It was all the way back on 1984, that Mr. Miyagi taught his pupil in "The Karate Kid" a series of lessons by making him do practical projects. Watch this old Youtube cut to get the idea:
What Mr. Miyagi did for his student was plagarize a discipleship method that was used by Jesus extensively nearly 2000 years before. Jesus sent the disciples into a Samaritan village to get some food for the group, while He encountered a badly treated and scorned woman at the city well. When the disciples returned from the village with the food they came upon Jesus ending a discussion with the woman. The whole scene was a "wax on, wax off" teaching moment. Jesus used the opportunity to teach seven lessons to mature the men that were following Him.
Key Principle: The disciple is shaped to maturity by the "planned experiences" God takes them through, but we must carefully observe the lessons!
Seven Lessons toward Maturity
Lesson One: True satisfaction comes when we fulfill the purpose for which we were created. (4:31-34). 1) This satisfaction is not comprehended by the new believer yet, but is learned by maturity in Messiah (cp. 4:32). 2) The satisfaction comes through the faithful execution of the call from God (4:34a). Satisfaction also comes through the completion of a project within the call (4:34b).
31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
Lesson Two: The mature believer sees a harvest where others see a way to to help themselves (4:35). The disciples encountered the same people in the village that Jesus did, and the woman who returned to her village did – yet the disciples yielded only physical fruit (a meal) and not spiritual fruit (souls). Why? Because they could not see the people as they were – needy and open to the good news.
35 "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.
Lesson Three: Those who see the field and do the work will reap the harvest for all of us, while others remain oblivious to the field until the harvest comes in. (4:36).
36 "Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
Lesson Four: The mature disciple will not allow the amazement with Jesus to wane in his life, and cannot help but share (4:36). The woman was new to Jesus and His message, but she was moved to share and sowed her newfound amazement (perhaps faith?). The disciples were deeply familiar with Jesus, but the novelty wore off, and they simply didn’t share that He was near the village! Evangelism is a program to an un-amazed disciples. Those who are struck by the presence of Jesus need not force to share their excitement.
37"For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.'
Lesson Five: Mature disciples understand they do not reap the harvest on their own – it is a work aided and seeded by many. (4:38-39). Jesus said I sent you to get food you didn’t grow, but you were blessed by the working hands of others. You understood that. You knew I didn’t expect you to buy the field, plant it, reap it, grind the flour and make the bread. You could simply purchase and enjoy what another labored over. Spiritually speaking, you must learn that you gain a harvest because of the labor of many others.
38 "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor." 39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done."
Lesson Six: The believer that loves the lost will reach the lost (4:40-41). The woman identified with the people as “her people”. Jesus dwelt with the Samaritans to show them love and care -- the disciples had no real love for the people (cp. Lk. 9:54).
40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word;
Lesson Seven: People may begin by following the believer, but in the end it comes down to them accepting the Word of the Savior! (4:42).
42 and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world."
The disciple is shaped to maturity by the "planned experiences" God takes them through, but we must carefully observe the lessons! We must be careful not to simply use the time on this planet to "fill out our needs". We must observe the people around us, the specific places God places us - and look for a way to bring Him joy through our lives!
Key Principle: The disciple is shaped to maturity by the "planned experiences" God takes them through, but we must carefully observe the lessons!
Seven Lessons toward Maturity
Lesson One: True satisfaction comes when we fulfill the purpose for which we were created. (4:31-34). 1) This satisfaction is not comprehended by the new believer yet, but is learned by maturity in Messiah (cp. 4:32). 2) The satisfaction comes through the faithful execution of the call from God (4:34a). Satisfaction also comes through the completion of a project within the call (4:34b).
31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
Lesson Two: The mature believer sees a harvest where others see a way to to help themselves (4:35). The disciples encountered the same people in the village that Jesus did, and the woman who returned to her village did – yet the disciples yielded only physical fruit (a meal) and not spiritual fruit (souls). Why? Because they could not see the people as they were – needy and open to the good news.
35 "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.
Lesson Three: Those who see the field and do the work will reap the harvest for all of us, while others remain oblivious to the field until the harvest comes in. (4:36).
36 "Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
Lesson Four: The mature disciple will not allow the amazement with Jesus to wane in his life, and cannot help but share (4:36). The woman was new to Jesus and His message, but she was moved to share and sowed her newfound amazement (perhaps faith?). The disciples were deeply familiar with Jesus, but the novelty wore off, and they simply didn’t share that He was near the village! Evangelism is a program to an un-amazed disciples. Those who are struck by the presence of Jesus need not force to share their excitement.
37"For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.'
Lesson Five: Mature disciples understand they do not reap the harvest on their own – it is a work aided and seeded by many. (4:38-39). Jesus said I sent you to get food you didn’t grow, but you were blessed by the working hands of others. You understood that. You knew I didn’t expect you to buy the field, plant it, reap it, grind the flour and make the bread. You could simply purchase and enjoy what another labored over. Spiritually speaking, you must learn that you gain a harvest because of the labor of many others.
38 "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor." 39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done."
Lesson Six: The believer that loves the lost will reach the lost (4:40-41). The woman identified with the people as “her people”. Jesus dwelt with the Samaritans to show them love and care -- the disciples had no real love for the people (cp. Lk. 9:54).
40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word;
Lesson Seven: People may begin by following the believer, but in the end it comes down to them accepting the Word of the Savior! (4:42).
42 and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world."
The disciple is shaped to maturity by the "planned experiences" God takes them through, but we must carefully observe the lessons! We must be careful not to simply use the time on this planet to "fill out our needs". We must observe the people around us, the specific places God places us - and look for a way to bring Him joy through our lives!
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