Finding the way and keeping to it

Jeremiah 20: 7-13. Does God entice people, overwhelm them and make them a laughing stock, subject to misunderstanding rejection and opposition? The sentiments expressed by Jeremiah have parallels in other parts of scripture. The cost of discipleship here is explored by a man caught up in the mystery of God. But in Jesus Christ we have the assurance that God asks no more than He was prepared to experience himself and that beyond the ultimate rejection of crucifixion there lies resurrection

Romans 6: 1-11. The understanding of radical Grace – of being made righteous before God – raises the question now as in Paul’s time “Does that mean that it doesn’t matter what I do?” Paul’s clear response is “By no means” and explains this by speaking of a Christian being incorporated into Christ by being baptised into his death. Our death is not a physical one of course but a death to the old ways of being and doing – a death to sin. Being incorporated into Jesus Christ also means that we will share in his resurrection. Paul talks of being enslaved to sin being replaced by being enslaved to God. We wouldn’t use such language nowadays but speaks of Paul’s insistence that we are all enslaved to something and it is far superior to be in the service of your creator.

Matthew 10: 24-39. Jesus speaks of being called “Beelzebul” by his opponents thus maligning his followers by implication. But Jesus calls his followers not to be cowed into silence and warns against being tested and coerced even by family into not proclaiming the gospel. Jesus knows that the gospel provokes division, including within families, but encourages people to stand firm with God, who is Lord of all and is the truth.

From Matthew 10:34 onwards we have what can be called one of the “hard sayings of Jesus”. Jesus first tell us he has not come to bring peace but a sword and then goes on to prophesy inter-family warfare and ends by saying that if love your parents more than me, you are not worthy of me.

I think that qualifies as a “hard saying”. They are hard because we know they are probably true but it is still very difficult and disruptive because your family is the bedrock of your life.

But the truth remains that accepting Jesus as Son of God is no small thing and doing so when others in your family don’t is bound to cause trouble – that is the sword that Jesus brings.  

In the midst of that familial conflict Jesus counsels us to stand firm. Don’t be cowed into silence because the stakes are high.

Much as you love your mum and dad, and owe them so much, standing behind them is an ever greater truth that all of us – your mum, dad and you and everyone else in the family owe everything to God.

It is the parable of paying taxes to Caesar. Whose image is on the coin – Caesar’s. Give Caesar what is Caesars but give to God what is God’s. What belongs to God? Everything, including especially a Christian believer because we know we bear God’s image on us.

And Jesus does experience himself being taken for granted and humoured. Remember He couldn’t do many works of power in Nazareth where he was brought up.

He said “A prophet is not without honour, except in his home town, and amongst their own kin and in their own house.”

Familiarity does breed if not contempt then a certain indifference and an inability to see past that familiarity to anything greater.

Despite all these social and potentially family problems, Jesus urges us to keep the faith, take up our cross and follow him.

That certainly takes courage. To willingly submit to misunderstanding, persecution and in Jesus’ case even death, as the logical outcome of maintaining your love for God and neighbour takes real courage. It implies becoming a willing sacrifice to uphold the truth as it has been revealed to us.

For most Christians in the world it never comes to that, but for some it does in places like Pakistan, Iraq and Syria under Isis.

More usually, sharing in the death of Christ is a spiritual thing in the way St. Paul describes it. He describes dying to sin as being baptised into Christ’s death and after that we should always seek the most loving path.

This was in answer to those who were arguing that as we have been saved by Grace already then it no longer mattered what we actually did any more.

By no means! Says Paul. And then he talks as he does often using the language of enslavement. Because in Paul’s thinking we are never completely free of any influence and in the starkest choice of all we are either enslaved to sin or slaves of Christ.

This is a willing enslavement to Christ. Today we would be more likely to say that Jesus is the Lord of our lives, He is Lord in our hearts, and we are his willing disciples. We follow the way of Jesus, the truth of God and the Life of the Spirit of God.

Finding the narrow way that leads to life takes courage and discipline and these are what we can be praying for; for ourselves, the church internationally and for all our local congregations.