English Disciple/Monday, Disciple (Ortiz) book report > 제자학교

• 목록

The opening chapters of Disciple by Juan Carlos Ortiz state clearly that much of what we think is the gospel is not the true gospel of the kingdom. It is actually man-centered, not “Jesus is the Lord”-centered. If Jesus is Lord, then He has every right and authority to command His people. However, in the man-centered gospel, I confess that I often see Jesus’s words not as commands but merely as good suggestions. At the end of chapter 1, Ortiz writes that the man-centered view of Jesus’s commandments is like this: “You do it if you want; if you don’t, that’s all right, too.” This line really struck me and challenged me with how simply yet accurately it described some of my views on obedience. I pray that as a citizen of the kingdom of God, I will live in joyful, grateful, and loving obedience to Jesus through God’s grace and help.

In chapter 5, Ortiz describes love as the “oxygen of the kingdom.” Love is not just an important thing, it is the defining quality about life in the kingdom. As an example, Ortiz explains that when we talk about eternal life, we are mistaken if we are focused on its quality of length. If length is the most important thing, then being cast into hell is a form of eternal life. The important thing about eternal life is its quality, and the essential quality is love. Without love, there is no eternal life. As I thought about these chapters, I recognized that many times I do not love others enough to make significant sacrifices of my time and comfort. How can I live the kingdom life without loving others? Ortiz’s suggestion is very practical: I can grow to love someone by praying for them first before doing anything else. Lord, help me to know Your love more, and to live out Your command to love my brothers and my neighbors!
 

For this report, the final point I wanted to reflect on is Ortiz’s insight into how Jesus taught and made disciples. Teaching involves three things: revelation, formation, and information. Information is important, but it is the least effective of the three. Yet, often we make it the most important thing. Ortiz writes at the end of chapter 13, “We are concerned with information. But Jesus was concerned with formation. We need to learn from Him how to form disciples.” Jesus did spend a significant amount of time teaching (both the disciples and the crowds), but Jesus also commanded His disciples into action, even if they didn't feel prepared. I know that in many seasons of my life I have been satisfied with just knowing the Word, but not living it out. I pray as James 1:22 says, that I would be a doer of the word, not merely a hearer who deceives himself. Lord, I pray that by Your power I can obey and be formed by Your commands, and therefore, help others to be formed into disciples as well.
 

This book is similar in its emphasis to our previous reading, Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray. However, it is written in a more modern context and language that I found easier to read and relate to. Although each chapter focuses on a single topic, sometimes the wide variety and scope of the examples Ortiz uses makes it difficult to connect the beginning and end of the chapter. Overall, I am challenged once again by the call to love, submission, and obedience to the true gospel of Jesus Christ the Lord. Help me, O Lord, to put all of my life and trust into Your merciful hands.