On Sabbath we took an honest look at the call and the response to discipleship. In the face of Jesus’ healing and forgiveness ministry, there were those who responded by begging him to leave (Matt. 8:34), accusing him of blasphemy (Matt. 9:3), taking offense at His ministry (9:11), ridiculing him (9:24), and calling Him the devil (9:34).
Mere fans will flock to the easy, wide way. Comfort, ease, advancement and prosperity will pack a church. But Jesus isn’t looking for fans, He’s looking for disciples and calling us to help Him overthrow the kingdom of darkness. We are called to be like our Master in character and in mission.
Rewind to Matt. 10:24-25. Here Jesus says that the way they treated Him is the way they will treat His followers. “You will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved” (vs. 22). Here, then, is the sixth characteristic of a disciple: Disciples are those who are willing to endure persecution and ridicule for the sake of Christ.
The reality is that sooner or later following Jesus will get you into trouble. Paul said, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). Are we here for more than just the “loaves and fishes?” Do we have the faith maturity to hold on to Jesus even in the face of persecution or ridicule? Don’t be too quick to say, Yes. Unless we are daily allowing Jesus to cleanse our lives from sin and self, we will deceive ourselves into thinking we can stand for God in the future despite not standing for Him now.
As Christians we face life and death choices every day–situations that call for us to either crucify self or crucify the Savior afresh. It’s Barabbas and Jesus all over again. And how many times, to my shame, have I chosen Barabbas!
The quality Jesus is looking for in His disciples is endurance. But how do we obtain this? Believe it or not, for disciples it begins with Joy. Rewind to James 1:2-3. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
Why joy? Because each test of our faith gives us the opportunity to let go of self, and to grab hold to God. For disciples, what doesn’t kill self makes you spiritually weaker. Trials are God’s assassins of self to purge us of all impurity and make us spiritually strong. But endurance itself is not the end goal. The end goal is spiritual maturity and a wholeness of Christian character that lacks nothing. (See James 1:4.)
If we respond to trials with joyful confidence in God and with a determination to hold on to Him regardless, we will develop a faith that is free from schizophrenia (“Double-mindedness”), and a Christ-like character that lacks nothing.
If you lack the wisdom to consider trials in this way, we are to ask God “who gives to all liberally and without reproach,” and it will be given to him.” (vs. 5) Apparently, it takes godly wisdom to be able to find joy in trials, and James tells us how to get it. At the same time, James tells us something about God and something about prayer. When you pray, consider how God gives and how you are to ask.
1) God is generous (Rom. 8:32)
2) He does not shame us for lacking what we need from Him.
3) We’re to ask without doubting. [That is without a wavering in our basic faith commitment to Christ]. We must be sure of both the power and the desire of God to give, or else we will be like a piece of driftwood at sea, driven this way and that by any wind that blows.
Lastly, Paul adds to our understanding about how we’re to pray in the midst of trials.
4) Pray with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). If you pray this way, without doubting, you will experience God’s peace and receive God’s wisdom to see the trials that come into your life as refiners of your character so that you become just like Jesus.
If you’re facing some hard trials today, rewind to 2 Cor. 4:8-9, and find your deepest joy in two words: Jesus wins! Followed by three words: Jesus loves me! Even if nobody else cheers your decision to follow Jesus, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit and all the holy angels give you a standing ovation. They want to hear you sing. Let your life make music today. —Pastor Randy
