Lessons from an early church believer
A man was in a river being baptized by one of the early church leaders and after having been identified with Christ, it was now time to walk out of the river. When asked why he wasn't walking out, he calmly told them that he couldn't because the church leader had nailed his foot to the riverbed with his staff. He was under the impression that the staff through his foot was a part of the ritual of baptism and despite the pain, he chose to follow Christ.
Some might say, "Well, I don't have pain to take on for Jesus' sake in my own daily life." In that case I'd have to ask about their family experiencing the ruthless love of Jesus in their lives (this one is hard for me). I'd ask if they have ever had to not splurge because they had spent their extra money to get food for the hungry homeless person sitting in front of the grocery store. I'd ask if they've ever risked humiliation and friendships for the sake of sharing the gospel in a gentle and loving way.
The strange thing is that the Bible tells us to care for the poor, tell others about Jesus and love people like crazy. However, we do it within our comfort zone. Oh, Heaven forbid that God would desire us be obedient to the point of pain!
Well, He was obedient to death. That prayer in the garden before he was arrested is described with a sweat of blood. If that doesn't speak of discomfort, I don't know what does and that wasn't even the task yet!
Philippians 2:1-11
"Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Hebrews 12:4
"You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin..."
Some might say, "Well, I don't have pain to take on for Jesus' sake in my own daily life." In that case I'd have to ask about their family experiencing the ruthless love of Jesus in their lives (this one is hard for me). I'd ask if they have ever had to not splurge because they had spent their extra money to get food for the hungry homeless person sitting in front of the grocery store. I'd ask if they've ever risked humiliation and friendships for the sake of sharing the gospel in a gentle and loving way.
The strange thing is that the Bible tells us to care for the poor, tell others about Jesus and love people like crazy. However, we do it within our comfort zone. Oh, Heaven forbid that God would desire us be obedient to the point of pain!
Well, He was obedient to death. That prayer in the garden before he was arrested is described with a sweat of blood. If that doesn't speak of discomfort, I don't know what does and that wasn't even the task yet!
Philippians 2:1-11
"Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Hebrews 12:4
"You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin..."
posted by MostHighsBeloved @ 8:54 AM
1 Comments:
At 9:52 AM,
MostHighsBeloved said…
For all you non-Christian readers...please keep in mind that this is posting in particular targets people already bathed in the love of Jesus. Their motivation to do these things is obedience out of love, not obligation. Just the same, please read and think about it. It is good stuff for you to be exposed to as well!
Post a Comment
<< Home