21 Days of DiscipleshipSample

Contributors, Not Consumers

Throughout the book of John, John shares seven signs that point us to who Jesus is. Chapter two tells us about the first one. 

Jesus attended a wedding in the city where He grew up. Early on in the celebration, the family caterers ran out of wine. This was a big deal in Middle Eastern culture where being a good host was super important. Weddings were these all-out, multi-day events and people came from far away to celebrate with the bride and groom. From the very beginning of the marriage, there was a lot of pressure on the couple and their families to make a good impression. Running out of wine would be a major cause for shame and embarrassment. Not a good way to start off a new relationship! So, Jesus compassionately steps into the situation. Because, from the very beginning (again, a throwback to Genesis), God has been in the business of covering our shame.

Another beautiful thing about this miracle is that Jesus invited other people to be part of it. He could have just snapped His fingers and made new wine appear in everyone’s glasses for the rest of the night. But He didn’t! Jesus allowed others, the servants who filled the jars, to participate in what He did. 

This is what it looks like to be a disciple of Christ. We are called to be spiritual contributors, not just spiritual consumers. Yes, we can stand in awe of Jesus’ power, but Jesus has invited people to partner with Him from the very beginning. 

In Genesis, God gave men and women power to help Him rule and care for the earth. We were created by God to have influence and make our environments flourish. Today, Jesus is inviting us to step into our power and utilize our influence. We can do this by participating in the process of discipleship and by partnering with Jesus in bringing the kingdom He launched to earth.

Challenge: What is an area of your life where you have been spectating instead of participating? It’s time to get in the game! How can you actively choose to participate in the discipleship process? How can you intentionally use your influence to partner with Jesus? Develop one action step based on each of these questions and tell the people on this journey with you how and when you follow through.