Knowing and modeling

Recently I was involved in a study of the fabulous story of Jesus as presented by Mark. The men who were asked to study the various accounts of this story were asked to come up with the characteristics of a follower of Jesus based on the account they were studying. Today those men all met again to bring forth the characteristics they had found. It was interesting to see how the accounts mirrored the walks of life each one had taken. But beyond that, they brought out what they had studied over a month's period of time.

I am going to dedicate the blogspot for at least the next 2 weeks to my meanderings about the characteristics I found to be outstanding in the account from Mark. I found 7 characteristics that I listed and two more that I didn't list because I didn't think it was the right forum for the other 2. They were more personal in nature. So, I start with characteristic #1

Characteristic 1: (S)He knows the tenets of the message of God’s reign and knows (s)he must exude it.

Representative sample from Mark:
We must go on to the other villages around here. I have to preach in them also, because that is why I came.
(Mark 1.38)


Other textual support for characteristic: 1.38, 2.2, 3.34, 4.1, 4.33, 6.6b-7, 6.34, 8.31
Fact from Mark: 37% of all textual episodes in Mark contain the teaching of Jesus.

If I were asked what Jesus' reason for coming was, I would have answered that he came to seek and save the lost. But, after reading Mark's account, I see the statement above. And teach is what Jesus did. He went all over the countryside around his hometown teaching. He crossed lakes and walked miles to villages near and far. He sent his selected 12 out in pairs to a number of villages to get his message out. Mark's account is rife with teachings about human behaviors from people divorcing to people trying to show that they deserve the kingdom of God.

But, just because Jesus taught, does it mean that his followers should follow suit? Well, let's call it "teaching." Under finer analysis, it is probably closer to knowing for ourselves the tenets of what Jesus taught so that our behavior is consistent with those tenets. What we know from Jesus' lessons and how we act ought to be consistent. Some of Jesus' most castigating words were reserved for the educated elite who said one thing, but did another. So, knowing the message so that we can model it is paramount.

And the message is not merely a series of good lessons. Its provenance is from the kingdom of God, so the path on earth his lessons put us on end in our entering the kingdom of God. I think there is a bit of a problem with that idea for Americans. We are not "kingdom" people. The word is in our language and we understand it. But it is so archaic that we don't make a true association with it. An alternate word is "reign." It is an old term as well, but Americans have more of an association with its idea than "kingdom." We all are held accountable to somebody or we report to some "boss." So a word like "reign" carries with it the idea that we are held to a set of expectations by someone or some company.

So, the idea is complete. Jesus taught the message of God's reign in a person's life. We accept God's reign and show it by modeling the behavior asked of us by the various tenets of the message. Our behavior, in turn leads us to our home where God reigns. In that manner, then, we teach as Jesus taught. We know the tenets of the message of God's reign and exude it for others to desire to emulate it.