Companionship
Notes
Transcript
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Introduction
Introduction
In the movie “Castaway,” Tom Hanks plays an employee of Federal Express. Early in the movie, he boards a jet plane and says good-bye to his girlfriend. He gives her the keys to his car and says, “I’ll be right back.”
Well, everyone who bought a ticket to that movie knew that wasn’t going to be. Because we all knew from the advertisements that this movie was about a man trying to survive on a deserted island after a terrible plane crash.
When the character played by Tom Hanks gave the car keys to his girlfriend, you wanted to scream out at him to keep the keys. Because hooked to the key chain was a Swiss Army knife.
Alone on a deserted island, you could use a knife like that.
After the crash, the lonely man walks the beach gathering debris from the crashed Federal Express plane. He opens the boxes looking for something to help him survive. Perhaps a Swiss Army knife or two.
But no.
Instead he finds things that, at least on the surface, seem useless.
Ice Skates. Yep, they would come in handy on a small tropical island.
Videotapes.
A volleyball.
Yet, in time each becomes useful. Including the volleyball. Tom Hanks draws a face on it one night and begins talking to it, in order to pass the time. He even addresses this volleyball by name – Wilson.
At first this seems to be just a way to entertain himself. But after five years of being alone on that island, this light-hearted source of entertainment becomes an mental/emotional necessity.
Right before making the decision to try to get off the island in a homemade boat, the character played by Tom Hanks becomes angry and frustrated and to express that anger he takes the volleyball named Wilson and throws it away, into the sea.
The marooned man watches the ball as it falls into the sea and suddenly realizes, “That was stupid.” And he goes after the ball. He risks his life rescuing his friend (the volleyball), swimming against the tide and among the rocky beach until at last he has in his hands his friend (the volleyball).
He looks at it and says, “Wilson. Wilson. I’m so sorry. I’ll never do that again. Forgive me!” He says this to his friend (the volleyball).
Yep, at this point the viewer of the movie knows, this man has been alone on that island way too long.
There is a silliness in that moment, but the way Tom Hanks plays his part, it’s more tragic than silly.
We all desperately need friendships.
And it doesn’t matter whether we are the only person on an island far from anyone else, or if we are in a crowd.
Review
Review
Ordinary people can change the world when they follow Jesus
Jesus calls us all to follow him and join in his life
The cost of discipleship is a deep commitment to relationship
reality (things will be different)
immediacy (don’t wait till some perfect future)
priority (don’t add Jesus to your cluttered past)
No Longer Servants
No Longer Servants
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15.15
Companionship with Jesus
Not the Jesus I thought he was (Eldridge)
friends. friends with the living God. the loving savior.
Playfulness of Jesus
Miraculous Catch of Fish -
Notice how casually Jesus enters the scene. His best friends don’t even know it’s him. This is the resurrected Lord, mind you. Ruler of the heavens and the earth. Think Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus could have announced his risen presence on the beach with radiant glory. He certainly could have shouted in his commanding way, “It is I, the Lord! Come thou unto me!” But he doesn’t. He does the opposite—he “hides” himself a bit longer to let this play out. He simply stands on the shore, hands in his pockets like a tourist, and asks the question curious passersby always do of fishermen: “Catch anything?”
- John Eldredge, Beautiful Outlaw
Realness of Jesus
English Standard Version Chapter 7
34 The Son of Man has come reating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, sa friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
Inside jokes with Jesus
Personality. experiences. shenanigans. things you’ve done together.
John Eldredge points out that you can’t have that kind of relationship with Abraham Lincoln or Charlemagne or any other historical figure. But you can have it with Jesus!
Ibid, p. 15-16 - Last May I had the opportunity, while in London, to visit the National Gallery. Loving art, and being with two of my sons—one of whom was an art major—I was excited to spend hours there. I loved the Van Goghs, the Monets, the Rembrandt paintings and more. But there was one massive disappointment. No, it was more than disappointment. Massive frustration. I did not see one portrait of Christ in all the famous works of him, that came anywhere close to depicting Jesus as he really is. NOT ONE. They are all of a wispy, pale Jesus, looking haunted, a ghostlike figure floating along through life making strange gestures and undecipherable statements...
Why did it make me angry?
Because when we lose his personality, we lose Jesus.
Inside jokes
Jesus healing on the Sabbath to provoke the religious people.
Hey, remember that time Jesus cleared the temple?
Remember when he walked out to us on the water? And Peter tried to walk out to him? Hilarious!
Remember the catch of fish and the torn nets?
Inside jokes.
The look on Thomas’ face when that demoniac started screaming at us? Priceless!
What are your experiences with Jesus? What are your inside jokes with him?
Remember that time we were broke and couldn’t figure out how we were going to pay the mortgage and an unexpected check came in the mail that very day?
Ibid, p. 15-16 - Last May I had the opportunity, while in London, to visit the National Gallery. Loving art, and being with two of my sons—one of whom was an art major—I was excited to spend hours there. I loved the Van Goghs, the Monets, the Rembrandt paintings and more. But there was one massive disappointment. No, it was more than disappointment. Massive frustration. I did not see one portrait of Christ in all the famous works of him, that came anywhere close to depicting Jesus as he really is. NOT ONE. They are all of a wispy, pale Jesus, looking haunted, a ghostlike figure floating along through life making strange gestures and undecipherable statements...
Remember how God worked it out just perfectly so that we’d meet and become friends?
Why did it make me angry?
That unexpected grace, that embarrassing moment, my stupid question, that opportunity to witness, to serve? How nervous I was?
Because when we lose his personality, we lose Jesus.
Inside jokes with Jesus.
Fellow Disciples
Fellow Disciples
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
John15.16
Companionship with each other
together three and a half years. walking, talking, serving, experiencing, fighting, teasing, learning, eating together, sleeping in the garden of gethsemane or wherever they could find a place.
Walt Groff:
If you were in a hole this past week, you might have missed the news that the Golden State Warriors won the National Basketball Association Championship for the 2016/17 season. That on its own might or might not interest you. However, the way this team has changed the game is of interest to me.
The Golden State Warriors team is built on the idea that they are better together. They have changed the way the modern game is played by, simply, being willing to share the ball, the accolades, and even the money.
Lest you think that this mindset is common, ask yourself how common it is for people to share the credit when good things happen—or even take less money for the good of the whole organization.
Having been personally captured by this team’s approach, I have watched several interviews of the players and it seems that the attitude is universal among them. They even seem to be friends. One young player spoke of his teammates as being like a family. Real friends.
Shared sense of mission. - something bigger than ourselves.
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’
Luke
Shared experience through adversity.
But the disciples were also hunted. All through the gospels, we find the pharisees finding a way to trip up Jesus or looking for an opportunity to kill him. At one point
The disciples were also hunted. All through the gospels, we find the pharisees finding a way to trip up Jesus or looking for an opportunity to kill him. At one point, Thomas even says “Let us go to Jerusalem, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16)
Author Stu Weber illustrates the need for a Christian "buddy" to help us survive the tough times.
The article looked back on the year 1967. The war in Vietnam was building to its peak, and one stop for young army officers was the U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning.
A tough, battle tested sergeant stood before the young, anxious recruits.
The sergeant told them that the next nine weeks would be the toughest they had ever experienced.
The sergeant said many wouldn’t make the grade--it was just too tough.
The sergeant talked about the war that was going on in Vietnam and he talked about killing and death.
The sergeant talked about how training was tough because it was designed to save lives – the lives of the American soldiers. And he said he was going to do that by making them face their greatest fears, overcome their weaknesses and endure what they never dreamed possible.
Then the sergeant announced that they were about to start with step one.
There was a pause, and all the soldiers feared the worst about what step one might be. But they were surprised with its simplicity.
He told the soldiers to find a buddy.
"This is step one," the sergeant growled. "You need to find yourself a Ranger buddy. You will stick together. You will never leave each other. You will encourage each other, and, as necessary, you will carry each other. [Source Note: Stu Weber, "Some One to Lean On" Focus on the Family Magazine (June 1996).]
That sergeant could have been reading from St. Paul’s writings to the Galatians -- "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2)
Or maybe he was reading from the New Testament letter to the Philippians, Paul said, "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4)
Or perhaps the sergeant had read from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, where Solomon in his wisdom made this observation: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
Deep Connection!
Real Companionship.
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’
Shared sense of mission.
Friendship. Being together, serving together, going through hard times together. And loving each other through it all.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Next Steps:
Next Steps:
I want to have a real friendship with Jesus as a real person. I want to have a deep connection with other disciples.
Today or tomorrow I will brainstorm a list of ways I can intentionally cultivate friendships with fellow disciples.
This week I will spend some time each reminiscing with Jesus about our friendship together, laughing about some of our inside jokes.
I do not have a close friendship with Jesus and I would like to begin one.