It is so hard as Christians in today’s world to not get tunnel vision on what is going on around us. It is a daily challenge, because well that is what is right in front of us. We see it, feel it, hear it screaming at us…so it must be our reality! Right? Hold on, before we react to the world around us …let us see what the Word of God says and how He instructs us as Christians.
There are two passages that I am going to work through that I have been a repeat theme in our life over the last year. 1 Peter 2:1-17 ESV -A Living Stone and Holy People, Submission to Authority and 2 Corinthians 4:1-18 ESV -The Light of the Gospel, Treasure in Jars of Clay.
My hope is that you find this encouraging, challenging but more importantly that it calls you to action for the Kingdom.
Our last week of Discipleship Training School was taught by Scott C. who is a missionary in Taiwan. It was challenging and life changing to say the least. One of the concepts that he mentioned is that all of history is leading up to one end and we as Christians already know what that is. God started the world with humans made in His image, male and female (Genesis 1-2) and it will end with ALL tribes and ALL nations giving Glory to God (Revelations 21-22).
So what do we do in this space and time in between the beginning and the end?
That is a great question and one I am still walking in grace with day by day. But really as Christians don’t we already have the answer? Doesn’t Jesus make it pretty clear about what we are suppose to be doing on earth?
Before Jesus ascended back to heaven he gave the Christians two commands. Love One Another and Go to ALL Nations.
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20 ESV
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants,[a] for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” John 15:12-17 ESV
“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”[a]8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,[b] whether it be to the emperor[c] as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants[d] of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:1-17 ESV
There is a lot to unpack in 1 Peter 2:1-17, but I feel like Paul is speaking to our generation now more than ever. I am going to reference back to a previous blog. “There is something so life changing and reckless about when you are filled with the Holy Spirit!” AMEN!
We have been chosen we are precious and made in HIS image!
As Christians we are jars of clay to shine HIS light through us but how can we shine HIS light when we put on things of this world?
But haven’t you seen…
Did you hear…
We cant’ support … yes, I am on social and I know exactly what you are talking about.
But as Christians we are not called to jump in and state our opinions about what a sinful world full of sinful people are doing.
That is not our mission. Period.
Jesus said, love one another and Go to ALL nations. That is our message to share.
Paul challenges the church to put away malice and slander…To Fear God and Honor the emperor.
Wow.
Stop and take a second and re-read that.
He doesn’t need us shout out and add to the chaos.
He needs us to allow HIS light to shine through us unobstructed by the things of this world.
Don’t let Satan deceive you.
We know he is the god of this world and will use anything and anyone to distract us from the calling God has for us.
But God needs me to share my opinion … no He doesn’t.
He doesn’t need you and He doesn’t need me, at least not like that.
Let’s lay aside our pride and instead live in humility sharing only what we have been instructed as Christians, by Jesus to share.
“The preacher should either speak in God’s name or hold his tongue. My brother, if the Lord has not sent you with a message, go to bed, or to school, or mind your farm; for what does it matter what you have to say of your own? If heaven has given you a message, speak it out as he ought to speak who is called to be the mouth of God.” (Spurgeon)
Ouch.
But, how true is that?!
Why are we allowing the world to distract us from our mission?
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12
We are ALL warriors for the Kingdom and yet I feel at times that so many of us are stuck in the fog of war. Unable to even make it to the real battlefield.
And you know what?
I need you to fight BESIDE ME for the Kingdom of God NOT AGAINST ME in how the world wants to define us.
We are Christians.
We are chosen.
We are made in HIS image.
Why are we allowing the god of this world to define us?
There is no Jew or Gentile, Male or Female, Black or White, Doctor or Stay at Home Mom, Veteran or Immigrant, Adopted or Orphan, Democrat or Republican in Heaven.
There are only Christians.
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God,[a] we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice[b] cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants[c] for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self[d] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2Corinthians 4:1-18
Paul more than anyone else knows exactly what it means to be blinded and have your sight restored. What a powerful testimony and something to not take lightly. We must take heed to his advice and fix our eyes on what is unseen.
But, how?
Well, because we already know how it ends!
We know God has won and we have been given our orders in the meantime. We just need to continue to hold fast in the faith and truly trust in HIS plan.
One of my favorite illustrations comes from Corrie Ten Boom. It is hard since we live in the world to get focused solely on what we see around us.
How can we not?
It is appears chaotic, tangled and the disorder is screaming at us. We could spend so much time analyzing every thread and trying to untangle it one by one but we would spend our whole life wasted, because that is not our mission.
We have been called to love another and Go make disciples of ALL nations.
And another reason is that God, the Creator is using every string just as it is for His Glory!
We must stop, let go of our pride and step back.
God has the needle and He already knows exactly where each and every thread is suppose to be and how it is being used.
We must trust in the Creator.
And one glorious day His masterpiece will be revealed for His Glory!
Amen.
