After reading JB’s post I wasn’t sure I wanted to write anything. I read the passage thinking about Garry’s, Andrews and Rosaleens comments on suffering, community etc. I thought about them over and over again. I really didn't feel there was anything worth adding.
Yet something kept striking me regarding the following verse.
John 16:2
“the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God”
Jesus never lied to us.
He never said it would be easy.
He never said everything would be fine.
He never said people would like us.
He never said we would never suffer.
He never said we would never be killed.
He never said there wouldn’t be trials.
If He was straight with me, why aren’t I straight with myself?
With others?
With Him?
He never, never, ever lied to me...
The more I read John’s Gospel the more I realize I don’t actually believe Jesus words at all.
He said people will try and kill me, even to do God a favour, and I think, “Oh, he was talking to first century Christians.”
He said I would suffer and I get annoyed when things don’t turn out the way I want them to...
JB, I am not talking to you or your questions. After reading your blog, “I said absolutely”. After reading Jesus words I am struck by how much I don’t believe Him even though He warned me.
My expectations of life are not Gospel based expectations.
They are formed based on 21st Century expectations in a Western World which knows unheard of peace and prosperity compared to the rest of history...
He warned me otherwise.
Why am I so surprised when His “negative” promises are fulfilled as often as His “positive” ones? I want His positive ones. I get snotty when I don't feel they are being fulfilled.
I also get snotty when His negative ones come to pass, even on a small level. I realize I have a lot more wrestling to do with faith in Him when both His negative and positive promises are fulfilled.
Thanks JB. Your post was really helpful.
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6 comments:
Thanks Rich. The main reason my life is easy (and it is) is because I still largely belong to the world and so it loves me! (John 15:19) The main reason I don't suffer is because I avoid it. I am selective about the things I say and don't say. If I am straight with myself (and often I'm not) my main concern is that I don't offend people and that people still like me.
The disciples on the other hand suffered because after they were ordered to shut up they ignored these threats and continued to proclaim the truth about Jesus. (Acts 4:18-20,29,33) The disciples had enemies and they suffered persecution. They also experienced great depths of joy and peace and they bore MUCH FRUIT.
Lord, please keep helping me to follow you wholeheartedly so that my life may start looking more like yours - in all areas, not just the "nice" bits. Thank you that you always tell the truth. Thank you that you warn us about the trials and sufferings that WILL come as we truly follow you and thank you for your promise that we WILL have an abundant and satisfying life (John 10:10) as we continue to abide in you.
Amen Andrew. It is so important to talk more about the "negative promises" of Jesus. We love to claim the "nice ones". I am not sure you really experience the one without the other.
After reading your post Rich I have reflected more on Jesus words: v1 "I have told you these things so that you won't abandon your faith." v2 "You will be expelled from the synagogues... those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God."
I then read through Acts 4 and 5 and saw these words of Jesus BEING fulfilled... they were crazy men - good crazy. I want this same reckless, crazy love to burn in me.
"The leaders were disturbed that Peter & John were teaching the people about Jesus so they arrested them and put them in jail." Acts 4:2-3
"They called the apostles in and commanded them NEVER AGAIN to speak or teach in the name of Jesus" v 18
"Peter & John replied, Do you think God wants as to obey you rather than him? We CAN'T STOP TELLING about what we have seen and heard." v 19-20
"The council threatened them further but then let them go..." v 21
All the believers prayed, "Lord, hear their threats and give us MORE BOLDNESS to keep preaching your word" v 29
After this prayer they were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit and preached the word of God with boldness. v 31 (Quick answer!!)
"The High priest and the officials were filled with jealousy so they arrested the apostles and put them in jail" (again) Acts 5:17-18
"But an angel came and opened the gates of the jail, brought them out and said: KEEP PROCLAIMING this message of life to the people" v 19-20
So they did - immediately!! v 21 (What was the point of this - surely they knew they would just get arrested again - but they were obedient and bold!!)
The guards arrested the apostles again - v 26
The High Priest confronted them again "Didn't we tell you NEVER AGAIN to teach in this man's name?" v 28
"WE MUST OBEY GOD!!" they said v 29 (They must have remembered Jesus’ words as recorded in John 14:15, 21 & 23 and John 15:10 & 14.)
"The high council was furious and decided to kill them." v 33 (I'm sure they thought this would be doing a holy service for God.)
Gamaliel told the council to take a deep breath and leave things be for the moment. v 38-39
So they FLOGGED the apostles and then ordered them to NEVER AGAIN speak in the name of Jesus. v 40
"So the apostles left the high council REJOICING that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus." v 41 (I have to believe that they really were full of joy and that there is something going on here that I am yet to understand.)
I have to pause now and try to take in what has really happened to these men (ordinary people just like you and me) before reading the final verse of Acts chapter 5. They have been arrested and put into jail three times, they have been beaten and ordered over and over again NOT to speak about Jesus.
"So EVERY DAY, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach that Jesus is the Messiah" v 42
I'm sure they could have avoided the persecution if they just kept their traps shut... but then maybe they wouldn't have had the fruit recorded in Acts 5:14.
What does this mean for us? For me?
I agree with everything both you Rich and Andrew have expressed. I yearn for the boldness that the apostles possessed that enabled them to put aside all "selfish ambition" and relentlessly proclaim the Gospel with reckless abandon.
I do wonder though whether there was something extra that they possessed, maybe an additional gifting by the Holy Spirit, that I find hard to replicate, something given to SOME followers in modern times, but not everyone. Would that explain why all of the early apostles, without exception, followed this same direct, downright dangerous path? Not just one of them, not just a few of them, not even just half of them....all of them. How did all of them manage this, seemingly without questioning their approach and not possessing any doubt or negative thought, when only a minority group of modern-day followers seem capable of following suit??
This is not supposed to sound like a cop-out, just an honest attempt to seek an answer, for as I said, I really yearn to be like that.
Good questions Mike. In my view I think it has a lot to do with Richard's comment: "I am not sure you really experience the one without the other."
I have already hogged this thread enough though so I will leave someone else to share their wisdom on this topic :)
Mike,
They saw Him die, they saw Him alive again. Their subsequent behaviour (especially including their deaths) is the most compelling historical evidence for His resurrection...
We live in a 'nice, materialistic' pagan culture in Australia, that at a governmental level does not allow persecution. I am grateful for that.
There are thousands of opportunities to lay our lives down... many of those lives laid down are lovely people working for justice, peace, children, the planet... thousands of people who volunteer to work with the marginalised and outcast...
Many of them are pagans... with sound secular values... there would have been many such people in Jesus time too!
The Apostles WERE in an amazing historic setting. Peter could say "the man you have just crucified... " and it was REAL! People could look at Peter and say - "Isn't he just a fisherman? - Look at him now!"
Any of us can go to any one of a hundred countries - and work in orphanages or something - and be RELEVANT there!
The challenge is - how can we be relevant HERE! There are thousands of children here - orphans in so many ways! There are the hopelessly lost - not to AIDS but to drugs, materialism, humanism. We each have some thoughts on this - some have been around for a while (which does not make them stale necessarily - they may have stood the test of time in these days) some which are fresh!
Regardless of anything else - my insight? - we have lost the FELLOWSHIP of the Holy Spirit - as individuals and as the Body! he is calling us to that fellowship.
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