Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929; his father was a pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church. He later became pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala where he made his first mark as a civil rights movement by mobilizing the black community during a 382 boycott of the city’s bus line. He was a true survivor overcoming arrests, violent harassments and the bombing of his home. After all these he never gave up he helped other communities organise their own protests against discrimination. His non-violent tactics were put to the test in Birmingham during a mass protest for fair hiring practices and the desegregation of department store facilities which the police brutally used against the marchers dramatized the troubles of blacks to the nation with an enormous impact. But his voice was not silenced. In Washington 1964 he delivered one of his passionate messages at the historic Washington march, that same year he received a noble peace prize. His works did not stop there he continued to do many things like rehabilitating the slums and provide hosing for those who are in need of it. He also protested against the war in Vietnam trying to his best to get his messages across and direct his speeches to the struggle in Vietnam poverty. Death came for him on April 4, 1968, o the balcony of Lorraine Hotel off Beal street, he was shot in the neck by a riffle bullet his death caused a major heat wave of violence across cities and countries.
As a Christian and like any true disciple he did many works that would qualify him to be a disciple. His speeches and non-violent ways were what got his messages around although many people died “privilege comes from suffering and sacrifice” this is what Martin Luther King said when protestors were worried about people who had died even though he was reminded of death every day this showed him to be a suffering servant Mk8v31 “the son of man must suffer much” because he was stabbed by a black woman. He had prayer sessions with people mostly close friends and a family also when he his giving his speeches and protesting because he believed in God Mk9v28-29 “only prayer can drive this kind of thing out” he believed in the power of praying. He helped the poor even when he was going around giving his speeches to people he gave up some of his time to help the poor Mk2v17 2 “I have not come to call respectable people”. Jesus taught his disciples to care for the sick and needy He knew that his efforts will make his dreams come true but knew that he might not be there to see it but he know it will come “I might not be there to see it with you. But I have seen it over the mountain tops free at last free at last thank God almighty we are free at last” these were words of martin Luther King himself the speech he gave the day before he died. Dr Martin Luther King was a doer he did a lot he gave up quality family times with his kids to pursue his mission for Freedom.
Martin Luther King’s as a disciple reflects mark’s teaching about discipleship. He believed in what he was doing, he knew that what he was doing was the right thing so he believed that if he carried on his teaching he will get there in the end Mk5v28 “if I just touch his clothes I will get better”. This woman believed that just by touching her cloak she will get better and this was what Martin Luther King believed in “free at last, free at last thank God almighty we are free at last” He believed in freedom and he never gave up on it. He also reflected what Jesus asks of us as disciples “forget self, carry his cross and follow me”. Although he had some quality times with his family but he would have spent more but instead he spent his time fighting for freedom for the Black Americans, he forgot about dying “live by the sword die by the sword”. He knew he could die but never ran away from it “no man is free if he fears death but you can conquer the fear of death”. He carried the fact that he will have to live with a reminder of death for the rest of his life “ remember the cross” he went to jail more than once and never gave up still when he was protesting he was under fire but still never gave up stood tall and spoke like a true preacher that he was. And he indeed followed Jesus he never missed a prayer session Mk9v28-29.He also has total dependency on God he never depended on materials “rely on Love and not hatred” and “do God’s will”. He gave all he had to the poor because he was helping the people who were poor what ever races or cultural backgrounds they were he was helping them all “poor people’s campaign”
Martin Luther king in many ways reflects discipleship and the role of Jesus Christ himself, but he was referred to as a prophet and was indeed a prophet considering all the good he did. I can relate him to many teachings of discipleship in the gospel. When Martin was protesting against the war going on in Vietnam he mentioned how his heart was filled with sadness and sorrow this shows sign of human emotion which Jesus often felt most of the time Mk3v5 “Jesus was angry” this shows signs of feelings because without them we wouldn’t be humans. He also preaches because he was a minister which was what Jesus did Mk1v21 “synagogue and began to preach” This is a very good example of him reflecting Jesus as a role model because this on e one of the many things Jesus did when he was alive and also to encourage the Christians been persecuted and Rome and that’s an example of what Martin Luther King was doing too when people where giving up cause people who were dying he spoke to them and said “privilege comes from suffering and sacrifice”. This can be linked to Jesus as the suffering servant because that was what Martin Luther King was talking about if you are referring his speech to Jesus’ type of messiah suffering servant. Martin Luther king always talked about others people death but never his which is opposite of Jesus because he talked about his death a lot Mk8v31 “the son of man must suffer much and be rejected by the elders, the chief priest and the teachers law. He will be put to death”. Which was funny because everyday he was reminded of death from the stab wound he sustained, but he never feared death “death can be a redeeming force” and “no man is free, if he fears death”. But you can conquer the fear of death”. In his speech which was a famous one says “I have seen the land of freedom over the mountain tops” this speech signifies I sign of closeness to God Mk9v12-13 “up a high mountain” Martin Luther King showed that he was close to God in many ways especially in his speeches “eye for an eye leads to blindness” Mk9v2-13 “replaces Moses and Elijah so listen to him”. When Moses was preaching he said and eye for an eye but when Jesus came he replaced Moses with his non-violence ways and that’s “why an eye for and eye leads to blindness”. Martin’s father was once a Minster then he became a minister too so he is following his fathers steps Mk9v2-13 “listen to him”. He was also resurrected like Jesus did but in a different way the Martin Luther king annual holiday on the 1st of January, the whole day has been devoted to him to remember all the good he did and to show him that his determination and death paid off. The Martin Luther King peace price given to someone every year who has reflected themselves to be a role model of him and the friends and family reunion. This is to a sign that the good deed he did will never be forgotten.
He was assassinated for challenging the governments, in Jesus’ case he was crucified because that was the type of messiah he was Suffering Servant also because he challenged the teachers of the law Mk2v10 “I will prove to you then that the son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”. For these they were both killed. A man like Dr. Martin Luther King has proved that in this cruel Morden day world we live in some men do reflect a role, model of Jesus and can be compared to the teachings of discipleship.