Now that we are the golden side of our annual Easter celebration, there can be the tendency to let down. We have Confirmation and Graduation and then we are back to the relaxing time of summer. Many congregations see this time of the year as the gentle slide into summer slumber when it comes to faith.

However, this should not be! Especially since the resurrection is so fresh in our memory. The din of the special musical offering is barely quiet, the smell of lillies still lingers and the tomb is still empty. Now is the time to steel ourselves for what is to come!

What is to come is our response to Christ's call to follow Him. He tells us Anyone who would come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. This is a call to discipleship. It is time for us to have our discipleship renewed. To do this, I would like to consider the word DISCIPLE.

D-epends! A Disicple is dependent on his or her heavenly Father! There is no way that we can make it through our life on our own. Branches detached from a tree wither and die. The same goes for us. If we are not regularly attached to the Lord in Word and Sacrament, the we wither. The only way that we can do this is in worship and Bible Study. Continue this, no matter what time of year, and you will blossom and flourish!

I-mitates. A Disciple imitates the one he or she follows. We just saw what it is we are supposed to do. Jesus willingly surrendered Himself for the sake of others. This is what we are now called to. We are not our own . We have been bought with a price!

S-erves. A Disciple serves. We just saw that in the recent passion celebration. By grace, we see that we are called to serve others rather then be served. Jesus did this with His life. So it is to be with us. Not because we have to , but because we WANT to serve as we have been served by Jesus!!!

C-ommits. A Disciple commits his or her life to the Lord! As we bear the cross, it will mean that we may have to make unpopular decisions. Like getting and going to church on one of those beautiful Sunday mornings rather than heading to the zoo, the park or something else that the world would see as more fun. But when our lives are filled with the Word, it fills us like nothing else!

I-nstructs. The first Disciples wre instructed by Jesus Himself. Those of us who are still following today need to be instructed too. In addition to this, we are called to instruct others. This is no more important than if we have children that we are called to instruct. Our simple presence in the House of the Lord is an instruction to those young minds, hearts and faiths. Just by being in church , going to VBS and summer Sunday School, this instruction is begun.

P-rays. A Disciple prays. They pray about everything. Their needs. The needs of others. For the Church. For the pastor. For the School. For our leaders...In short, a disciple prays about everything. It is our privilege. It is our joy!

L-oves. Jesus told His Disciples in the upper room, love each other as I have loved you. To love like this, a disciple today loves the people around them more then themselves. That means putting others first. It means sharing the faith that we have been given. This can be hard In fact, it is hard. But when we are weekly immersed in the love that Jesus has for us in His Word and Supper, we have the forgiveness we need to love others as we are called.

E-njoys. A Disciple will not look at any of these things as a dirge or a drag. For when we are doing these things, we are enjoying the truth that we are serving the Lord who has served us so mightly. Don't take my word for it. Try it. Try it now. The Lord will make the joy of being His disciple known to you. Now is the time! God grant us the grace to follow as a DISCIPLE fo Jesus!