Sunday’s sermon, like most of Patrick’s sermons, had me really thinking about how biblical ideas relate to me personally. He asked two questions:
1. How does someone make it to heaven?
2. What does it mean to have a right standing before God?
I think a lot of people have struggled with these questions. The main point he made was that you can’t answer these questions with a list of behaviors or things to do. It’s not just about what you do. It’s about the relationship. A father can jump through hoops and provide for his son financially. He can back that up by being at his ball games and birthday parties. In the end, if he doesn’t truly CARE about his son, it’s all for naught. One way we show our love is through works, but it is not the only way.
One thing that was mentioned was Jesus’ relationship with the Disciples. We talked about whether we would be willing to put down everything and follow Christ if he stopped by and asked. I have to say, that is a tough question for me. I would be hard pressed to leave my wife and children in the lurch to go “walk” with someone just because they said they were Christ. It brings about images of Jim Jones and David Koresh to me. In many ways, I don’t think God would put me in that position. I wonder what people in the church would say if they found out next week that I abandoned my family to go follow someone. It makes me wonder if the Disciples had families, and if so, did they abandon them?
I always think about the commitment someone makes to a team. I can’t tell you how many times I have had players refuse to practice on a Wednesday because they have to go to church. In my mind, I am always questioning how God feels about their commitment to their teammates. As we think about how we live and walk more like Christ, when does our commitment to our fellow man become important? Would Jesus have left his teammates to do the work alone? Would Jesus become over-extended? If so, do you think the Disciples would have pitched in?
A question from above,"It makes me wonder if the Disciples had families, and if so, did they abandon them?"
ReplyDeleteYes, the disciples had families. I don't think they were abandoned...
Peter was married, because the gospels mention that Jesus healed his mother-in-law in Matt. 8:14-15,14 "When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him." Jesus was with Peter and his family so they had to be active in their lives.
According to Wikipedia, Phillip was married with children.
1 Cor. 9:3-5, Peter & Barnabas had families."This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?"
From the above scripture, do you think the disciples wives went along as a modern day evangelist's wife would go with her husband as he preaches? Perhaps their familes were in the multitudes that listened to Jesus.
The biggest question for me was "Am I strong enough to spend time (maybe even witness) to people who are nothing like me?"
ReplyDeleteAs it was quoted, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick."
Jesus spent time with people who were NOTHING LIKE HIM and they liked him too.
Can I represent Jesus in a crowd of people who are "nothing like me"?
My answer: I'm working on it.....