Dust

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
– John 15:16

The Velvet Elvis – Rob Bell

Movement Five – Dust

Idea: Jesus chose you, and he believes in you.

Discussion Setting: First century AD.

The Rabbi – Disciple Relationship: The Rabbi chooses!

“Cover yourself in the dust of your Rabbi’s feet, and drink in his words with gusto.” – Yose ben Yoezer

Matthew 9:9-10   ⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.  ¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.

Luke 9:23  Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

1 Kings 19:19-21  ¹⁹ So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. ²⁰ Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”
“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”
 ²¹ So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant. 

Luke 9:62  “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 16:13-20  13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" 14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

 2 Kings 2:8-12   ⁹ When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”  “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.    ¹⁰ “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”  ¹¹ As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. ¹² Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

Mark 14:31  But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.

Jewish Educational Structure – Ages 6-10, 10-14, beyond… All of the Jews in the first century AD knew the first 5 books of the Old Testament by heart. The learned Jews knew the 39 books of the Old Testament by heart. So, the mere utterance of a phrase from the Old Testament brought a strong reminder of things from the past. 

What would a first century Jew hear in the parable of the good Samaritan? Luke 10:25-37   

Notice the parallel in the reading from the Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 28-1-15  

Discussion Points

1. Covering yourself in the dust of your Rabbi Jesus will change you over time. How has being a disciple changed you? 
2. Disciples were called to serve their Rabbi. How do you serve Jesus? 
3. Are you discipling anyone? Is anyone discipling you?

Additional References:

Sitting at the feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishnes of Jesus can Transform Your Faith, Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg

Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewish Words of Jesus Can Change Your Life, Lois Tverberg