As we look again at the incarnation as a model for ministry we see that Jesus first came to our location. Next we see that Jesus spent a lot of time with us.
Our verse on the incarnation is John 1:14
John 1:14
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
In the incarnation we see that Jesus comes to earth and lives among us for 33 years. Of course, this all rather silly speculation, but there seem to be many other ways God could have redeemed the world. Appearing as an adult and leading a Jewish rebellion to overthrow the Romans would've been a much faster way to the cross. Instead, Jesus comes as a baby, lives 33 years on this earth. In doing so, he spends tons of time here. Most of that time we have no record of. This he does, not just to teach us about God, which he could've done in a weekend seminar, but to show us who God is.
In the midst of the last supper and the farewell discourse of John 13-17, Jesus has a profound exchange with Philip that reveals this theme quite well.
John 14:1–11
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Jesus seems appalled at Philip's demand to see the Father precisely because Jesus has spent so much time with him that he should know by now that Jesus and the Father are one. True knowledge of Jesus' identity is the fruit of time spent with him. It is one thing for the Pharisees who spent relatively little time with him, watching his life, his teaching and his miracles to not believe in him. It is another thing entirely for someone who has spent the last 3 years with him to not believe.
To do ministry like Jesus, then, we must build trust with people over time. This time we spend with others, should bear witness to our integrity and point to Jesus. It should be our prayer that after spending time with our spouse, our children, our families, our friends and coworkers they see our good deeds and give glory to our Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16). Like Peter and John in Acts 4:13, when others see our lives they should recognize that we have been with Jesus.
Additional Content
Alan Hirsch
I use the word to describe that mode of missionary engagement that takes it’s cue from the doctrine of the Incarnation of God in Christ. If missional refers to our ‘sentness’ as believers/church, then incarnational shapes the way we should engage in that mission. God came into the world in an act of profound identification not only with humanity as a whole, but with a particular group of people. That He was in the neighborhood for 30 years and no-one noticed says a lot about God and how He engages the human situation. The Incarnation thus shows us that God speaks from within a particular culture, in ways that people can grasp, understand, and respond. The Incarnation gives us the primary biblical model of engagement—this is how God does it and we who follow his Way should take a similar path. Incarnational mission requires that we contextualize the Gospel in ways that honor the particular cultural and existential situations of various peoples without compromising on the mission itself. If missional means going out (being sent) into the world, then incarnational means going deep down into a culture. In my various writings (particularly The Forgotten Ways and Untamed) I suggest that we can think of it around what I call the 6 P’s all of which follow the model of God in Christ. (This is a poor summary of what is said more extensively there)
- Presence: The act of identification with a people group. Being ‘present' to them.
- Proximity: Going to where they go, being in their ‘spaces’ so to speak.
- Prevenience: Trusting that God is already there calling people to himself in and through Jesus and that we can thus join with him.
- Powerlessness: Actually this does not mean that we do not have power (we do in Gospel and Spirit) but rather that we take upon ourselves a servant form and be humble in our engagement with others.
- Pathos: We suffer with others…we emphatically feel/understand their pain, their struggle. In a word…we are a people of compassion.
- Proclamation: That having loved and cared for people we seek to reach, we lovingly, boldly, and verbally proclaim the Gospel in ways that make sense to the culture of the people we are reaching.
Reflection
Let's think of the foundation piece of discipleship as time spent together. How does that change your current perceptions of discipleship? How does that change your personal discipleship (or apprenticeship) to Jesus? Does this line of thinking make discipleship less intimidating? If you want to disciple people for Jesus, commit to first being a good disciple of Jesus yourself. Then commit to spending time with the people you can influence for Jesus. The idea is that your apprenticeship to Jesus will be evident to those you are spending time with that you will then effectively lead them closer to Jesus.