Jesus
showed them godly attitudes, speech, actions, relationships, and
priorities to follow. Yet more than that, He gave them needed practical
help and instruction for their immediate situation.
3. Jesus taught the principle of the blessedness of giving over receiving; the
priority of the spiritual above the material.
"Bring some of the fish you have just caught," (verse 10)
God does not need our fish . . . He has plenty! But He does want us to
receive gifts from Him with an "open hand" . . . to pass along to others
the abundance He supplies us. We are to serve others with His compassion,
kindness, generosity, and humility.
Freely we have received; freely give!
4. Jesus invited the disciples to have intimate fellowship with Him.
"Come and eat breakfast," (verse 12). As believers, we need to partake of
Jesus' provisions . . . His presence. He knocks on our heart's door, waiting
for us to invite Him in for intimate fellowship with Him, Revelation 3:20.
As mentors, we also must graciously offer to share our spiritual provisions
and ourselves with others . . . in intimate friendship. How true is the saying
that we all need to have (and to be) a Paul, a Barnabus, and a Timothy!
5. Jesus helped the disciples to "see beyond sight" . . . to have spiritual vision
of God's destiny for them. Notice the process of gradual revelation:
"Disciples did not know it was Jesus," (verse 4); to John recognized Him
(verse 7); to "None of the disciples dared ask Him,'Who are you?' knowing
it was the Lord," (verse 12); to Jesus "showed" Himself (verse 14).
Good mentors must gently guide persons to "see" and to "know" Jesus,
in whose name they serve. God's mentors help protégés come to spiritual
perception, to a vision of God's destiny for their lives.
6. Jesus encouraged a cursing, denying, back-slidden, disciple, to renewed
commitment based on mutual love.
"Do you love Me? . . . Feed My sheep," (Verse 15-17) Jesus dealt with
Simon Peter in gentleness and compassion, yet with "tough love," confronting
Peter about his problem and its spiritual consequences.
Peter denied Jesus three times; Jesus compelled Peter to assert his love three
times. We, as mentors, in spite of our failures, need to publicly exclaim,
"Jesus, I love You!" Such an open confession will help us . . . and those
following us.
7. Jesus challenged the disciples to hear again His original call to total surrender.
'Follow Me," (verse 19) These were the same words spoken by Jesus to Peter
three years earlier . . . and at the same location: Peter's wharf (Matthew 4:19).
It is significant that here Jesus addressed the wayward disciple as "Simon".
Earlier, the Lord had prophesied, "You will be called Peter," John 1:42. Later
Jesus said, "You are Peter," Matthew 16:18. But here Jesus forced Peter to go
back to where it all began, to get a fresh, new start . . . calling him, "Simon,
son of John," (verse 15).
We, as God's mentors, must continually be reminded to revisit our original call
to follow Him. Our responsibility to those who follow us includes modeling
joyful obedience to Jesus' call to total surrender . . . to cross-bearing discipleship.
"I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS . . . NO TURING BACK."
WHAT IS A MENTOR?
M – Model, "example to the believers" (I Timothy 4:12)
E – Encourager: "Command . . . Encourage . . . Strengthen"
(Deuteronomy 3:28)
N – Nurturer: "Bring them up in the nurture of the Lord"
(Ephesians 6:4)
T – Tutor: "Commit these to faithful men . . . to teach
others" (II Timothy 2:2)
O – Observer: "They watch out for your souls"
(Hebrews 13:17)
R – Resource: "Supply what is lacking in your faith"
(I Thessalonians 3:10)
A Good Minister Is Like . . .
(II Timothy 2:1-6, 11-13, 15, 19-21, 24-25)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on what a good minister is like
1. A good minister is like a teacher/student . . . learning truth, passing
it on to the next generation, vv. 1-2.
2. A good minister is like a soldier . . . enduring hardships, untangled in
personal affairs of civilian life, pleasing his superior officer by loyalty,
dedication, and obedience, vv. 3-4.
3. A good minister is like an athletic . . . competing according to the rules,
keeping fit, training diligently, and exhibiting a will to win (positive spirit),
v. 5. (See I Corinthians 9:26)
4. A good minister is like a farmer . . . hardworking, diligent, expectant of a
future harvest, and living off the fruit of his labors, v. 6.
5. A good minister is like a workman . . . "not ashamed" – with holy pride in
craftsmanship and accomplishment, realizing that ability and talent are
gifts from God, v. 15.
6. A good minister is like a vessel . . . honorable, sanctified, clean, prepared,
and useful, vv. 19-21.
7. A good minister is like a servant (slave) . . . not quarrelsome but gentle,
able to instruct others, patient, and humble, vv. 24-25.
II. Meditation: on Paul's "faithful saying" (vv. 11-13)
(Four basic truths; perhaps a hymn of the early church)
1. If we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.
2. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him.
3. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
4. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
III. Revelation: on running . . . fleeing and pursuing (v. 22)
1. Flee (run away from) these things: harmful speech (vv. 16, 23),
false belief (vv. 17-18), moral impurity (v. 22), and bad attitudes
(vv. 24-25).
2. Pursue (run toward) these things: righteousness, faith, love and
peace with other believers (v. 22).
IV. Applications: as a Christian (minister), I need to . . .
1. Recognize and operate within the seven "roles" (above) which
are included in my calling as a minister . . . and all Christians are
ministers!
2. Remain faithful to Christ and His work, because He always remains
faithful to me.
3. "Run away from" those ungodly things which are harmful, false,
immoral, and which produce bad attitudes.
4. "Run toward" (strive for; purpose) the Godly characteristics of
righteousness, faith, love, and peaceableness.
"Making the decision to have a child is momentous.
It is to decide forever to have your heart
go walking around outside your body."
-Elizabeth Stone
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