Wednesday, July 7, 2010

The Call of the Sovereign Christ: Total Response

When the call to discipleship goes forth from the sovereign Christ, why must the response be immediate?  In chapter 2 of Bonhoeffer's The Call to Discipleship, this question is posed.  The answer:
Why?  For the simple reason that the cause behind the immediate following of call by response is Jesus Christ himself.  It is Jesus who calls, and because it is Jesus, Levi follows at once.  This encounter is a testimony to the absolute, direct, and unaccountable authority of Jesus.  There is no need of any preliminaries, and no other consequences but obedience to the call.  Because Jessus is the Christ, he has the authority to call and to demand obedience to his word.  Jesus summons men to follow him not as a teacher or a pattern of the good life, but as the Christ, the Son of God.  In this short text [Mk. 2:14] Jesus Christ and his claim are proclaimed to men.  Not a word of praise is given to the disciple for his decision for Christ.  We are not expected to contemplate the disciple, but only him who calls, and his absolute authority.
Have you heard his call?  Are you holding anything back?  Jesus is Lord of all.  Follow him.  Follow him unswervingly with spiritual abandon.

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