Like the sun

 

Casting Crowns – Thrive

 

What a blessing Deborah gives in the book of Judges to all who are friends with God.

“So may all your enemies perish, O Lord!
    But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.” – Judges 5:31  ESV

The sun is the emblem of splendour and of power representing radiance and energy, light and might.

This expression reminds me that I am to walk as children of the light. God, who is the author of all change, the parent of all life and the reservoir of all energy, has love for me that is not a weak, sentimental kind of love, but one of power which invigorates me, making me strong as well as gentle and gracious.

There are two kinds of friends of Jesus that I am reminded of. One the owner of a donkey who loaned it to Jesus.

If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’”  – Mark 11:3  ESV

The other is Judas who eventually betrayed Him.

Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. – Psalm 41:9  ESV

I pray that when others describe me, they will say that I was like the sun.

 

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Distinctive personalities

 

All of our various forms of personalities shape our ability to give to our families, community and work and in all of these our work in the kingdom of God. I could say – for better or worse – for they give us both strengths and weaknesses.

Mark chapter ten describes a particular instance where the Sons of Thunder were rebuked for their misguided ambition to sit at the right and left side of Jesus when He entered His kingdom. There is a thought that in following Jesus, we may want to curb those excesses of our personality such as those of James and John. However, is it not a scary sight to see some Christians setting up particular personality traits as a universal model? What about the traits that make you really good at work and yet somehow you feel guilty about them or at least marginalized when you are in church. Trying to be something I am not, or trying to fit in, is a problem, for it not only leaves me feeling like I am faking but others see the inauthenticity too. So when I think about the direction of imitating Jesus and our Godly leaders, I think not so much of personalities but of virtue. Look at all the personalities surrounding Jesus. He used all those personalities to reach the world with the gospel.

The Sons of Thunder gave the perfect lesson on the virtue of suffering, sacrifice, and serving. This is the way for those who want to follow Jesus. It is a rebuke on selfish seeking and a nod towards selfless service.

A little bit off topic, but Mark chapter 10 also shares the story of Bartimaeus. His healing was a bit different from others recorded for he got up from where he was and followed Jesus as He went on His way. He was also one who was named, was that because he become a disciple? Mark does not record any more healing after this one. The cross is but a week away and Bartimaeus is following. He does what is hardest to do when it was the most difficult time to be a disciple. If we knew more about the story I am sure we would not be forgetting him so easily.

 

 

 

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God’s mercies

 

God’s mercies I will ever sing (89:1-6) Winchester

 

When we start to read scriptures and God is throwing out a lot of “I” words, we know we are in trouble. We have begun to think too much of ourselves not realizing just how much mercy and grace He surrounds our life with.

And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand.  And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow.  I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’ – Joshua 24:11-13  ESV

Everyone of Israel’s great exploits were because of God’s mercies. Joshua knew this and that is why he declared his decision to be a God follower.

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:15  ESV

This statement was pronounced publicly, it had proven quality to it, it was personal and parental and it definitely was persuasive. He was not a secret disciple.

“Does not Joshua’s outspoken avowal make you blush? You are espoused to Christ, you say, but will there never be an open marriage? Will you never take Him publicly before the eyes of men to be your Lord and husband for ever and ever? Does Jesus agree to secret nuptials? . . . Shall your Captain’s colors never adorn you? . . . That is sorry courage which skulks [moves stealthily, cowardly] behind the bushes; that is poor loyalty which never utters the king’s name; that is questionable decision which dares not own itself to be on the Lord’s side . . . Run up the colors to the masthead where every eye may see them.” – Charles Spurgeon

Mark chapter nine tries to get me thinking like a disciple in another way, a humble manner after much exploits.

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know. – Mark 9:30  ESV

Even Jesus knew the glory belonged to the mercy of God.

So my takeaway is to be bold and open of my decision to be a follower of Jesus and when engaged in ministry make sure I give God the glory for whatever He has done and make myself scarce just in case any one has other ideas.

 

 

 

 

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Authentic disciple

 

Joey+Rory – Jesus Loves Me

 

Mark chapter 8 gives me one of the most clearest statements of what discipleship means.

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life[d] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:34-38  ESV

It is my reflection of what it means to be identified with Jesus. It is me openly admitting, by my actions, that I belong to Him.

The model of discipleship is reflective in Jesus’ crucifixion. He does not negate His claim to be the Messiah, but rather affirms it. For it is His faithfulness to this mission that becomes my model.

My two key takeaways are the confessing of who Jesus really is and the understanding of His mission.

Is it not true that you sometimes wonder if a person can be a Christian and not a disciple? I do struggle with this momentarily and then try to stop thinking about it. What if I am not a disciple of Jesus and really have no passion to follow Him – am I still a Christian? Is there such a thing as a carnal Christian – someone who is on their way to heaven but have not made the higher commitment of making Him their Lord?

This is what I mean when I said earlier that Mark 8 makes some clear statements of what is an authentic disciple. Taking up the cross is not an endurance test but an invitation to imitate Jesus, to walk with Him as a disciple. I am trying to give attention, not to the effort required of me, but to Jesus’ invitation to follow.

 

 

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Grace

 

And can it be

 

Grace is key to understanding how to step into the kingdom of God and live there. We are brought to life by it.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.[b] But[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. – Ephesians 2:1-5  ESV

While I was dead, I was made alive with Christ because of grace. I linked to the Wesleyan hymn above because of these words:

Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature’s night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray — I woke, the dungeon flamed with light.

That is in fact what my God does – He sends this out to you and me and it is available to anyone who asks for it. The key – God wants to be sought out and He wants to be asked for it. That is where I have to come and do my part. I attempt to do that each morning and every night.

 

 

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