Wellspring UMC; Seventh Sunday after Easter/Ascension; “The Word Divinely Planted”:

-Ephesians 1: 11- 23; John 17: 20-26

My oldest son Caleb was about 5 or 6 when he began to take interest in necklaces. We discovered this while on vacation at Sea World. He only wanted to get his teacher a necklace but sought one for himself, only he wanted one with a cross on it. The trend continued, and with his own money he bought other necklaces in other venues like the church’s fall festival and Busch Gardens. Now Caleb has at least 10 unique and beautiful necklaces.

When he began this collection I thought, “Why would he want to wear necklaces? None of his friends seem to wear them?” But then a wise friend said to me, “That’s obvious. You wear two necklaces all the time.” And you know what, she was right.

I do wear 2 necklaces, both of which I got during my seminary years. One is a cross made out of horseshoe nails, fashioned by a retired Episcopal priest, and the other is a cross in the shape of a dove, which was a gift from a friend and the symbol of the Taize community in France. I received these during formative spiritual years, and I wear them as a personal reminder that I am marked as God’s child. It’s the closest thing to a clerical collar I can wear.

Until Caleb started his collection of necklaces, I didn’t think that much about other people noticing mine. But obviously, Caleb noticed, and in fact, Caleb noticed so much that he wanted to emulate part of who I am in who he is. Through my witness seeds were planted, and as those seeds grew, he wanted to be like me.

We’re here today, because someone planted seeds in us...the seeds of God’s Word, Jesus Christ...and we are interested in being more like them, which ultimately means that we are interested in becoming more like Christ.

(The following discussion on the process of becoming a rabbi/disciple, is based on chapter 5, “Torah,” of Rob Bell’s book, Velvet Elvis.)

At the center of our faith is a Jewish man named Jesus. He lived in a Jewish territory, among Jewish people, with Jewish customs, calling people to live into the way of the Jewish God. One of the key things about Jesus is that he was not just any man, he was a rabbi, a teacher, and to becoming a rabbi one had to go through an extensive, intense apprenticeship, which took the devotion of a lifetime.

Central to Judaism is the Torah. The first 5 books of the Hebrew scriptures – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy – which were the books of Moses, believed to be divinely given as instructions in ‘the Way.’ For Jews, the Torah is the DNA of life, for out of the Torah was given life, and living in Torah brought about true life. So at an early age, kids learned the Torah.

Around six years of age most Jewish children would have gone to the synagogue or met regularly with the local rabbi to receive their first level of education, Bet Sefer, which means ‘House of the Book.’ That lasted until they were about ten, and by the end of that process they would generally have the whole Torah memorized. All five books. All five books that were central to life and gave life.

Once they completed Bet Sefer, many children would shift gears and begin learning the trade of their parents and family, but those who demonstrated abilities with the Scriptures would move onto the next level of education, Bet Talmud, meaning ‘House of Learning.’ That too lasted about four years, and in that time they’d memorize the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures. That’s right, all 39 books.

In addition they would also study the oral tradition surrounding the text as well as the art of asking questions, which was central to the study of scripture. They would study how famous rabbis of the past would have interpreted the scriptures then debate who had given the strongest explanations. For rabbi’s the key was not just regurgitating information, instead it was asking questions of the text, which is why almost always, Jesus would answer a question with a question.

After the completion of Bet Talmud, the best students would continue their studies while the rest returned home. These chosen few would apply to be apprenticed as ‘talmidim,’ which means disciple, of that rabbi. Such discipling required far more than just learning information. But the goal of the disciple was more than just learning what the rabbit knew, but it was to be just like the rabbi. To be the incarnation of the one who discipled them.

This level of education was known as Bet Midrash, or ‘House of Study.’ To enter this stage the youth would approach the rabbi saying, “I want to follow you.” But the rabbi would then carefully examination the person and ask themselves, “Do they have what it takes to learn? Can they do what I do, share my knowledge, and be like me?”

The rabbi would then grill the youth with questions. Questions about the Torah and their beliefs and views of other Rabbis. They would ask about their opinions of the beliefs and views of other Rabbis, how to interpret the law and the prophets, and what they believed key phrases or words to mean. The rabbi couldn’t waste time on a failure, so they made sure the potential talmidim was up to the challenge, and if the rabbi felt that this was one who could make it, he would say, “Come, follow me.” And follow the rabbi, he did.

One of the earliest rabbi’s said to disciples, “Cover yourself with the dust of [your rabbi’s] feet,” ( pg. 130) and literally that’s what happened. The rabbi would enter a town, and behind him was a group of students listening and observing everything, even following the rabbi into the bathroom so as not to miss a single opportunity for learning. And by the end of the day, they would be covered with the dirt that had been stirred up by their rabbi.

These talmidim would study for years under that rabbi until they were ready they were ready to formulate their own perspectives and questions. Generally, about the age of 30, about the same time Jesus entered Galilee, a rabbi would begin public teaching and training of his own disciples, and the process would start all over. The training in the “Way,” would be carried on by more talmidim. The seeds of the Word of God divinely planted through the Torah were planted into the next generation and so on...

John’s 17^th chapter is one of my favorites, because in it Jesus prays for his disciples, and when I say that, I mean he prays for us and even those to come. The setting is such that He knows that he’s going to be killed. He knows how things are going to turn out, and in fact, after the last verse, he is betrayed and arrested.

Jesus prays first for himself in preparation for the last leg of his journey, then he prays for his disciples, who by the way did not make the cut after the Bet Sefer but in whom Christ saw the stuff it takes to live in His steps. He prays that that Word which was divinely planted in Him would be solidified in them, and then, Jesus prays for those who would become the disciples of His talmidim, for the generations to come...for us. [read John 17: 20-26]

Do you remember the story of the calling of the disciples? What did Jesus say to them? He said, “Come, follow me.” Do you remember what the rabbi said to those whom he’d take on as disciples? They’d say, “Come, follow me.” Do you remember what had to happen in order for the rabbi to take someone on as talmidim? The rabbi, the teacher, the master, would call those whom He believes can actually be like Him.

Just before Jesus prays this prayer, just 2 chapters before this, John recounts Jesus’ words, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit...fruit that will last.” The entire rabbinical system was based upon the rabbi having faith in his disciples. The whole idea of discipleship has to do with having the Word implanted in those who followed, then those seed growing to produce fruit that comes from the same root – Jesus Christ.

How many times do we read in the Gospel accounts Jesus being frustrated with His disciples? That frustration is not based so much in them not getting it, rather his frustration came in the fact that He KNEW they could do it, but they didn’t have enough faith in themselves. It’s not their failure that is exasperating, it is that they don’t realize nor live into the greatness they were capable of achieving.

In the end Jesus leaves them, but before he does he says, “I have taught you. I have poured myself into you. Now go into the world and make more disciples. Be who I am. Live by the Way. Plant seeds of faith, so that all the world will know me.” And they did.

They did and generation after generation after generation, until even we, part of the long line of witnesses, have been invited to not just become the rabbi’s talmidim, but to become those who disciple others in the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Christ.

At times I think about the great responsibility and pressure that come with being a role model to Caleb and each of my children. They want to be like me. Often I think about the great responsibility and pressure that comes through the call to be a pastor. But all the time I think about the great responsibility, pressure, and privilege that is inherent to each one of us being Jesus’ talmidim, Jesus’ disciples. Ones to whom Christ has said, “Come, follow me. Follow because I KNOW that you have what it takes to live like me.”

Often we’re told that we need to believe in Jesus, which is great, but what is even greater is the truth that Jesus believes in us, that Jesus has faith in us. What is amazing is that Jesus’ Word, divinely planted in His disciples would be passed from one generation to the next...passed even to us, and to those whom we are called to disciple in the way of Christ. It’s amazing to realize that even if we don’t believe we can be like Him, He does. Amen.