Discipleship During Advent
Devotions for the Season of Advent (Week 2)
Verse four of “O Come, All Ye Faithful” says,
See how the shepherds, summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
we too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
A disciple is a follower and a learner. A disciple of Jesus Christ learns from the Person, Works, and Words of Jesus. But they do more than learn from him; they follow him. This can be costly. Perhaps that is why Jesus taught such things as:
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27)
In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:33)
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. (John 12:26)
The shepherds were the first to see Jesus. At the bidding of the angels the shepherds dropped everything so that they might welcome the Savior of the world.
The words of the hymn beckon us to come and adore Christ the Lord. “Lord” is a very important name, not to be passed over. The title “Lord” was given to Jesus by his heavenly Father to signify that his name was above all names and that all authority in heaven and on earth was given to him. Thus, “Christ the Lord” has the right to our allegiance and an expectation that we will follow him. It makes no sense to call him Lord, or to call yourself his disciple, if you do not follow him.
And yet our commitment to Christ the Lord should not be a dry, lifeless obedience. As countless Christmas hymns remind us, there should be radiant rejoicing, life-transforming heralding, awe-inspiring worship, exuberant gratitude, and humble self-forgetfulness as we take our focus off ourselves and turn our gaze upon the babe in the manger. For it was that tender infant, lying in the straw, who was born to take away the sins of the world. And it was that Savior whom God named Lord of heaven and earth. O come, let us adore him.