Ben
Roberts-Smith VC, in his Australia Day address, spoke of achieving your
dream. He spoke of the freedom we all have in this country to find and
pursue whatever dream we have. However, before he said this he had
spoken of the intense training he had to go through to be able to join
the SAS. Every aspect of his being had to be stressed to their breaking
point so he, and the Army, could know his breaking point. The result was
he finally knew who he was and what he could achieve. He summed it up
by describing the process as one which leads to true leadership.
No one can doubt the integrity and courage shown by Ben which led to the award of the highest award for bravery, the Victoria Cross. In fact he has become only the 100th person to have received the VC.
What has this to do with us as Christians?
We are in the most intense battle that anyone can be involved in, the spiritual battle of the Christian life. All too many people who call themselves Christian have no idea of who they are and what they have been called to. Jesus made it perfectly clear that we are to follow Him right to the point of death. He demands complete obedience, which is the only test of true love.
We see this in marriage every day. The only acceptable behaviour in marriage is complete faithfulness. We are committed to our spouses TO THE EXCLUSION OF EVERYONE ELSE. That is true love.
Jesus said "Luke 14:25-27,33 NIV
[25] Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: [26] “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters---yes, even their own life---such a person cannot be my disciple. [27] And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple........ [33] In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."
Luke 9:62 NIV
[62] Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
In the Western world especially most "Christians" know very little, if at all, the reality of such a devotion to Jesus. However there are many places in the world where becoming a follower of Jesus is a life and death matter. In the face of such opposition these true disciples of Jesus are also the most active in obeying the commands of Jesus. They are in the forefront of witnessing to the reality of the Kingdom of God. They know the love that casts out all fear.
As a result, these churches are strong, growing, faithful, and completely dedicated to the progress of the Kingdom of God. When one person is challenged, the others support them. They are true bodies of Christ.
Of course not every church in South East Asia. Africa, China, etc, is like this. But where the conditions in society are most tough, the church is also strongest. The reverse is also true. It seems that the evil one knows that the strongest weapon he has is prosperity and security.
We live in such a prosperous and secure society and so our faith, generally speaking, is weak. We must fight against this with all Jesus' strength. Not that we are to become poor or live in an insecure society, but we are to recognise that we are citizens of the Kingdom of God before anything else. We must be completely committed to Jesus before all else, self interest, family, nation. Others must Se that we are different and that we only fight with spiritual weapons and not with any others. This means that we are to become just like Jesus and DEMONSTRATE true love, humility, mercy and forgiveness to all, especially those who do not share our faith and worldview.
Too difficult? If this is how you react to these comments then you need to have a personal interaction with Jesus, not with religion or church or purely personal faith. True Christians are born into a new society where we need each other and will give up everything for Jesus and each other. We come to Jesus as individuals, but we are then born into this new society, the Kingdom of God.
Too difficult? The alternative is much worse, look all around you at the mess we call our 'free and prosperous' world. Could there be a worse mess?
The Kingdom of God is here now as a seed. The flower from the seed is yet to come, but it can progress towards this goal ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, just as Jesus taught and showed.
Seek the Lord while he may be found.
Isaiah 55:6-11 NIV
[6] Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. [7] Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. [8] “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. [9] “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. [10] As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, [11] so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
No one can doubt the integrity and courage shown by Ben which led to the award of the highest award for bravery, the Victoria Cross. In fact he has become only the 100th person to have received the VC.
What has this to do with us as Christians?
We are in the most intense battle that anyone can be involved in, the spiritual battle of the Christian life. All too many people who call themselves Christian have no idea of who they are and what they have been called to. Jesus made it perfectly clear that we are to follow Him right to the point of death. He demands complete obedience, which is the only test of true love.
We see this in marriage every day. The only acceptable behaviour in marriage is complete faithfulness. We are committed to our spouses TO THE EXCLUSION OF EVERYONE ELSE. That is true love.
Jesus said "Luke 14:25-27,33 NIV
[25] Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: [26] “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters---yes, even their own life---such a person cannot be my disciple. [27] And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple........ [33] In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."
Luke 9:62 NIV
[62] Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
In the Western world especially most "Christians" know very little, if at all, the reality of such a devotion to Jesus. However there are many places in the world where becoming a follower of Jesus is a life and death matter. In the face of such opposition these true disciples of Jesus are also the most active in obeying the commands of Jesus. They are in the forefront of witnessing to the reality of the Kingdom of God. They know the love that casts out all fear.
As a result, these churches are strong, growing, faithful, and completely dedicated to the progress of the Kingdom of God. When one person is challenged, the others support them. They are true bodies of Christ.
Of course not every church in South East Asia. Africa, China, etc, is like this. But where the conditions in society are most tough, the church is also strongest. The reverse is also true. It seems that the evil one knows that the strongest weapon he has is prosperity and security.
We live in such a prosperous and secure society and so our faith, generally speaking, is weak. We must fight against this with all Jesus' strength. Not that we are to become poor or live in an insecure society, but we are to recognise that we are citizens of the Kingdom of God before anything else. We must be completely committed to Jesus before all else, self interest, family, nation. Others must Se that we are different and that we only fight with spiritual weapons and not with any others. This means that we are to become just like Jesus and DEMONSTRATE true love, humility, mercy and forgiveness to all, especially those who do not share our faith and worldview.
Too difficult? If this is how you react to these comments then you need to have a personal interaction with Jesus, not with religion or church or purely personal faith. True Christians are born into a new society where we need each other and will give up everything for Jesus and each other. We come to Jesus as individuals, but we are then born into this new society, the Kingdom of God.
Too difficult? The alternative is much worse, look all around you at the mess we call our 'free and prosperous' world. Could there be a worse mess?
The Kingdom of God is here now as a seed. The flower from the seed is yet to come, but it can progress towards this goal ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, just as Jesus taught and showed.
Seek the Lord while he may be found.
Isaiah 55:6-11 NIV
[6] Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. [7] Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. [8] “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. [9] “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. [10] As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, [11] so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
No comments:
Post a Comment