By one count, the terms “disciple” and “disciples” appear in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles 268 times. The term “Christian” appears only twice.

The “disciple” as a follower of a charismatic person or idea is a relatively modern notion, probably starting in the sixth century before Christ. (This is modern? Keep reading.) Around this time we begin to find disciples of various people and ideas – there were disciples of Zoroaster and Plato, for example, or Confucius or Lao Tzu or the Buddha. In fact the time a few centuries before the birth of Christ was very productive of charismatic figures and ideas that gained followers not by blood, in the fashion of tribes, but rather by capturing the imaginations, dreams and aspirations of a community of people who were not related by blood. This idea, a community of hopes and convictions as opposed to a tribe, was a new idea in the world.

It was an idea that caught on, at least among those who followed Christ during his life and after his death and resurrection. It may be worthwhile to settle on a definition of what a disciple of Christ is. Let’s say that a disciple of Christ is a person who seeks to follow Christ by taking on the mind of Christ in his or her life and relationships with others – a disciple of Christ wants to think and act like Christ. Now, this may seem a bit arrogant, to want to be like Christ. I’m not saying that it is easy, or even completely possible, but as an ideal, it is what disciples of Christ are trying to do.

How do we do it? If Jesus had left a rule book somewhere (say, for example, like my old friend Leviticus), we could follow the rules. But Jesus didn’t really leave a rule book. Rather, Jesus left his life as recorded in the Gospels and the Acts of the early church. We also have the letters that early church leaders sent to the small, scattered communities of disciples in the Mediterranean world, letters in which these early church leaders sought to creatively apply what they knew or thought they knew of the mind of Christ to the problems and opportunities of the first and second centuries after Christ was resurrected. In a sense, we are fortunate that Jesus did not leave only a rule book since it would have gone out of date pretty quickly, as fast as the world was changing.

Now, Jesus did leave rules – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” But these rules don’t apply themselves – disciples need to reflect on them creatively, to try to understand what loving behavior is in the thickets and brambles of human relationships. So, we find ourselves in the position of those early church leaders, creatively applying what we think we know of the mind of Christ to the problems and opportunities of the third millennium after Christ’s death and resurrection.

It helps a lot that we live in a community of disciples, people who are faced with much the same world we are, trying to do much the same things we are – thinking prayerfully, living faithfully, acting hopefully, trying to be good family members, good friends and good citizens. It helps, too, that we have access to the thoughts and practices and traditions of the church through the centuries, access to people who faced some of the same problems, who thought and prayed hard about them and did the best they could (which was sometimes not very good, admittedly).

But, a lot of what we do, if truth be told, is to do the best we can, putting on the mind of Christ as best we can in a wide, ambiguous, confusing and constantly changing world. We succeed a bit and rejoice, we fail a bit (or a lot) and mourn, we confess and repent and try again.

Now, here’s a question – can we try to place ourselves in situations where we can, where we must put on the mind of Christ creatively? Charlie Bauerdorf and Vicki Williams volunteered to spend a night looking after homeless people. Hannah Finlayson volunteered to lead Cupid’s Café. In both of these activities, in different ways, disciples try to put on the mind of Christ in ambiguous, choiceful situations. That is how we hone our skills and instincts and training as disciples.

Think for a second about situations in which you have grown as a disciple of Christ. What about those situations helped you to grow? What people helped you to grow as a disciple? What kept you from growing further? How can you find yourself in a similar situation, one in which you can grow still further as a disciple of Christ?

Becoming a disciple of Christ, putting on the mind of Christ, is not an optional activity for Christians -- it is the main job of Christians. May the season of Lent be a rich and productive one for you and your family.

Pastor Greg