The call to follow Christ is a call to suffer
If the disciples only knew what lie in store for them in this journey of following Christ. Jesus was to be tried as a criminal, beaten and crucified...They thought he would be a conquering political leader. He told them if they do this to the master, what do they think they will do to the servants? The same. You see Jesus paved the road of suffering and when he calls us to follow Him, we walk the pathway of suffering.
Some would have us believe that when you become a Christian life is all "hunky-dory", its a peaceful cake walk known by physical blessings and no pain. But that is not how it is, is it? In this life we face the general trials of pain, sickness, loss, parent's divorcing, emotional hurts, and death. We also face the spiritual trials of persecution, mockery, and potentially even death for the sake of Christ. Look at Paul & Peter, did the suffer? Yes! Look at the early Christians, did they suffer? Yes! Look at the reformers did they suffer for the cause of the Gospel? Yes! Look at missionaries like Paton, Judson, Livingston, and Taylor did they suffer loss that Jesus might be known? YES!!! Were they then inferior Christians? Were they negative sinful thinkers who missed our on their best life? NO! If Jesus and they suffered for the cause of the Gospel, why do we expect anything less? Remember the words of Jesus from John 15, 18"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." Then in chapter 16 he says, John 16:33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
So what is Jesus saying? Pain, trouble and suffering are a PROMISE! You WILL have them! He tells us this so we may have peace, but how can we have peace?
1. They hated Him first. Its not something new, and its not something against us personally. They hate us because of Him. They don't like to be confronted with their sin, so they will hurt, maim and even kill to keep that light from being shed on their lives.
2. This world is not your home. Do you get mad when the motel forces you to leave its hotel by noon the next day? No, because you realize it was only a temporary dwelling, it wasn't your home. Our world here is just a tent, its just a motel room - it isn't permanent, its temporary and it is all fading away.
3. He overcame! Jesus conquered death at Calvary, so guess what that means - you need not fear it! Think of what freedom that gives to your life! What use is a gun without a bullet, or a car without gas? Death has no more sting, it was all drained on Jesus! Not only will we rise again, but he shall wipe away all those tears we shed and we shall never weep again!
3. Our Glorious promises. Through the overcoming of Jesus we are given great and glorious promises. First we have a better possession - Jesus himself! We aren't given temporary "bubbles of pleasure" that pop when we touch them, but we are given the eternal Son of God (Heb. 10:32-34), the infinitely great One who offers us eternal, lasting joy in His right hand. Nothing can compare to Him! But not only that, we are also given promises for this life, for being mocked and persecuted (or as some translations call it "reproach") is riches! Oh if we only got that! Look to Paul, look to the early believers who rejoiced when they were thrown in prison, when people stole and wrecked their stuff because of Jesus, they shouted "Praise God, this is awesome God allowed us to suffer for Him!" You see we are offered infinite joy at the end of all this and that is what gets us through it. Remember what is said about Jesus in Heb. 12:1-2 Â How did Jesus survive the lashes? For the joy that was set before him. Look to the joy set before us! May we have a firm foundation that gets us through the hardest times of our lives with joy in Jesus.
Heb. 12:1-2
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author andperfectorr of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Application Questions:
1. What sin, person, attitude, or thing is entangling you, hindering you in running for Jesus?
2. Should you see suffering as something the believer is to face? Why or why not?
3. Why does the world hate Christians?
4. What world are you living for? Take a moment and think of what you will be like 50 years from now, will you regret what you are doing with your time, life, and money? I beg you DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE!
Turn your eyes on Jesus, keep your eye on the prize, look to the joy set before you and RUN!
Some would have us believe that when you become a Christian life is all "hunky-dory", its a peaceful cake walk known by physical blessings and no pain. But that is not how it is, is it? In this life we face the general trials of pain, sickness, loss, parent's divorcing, emotional hurts, and death. We also face the spiritual trials of persecution, mockery, and potentially even death for the sake of Christ. Look at Paul & Peter, did the suffer? Yes! Look at the early Christians, did they suffer? Yes! Look at the reformers did they suffer for the cause of the Gospel? Yes! Look at missionaries like Paton, Judson, Livingston, and Taylor did they suffer loss that Jesus might be known? YES!!! Were they then inferior Christians? Were they negative sinful thinkers who missed our on their best life? NO! If Jesus and they suffered for the cause of the Gospel, why do we expect anything less? Remember the words of Jesus from John 15, 18"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." Then in chapter 16 he says, John 16:33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
So what is Jesus saying? Pain, trouble and suffering are a PROMISE! You WILL have them! He tells us this so we may have peace, but how can we have peace?
1. They hated Him first. Its not something new, and its not something against us personally. They hate us because of Him. They don't like to be confronted with their sin, so they will hurt, maim and even kill to keep that light from being shed on their lives.
2. This world is not your home. Do you get mad when the motel forces you to leave its hotel by noon the next day? No, because you realize it was only a temporary dwelling, it wasn't your home. Our world here is just a tent, its just a motel room - it isn't permanent, its temporary and it is all fading away.
3. He overcame! Jesus conquered death at Calvary, so guess what that means - you need not fear it! Think of what freedom that gives to your life! What use is a gun without a bullet, or a car without gas? Death has no more sting, it was all drained on Jesus! Not only will we rise again, but he shall wipe away all those tears we shed and we shall never weep again!
3. Our Glorious promises. Through the overcoming of Jesus we are given great and glorious promises. First we have a better possession - Jesus himself! We aren't given temporary "bubbles of pleasure" that pop when we touch them, but we are given the eternal Son of God (Heb. 10:32-34), the infinitely great One who offers us eternal, lasting joy in His right hand. Nothing can compare to Him! But not only that, we are also given promises for this life, for being mocked and persecuted (or as some translations call it "reproach") is riches! Oh if we only got that! Look to Paul, look to the early believers who rejoiced when they were thrown in prison, when people stole and wrecked their stuff because of Jesus, they shouted "Praise God, this is awesome God allowed us to suffer for Him!" You see we are offered infinite joy at the end of all this and that is what gets us through it. Remember what is said about Jesus in Heb. 12:1-2 Â How did Jesus survive the lashes? For the joy that was set before him. Look to the joy set before us! May we have a firm foundation that gets us through the hardest times of our lives with joy in Jesus.
Heb. 12:1-2
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author andperfectorr of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Application Questions:
1. What sin, person, attitude, or thing is entangling you, hindering you in running for Jesus?
2. Should you see suffering as something the believer is to face? Why or why not?
3. Why does the world hate Christians?
4. What world are you living for? Take a moment and think of what you will be like 50 years from now, will you regret what you are doing with your time, life, and money? I beg you DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE!
Turn your eyes on Jesus, keep your eye on the prize, look to the joy set before you and RUN!
posted by FeFiFoPhil | 10:09 AM
3 Comments:
i kno i have wasted my life all these years but i am thankful to have realized that now...cause now i can change the way i am living my life! i have personally found that it is really hard to go through all the hard times especially without blaming Him for it but i kno that what i should be doing is turning to Him for help. we all can confess that being a child of God doesn't mean we wont ever be faced with "hard times" but being a child of God i hope that i can continuosly seek the Lord and convince others around me to do the same, and maybe then they will realize the truth... and not waste anymore of their life!
-rel
GO Arielle!! its not easy for everybody to say that! i totally agree with u!!!
luv,
lauri
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