Always learning with Jesus!

Reflecting on Mark 4:33-34

“When he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.” (Mark 4:34)
As a Jesus follower, I need to spend time alone with Jesus.
Not as a duty, but because I want to, to help me learn and grow.
Despite my years with Jesus, I still not not comprehend His teaching.
Thankfully Jesus is committed to helping me, by His Spirit.

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:25-26)

The Spirit of Jesus teaches me when I spend time alone with Jesus.
And also when we gather as Jesus followers, the Spirit teaches us then too.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Mark 18:20)
The Spirit of Jesus does not just teach through a trained or ordained leader.
As Jesus followers meet, pray, teach, discuss, share, the Spirit is at work.
Someone teaching is fine, but Jesus speaks through more than one person.
“You are not to be called Rabbi, for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.” (Matthew 23:8)
Churches restrict Jesus when reduce teaching to just one or two.
This practice also leads Jesus followers to not spend their own time with Jesus.

Just because Jesus explains everything, doesn’t mean the disciples understand.
The Jesus stories show us that they still misunderstood Jesus.
And history shows how often the church misunderstands Jesus’s teaching.
I suspect that it is because some disciples become arrogant.
They assume they do understand, and don’t think they need to learn anymore.
Their doctrines are put in creeds and confession, settled once and for all.
No one can ask questions anymore, those who don’t are resisted.
Those who spend time with Jesus too, learn different things.
What they learn may be helpful, but it may also be mistaken.
When disciples disagree, what should they do?
Not push away those with whom they disagree.
They should humbly kneel together with Jesus, open to learning.

“Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.” (Romans 14:1-4)

“All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.” (Philippians 3:15)

The basis of our unity and community is our need for Jesus, not our understanding.
Actually, we are also united in the fact that we do not understand.
No one disciple can say they fully understand the teaching of Jesus.
No one church can say their teaching fully agrees with God’s.
My own views here in this blog are not the right understanding.
They are reflections on my time alone with Jesus, what I am discerning.
My views are still growing and changing, I am still rethinking.
Don’t take my word on it, spend your own time with Jesus to think about it!

Jesus is available to all of us, to teach us.
You can share with me what you learn, just as I am sharing with you.
Between us, with Jesus, the Spirit will ‘explain everything!’
And one day, we will all understand!

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, humble me to admit I do not understand everything. Grace me as you teach me, that I may understand better. 

And help me be gracious with those who think differently, willing to learn from them, and willing to sit together with them at your feet, despite our differences and disagreements.