Christian Discipleship Our Response to Christ' Love

What is Christian Discipleship? The answer to this question is not the same for everyone as Christian Discipleship has a different meaning to each individual. For me Christian Discipleship is how we respond to Christ's love. This may seem like a simple statement, but when we look closely at how Christ showed his love for us through his words, actions and life we are giving a view of what Christian Discipleship really means.

Christ's love for us is beyond any form of love we have ever experienced. We hear about his love so much that many times we over look what He endured and the sacrifices he made in order to redeem us, thus missing the point of what Christ' Love means. Although we are incapable of knowing what he went through we can make reasonable assumptions to give us a better idea of what his love for us means. Christ gave up his life in heaven to be born as a man (that in and of its self says something about his love). He spent his earthly life ministering to those in need, helping the helpless, and showing his love to those that were unwanted. At the age of 33 he was publicly disgraced, torture, and finally nailed to a cross were he died an agonizing death. While hanging on the cross he prayed for those who mocked him and for those who were crucified beside him. He felt the full weight of our sins on His shoulders, all the punishment that we were to bear our selves he gladly took. Imagine what this must have been like for the most powerful being in all of creation. One word and he could have called the whole thing off, yet he didn't. He loved us enough to be born as a man, spend his life ministering to those in need, and finally to die a brutal death to redeem us from a fate worse than death...

Responding to his love is what Christian discipleship is. But when are faced with such great love how are we to respond to it? Christ is our teacher, thus we are to follow his example of showing true love to others, our selves and God. He was humble, and kindhearted. He spent His life obeying God's commandments, helping others, and ministering to others, especially those that the religious factions of the time viewed as undesirable. Often he was reprimanded for dinning with "sinners", yet he continued to show them that God's love extends to all people. During His crucifixion he prayed for those who had beaten and tortured him, for those who stood below mocking him as he died, and for the two thieves that were crucified beside him. He prayed for everyone instead of cursing them or wishing ill upon them. Christ' life is the best example of how we are to respond to his love. Although we may never have to make such sacrifices we are called to follow his example of humility, love, willingness to help others, and obedience to God. In conclusion we show our love for Christ when we let go of our pride, hate, and judgmental nature and strive to replace them with humility, love and compassion. Living our love is true Christian Discipleship.