Enrolling in Jesus’ Master Classes

By Bill Gaultiere © 2010

If only we would let Jesus ravish our hearts! If only we would see that the opportunity of our lives is to be Jesus’ beloved disciple!

Right now – at this very moment – the resurrected Christ is smiling at you and I! His arms are open to us. The glorious Lord Almighty is our friend and he is ready to teach us how to follow his example of love.

With the Apostle John we can exclaim: “I am the disciple Jesus loves!” (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20) Yes! Our discipleship to Jesus is the best foundation for our identity; it is the source of love, joy, peace, meaning, and power.

Jesus Christ is the Master Teacher. He is the Smartest Person alive. He knows how to deal with your problems. He knows how to make best use of your opportunities. What incredible things we can learn from Jesus! If only we will apprentice ourselves to him, making our lives – whatever we’re doing right now – his classroom.

This goes beyond “WWJD?” or “What Would Jesus Do?” That’s a start. But the real question is “HWJDT?” or “How Would Jesus Do This? If Jesus were me in this situation how would he proceed?” It’s the way Jesus did what he did – his attitude of submission to the Father, his unhurried pace, his reliance upon the Holy Spirit, and his demeanor of love – that is so important for us to imitate. The way of Jesus is the secret to his power.

What a wonderful adventure our lives become when we apprentice our selves to Jesus, learning to do all that we do from within the reality and resources of his kingdom of the heavens in our midst!

Apprenticeship to Jesus

How can we describe what it’s like to be an apprentice of Jesus in the school of daily life?

Imagine if you were a young and aspiring basketball prayer and Michael Jordan offered to tutor you personally for a few weeks. You could work out with him on the basketball court. You would do exercises, dribbling drills, shooting practices, and strategy lessons with him. And you’d learn all the intangible things about basketball that are the most valuable of all: his love for the game, the way he thinks and feels about basketball, the way he holds the ball in his hands, how he sees the court, his respect for the game…

Wow! As a teenager and a great Chicago Bulls fan I would’ve jumped at the chance to study basketball from Michael Jordan. Any aspiring basketball player would.  Being Jesus’ apprentice needs to be like that to you and I.

Do you want to enroll in Jesus’ Master Classes and become his apprentice? How important is it to you? Jesus said: “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men [and women] lay hold of it” (Matthew 11:12).

Longing for Jesus

In the Gospels we see examples of what Jesus was talking about: people determined to be a part of the kingdom of the heavens. These “forceful” people were ordinary people like you and I – they were not Rambo types! Some were ambitious and others were insecure and fearful. All were desperate for Jesus.

These people shouted out at the top of their lungs and made fools of themselves to get Jesus’ attention! They pushed their way through crowds or crawled in the dirt in between people’s legs to touch him! They walked across deserts, sat in the hot sun for hours and hours, and skipped meals to listen to him teach! They left their businesses and their families and they endured ridicule and abuse to become his disciples! They jumped out of trees!, ripped the roofs off houses!, and gave up their life savings! to fall at his feet and worship him.

What is your Response to Jesus?

Are you that eager and resolved to rely on Jesus as your Master Teacher? (I’m talking to myself right now too!) Think about it with me…

Will you make being with the Master your first priority each day? Will you study and pray with Jesus? Will you hang out with Jesus’ friends? Or do you have something better to do?

Will you submit yourself to the King, listening for his guidance and following his leadership in all that you do? Are you sure you want this? Does your calendar show that you spend time listening to him? Does your checkbook show that your treasure is in heaven?

Will you learn from the Smartest Person who ever lived the best way to approach your family? Your job? How you drive your car?

Will you trust that all the instructions the Lord gives you are good for you and that they are possible for you to learn to do if you rely on him?

Does your face light up when Jesus looks your way? Do you ever daydream about him? Do you think about Jesus and his words in the spaces of your day? How about smiling to him right now? As you’re reading these words he is right beside you to encourage you!

How to Start Apprenticing Yourself to Jesus

Teach yourself to make the first words you think or say in the morning to be an expression of love for Jesus.You might try adoring Jesus like a child, as Ray Ortlund taught me to do, and simply say, “Jesus, I love you because __________.”

Then set your will on being with Jesus to become like him in all the activities of your day. Make your life Jesus’ classroom. Ask him to teach you how to do all that you will do that day as Jesus would do it if he were you with your personality, life context, and opportunities.

To get started, try praying my Apprentice Prayer at the beginning of each day for a month and watch to see how you grow spiritually! I’ve experienced tremendous freedom and soul transformation by praying in this way every day for six years.

Learn more about Jesus’ way of approaching life in Jesus’ Rhythm of Life.

Thank you!