"--men who have risked their lives FOR THE NAME of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 15:26;NIV)
What will you and I do "FOR THE NAME" of our Lord Jesus Christ today?
Monday, December 17, 2007
For the Name! Part I
"The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name." (Acts 5:41;NIV)
It's time...time to figure out what life is all about! Life is about the Name of Jesus Christ. It's not about your name...it's not about my name..it's not about "our" purpose in life or where we are going to live,etc. Yes, those things are important and yes, God the Father intimately cares for you and me and those things. However, before all of that, there was Christ...after all of that...Christ! Our lives are to be about the Name of Jesus!
Aside from Jesus, we have no purpose, no calling, no hope, no future. The apostles figured this out. So, they did not look for their purpose and go where the money was. They did not say, "God wants me to be happy so I must go where the bigger homes are". They went to where Jesus needed to be preached and suffered disgrace"for the Name".
The word "disgrace" comes from "dis"- meaning "opposite" and "grazia" meaning "grace". It is the "opposite of grace"...in other words, misfortune, out of favor. God would not call us to suffer "misfortune" would He? That's not American Christianity. Your right...it's not American Christianity; but it's what Jesus meant for Christianity! Jesus calls us to "suffer for the Name." That is our purpose in life! That is a call to rejoice!
The apostles "rejoiced" that they had been counted "worthy" of "suffering disgrace" for the Name of Jesus...let that soak in. Usually, we say, "It must be God's will because I get a bigger salary; I must be in the right ministry because everyone speaks well of me and I have a big office." The apostles were not spoken well of...they did not have a big office. Not that those things are bad, they can be a blessing from Jesus. But, that's not all God has called us to. We are called to suffer disgrace "for the Name."
The apostles did just that! They performed miraculous signs and wonders...taught in the Name of Jesus Christ and were thrown into prison. An angel of the Lord got 'em out of prison and told them, "Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life (Acts 5:20)."
Dude, they had just gotten thrown into prison for just that thing! Well, they spoke the Name of Jesus and did what the angel of the Lord said...guess what? They got flogged for it! That's when they said verse 41 above! First prison...then being beaten with a whip! Where were the free doughnuts?
Here is how you and I will know if we are "4 the Name" Christ followers: we will preach Jesus Name til we "suffer disgrace" for it. Then, WE'LL DO IT AGAIN! "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE on Him, but also to SUFFER for Him." (Philippians 1:29;Emphasis mine;NIV).
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21;NIV)
It's time...time to figure out what life is all about! Life is about the Name of Jesus Christ. It's not about your name...it's not about my name..it's not about "our" purpose in life or where we are going to live,etc. Yes, those things are important and yes, God the Father intimately cares for you and me and those things. However, before all of that, there was Christ...after all of that...Christ! Our lives are to be about the Name of Jesus!
Aside from Jesus, we have no purpose, no calling, no hope, no future. The apostles figured this out. So, they did not look for their purpose and go where the money was. They did not say, "God wants me to be happy so I must go where the bigger homes are". They went to where Jesus needed to be preached and suffered disgrace"for the Name".
The word "disgrace" comes from "dis"- meaning "opposite" and "grazia" meaning "grace". It is the "opposite of grace"...in other words, misfortune, out of favor. God would not call us to suffer "misfortune" would He? That's not American Christianity. Your right...it's not American Christianity; but it's what Jesus meant for Christianity! Jesus calls us to "suffer for the Name." That is our purpose in life! That is a call to rejoice!
The apostles "rejoiced" that they had been counted "worthy" of "suffering disgrace" for the Name of Jesus...let that soak in. Usually, we say, "It must be God's will because I get a bigger salary; I must be in the right ministry because everyone speaks well of me and I have a big office." The apostles were not spoken well of...they did not have a big office. Not that those things are bad, they can be a blessing from Jesus. But, that's not all God has called us to. We are called to suffer disgrace "for the Name."
The apostles did just that! They performed miraculous signs and wonders...taught in the Name of Jesus Christ and were thrown into prison. An angel of the Lord got 'em out of prison and told them, "Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life (Acts 5:20)."
Dude, they had just gotten thrown into prison for just that thing! Well, they spoke the Name of Jesus and did what the angel of the Lord said...guess what? They got flogged for it! That's when they said verse 41 above! First prison...then being beaten with a whip! Where were the free doughnuts?
Here is how you and I will know if we are "4 the Name" Christ followers: we will preach Jesus Name til we "suffer disgrace" for it. Then, WE'LL DO IT AGAIN! "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE on Him, but also to SUFFER for Him." (Philippians 1:29;Emphasis mine;NIV).
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21;NIV)
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
A Brave Heart
A heart loves. How is our heart to love God? Francois Fenelon, archbishop of Cambrai in 1695 answers that question! His answer comes from a quote found in his work titled, "Christian Perfection"...let it rock your world ! He said," There is only one way to love God: to take not a single step without Him, and to follow with a brave heart wherever He leads."
He goes on to say, "All those who live the Christian life, and yet would very much like to keep a little in with the world, run great risk of being among the lukewarm of whom it is said they will be 'spewed out of the mouth of God.'... God has little patience with those weak souls who say to themselves, ' I shall go this far and no farther.' What would a king say of a subject, or a master of a servant, who only served him in his own way, who feared to care too much for his interests, and who was embrassed in public because of belonging to him? What will the King of Kings say to us if we act like these cowardly servants?"
"4 the Name" Christ Followers will not be cowards. They will be brave hearted men and women with the war cry of "Jesus is the Christ (Acts 5:42)!"
Let me stress Fenelon's first quote again, "There is only one way to love God: to take not a single step without Him, and to follow with a brave heart wherever He leads."
He goes on to say, "All those who live the Christian life, and yet would very much like to keep a little in with the world, run great risk of being among the lukewarm of whom it is said they will be 'spewed out of the mouth of God.'... God has little patience with those weak souls who say to themselves, ' I shall go this far and no farther.' What would a king say of a subject, or a master of a servant, who only served him in his own way, who feared to care too much for his interests, and who was embrassed in public because of belonging to him? What will the King of Kings say to us if we act like these cowardly servants?"
"4 the Name" Christ Followers will not be cowards. They will be brave hearted men and women with the war cry of "Jesus is the Christ (Acts 5:42)!"
Let me stress Fenelon's first quote again, "There is only one way to love God: to take not a single step without Him, and to follow with a brave heart wherever He leads."
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