Religious Zealots

 

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.   Luke 9:23 (ESV) Denying self is something that can easily turn into a fuel line for pride, arrogance, and give a false sense of importance due to our self-abuse. We must be careful to recognize both the cart and the horse, and not allow the cart to get in front of the horse. Denying self is something people do when they realize that the urges and desires of self are a dead-end street, and they choose to listen to the commands of God because of who He is. If we know God, really know Him, we want to listen to Him, and when we listen to Him and find His ways in conflict with our ways, we adjust our ways. When we adjust our ways without knowing Him, we become religious zealots who do more harm to the Kingdom than good. The message in this verse is simple, direct, and life transformational for those who choose to listen.

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Simple, Clear and Easy to Distinguish

 

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."    Luke 9:23 (ESV) “I cannot help thinking that our Christianity in these days would be considerably improved if we had a little more of it infused into our daily lives. What is it? It is just when we begin to yearn for the likeness of Christ, and long to be conformed to His image—when we begin to see clearly that the path which the Master trod was one of humiliation and reproach, and that there are plenty of sorrows to be borne, and plenty of difficulties to be battled with—it is just then that Satan will, if he can, prevent even this new-born light arising within our soul, and endeavour to turn that very light into darkness.” W. H. Hay Aitken Denying self is the foundational brick of Christianity. Picking up our cross, or purpose, daily is our primary function. In this verse we see the most basic of instructions that yield the greatest effect. Its yield is so great that Jesus claims that we are not followers if we do not demonstrate these two qualities. This is simple, clear, and easy to distinguish. How are we doing on this?

Focused and Faithful

 

And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”    Luke 9:21-22 (ESV) Jesus knew suffering, misunderstanding, and hardship was going to be part of the plan, and He still was willing to work the plan. He understood that He would be lied about, hated for no cause and beaten by the very people He created to love. Yet He remained focused and faithful. Being focused and faithful is necessary for those who are successful in life, and, ultimately, successful in death. Focused and faithful allows one to care about what matters and healthily ignore what does not. Being focused and faithful gives hope during hopeless times, gives help when helpless, and gives night vision in the dark. When one has legitimate power and authority, they need not prove it to anyone, for it will be proven, in time, in a proper manner. Jesus was God’s Son, God in the flesh, and came to this earth to die for the very sins that were being committed against Him. He was the definition of love and responsibility. The world today can ignore Jesus or deny Him, as they did back then, but why would anyone want to do that?

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Repentance provides the only gate to restoration.

 Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”   Luke 9:18-20 (ESV)

The crowd cannot determine what is right or wrong. It can only determine what is normal. If we allow the crowd, or the Godless mob, to define normalcy we will see the ugliest side of human behavior. What is worse, those who teach that the truths of God’s Word should be normal will be considered deviants.

Crowds/Mobs will always punish what they consider deviant behavior, for the very presence of those they consider deviant might destroy the foundations of their ideology.

Ideas have consequences, for all the actions of man were birthed in ideology. When the ideology is altered, our behavior is altered.

If we want to see what is coming or we want to know why people think the way they do today, we need to examine what ideologies they were taught throughout the educational system. Since we have not seen the danger of educators embracing liberal ideologies, we have lost a generation, and are on the verge of losing a culture. Repentance provides the only gate to restoration.

The scriptures do not teach an ideology. They teach truth on which all ideology will be judged.

Impossible situations are only impossible to man.

 

Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.”   Luke 9:12-13 (ESV) The disciples were in a great position to learn about God, life, and opportunities. They would learn that God had no limitations. They would learn that life can be exciting and fulfilling. They would learn that the greatest apparent problems in life are often the greatest opportunities. If they were paying attention, they would also learn that problems were there to be solved, not to be moaned about. Proclaiming that there were hungry people gathered in a desolate place was obvious and a waste of time and energy.  Looking for a way to show who God is through the situation brings hope, develops a plan, and begins a process that God could bless. Impossible situations are only impossible to man. Nothing is impossible with God. I need to act in accordance with reality instead of in accordance with my fears.

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Freedom in Service

And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.   Luke 9:1-6 (ESV) It is easy traveling if you have no burden. They were on His business, sent by Him, and He assumed their care, and forbade them to trust themselves, or any other but Him. What a load of care goes off with this, what a burden of responsibility is removed; but what faith and humility is needed! Some of them had been called away from full nets (Luke 5:11), and it takes faith to follow under such circumstances. Many would start if they were permitted to carry the fish, but they are afraid. Afraid—of what, or whom? How strange to their eyes would some of us appear, as we go forth to our work, clothed in rags of self-righteousness and wrappers of pride, loaded with burdens of care and sin? Too much like the Israelites, leaving Egypt with flocks and herds, clothes and kettles, bread and kneading troughs; delivered from bondage, but knowing nothing of the manna, or the water from the rock. Others are afraid to go, fearing to swing off from their earthly base of supplies, and trust the promises of God. But it is all explained in the word, “Lo, I am with you away.” And what for? (Sunday School Times) How free they must have felt to be able to focus on their ministry rather than their provision. What lessons can those who raise support today learn from these directives?

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Only a fool would disagree...

 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.   Luke 9:1-6 (ESV)

It is interesting that Jesus told those He sent out to take nothing with them. Was this because He wanted them to be poor? Was it because there was nothing to take? Was it to force humility?

Jesus knew what He was talking about. He left Heaven, all His power, all His glory, all His majesty, and more. He left on a mission to earth to live among His people. He depended upon God alone.

Jesus did not seem to leave contingency plans. He said go, live within the means that those you minister to provide for you. Focus on ministry, not on money.

Jesus knew that about what He was talking. Only a fool would disagree with Him.