Posts tagged Christian Maturity

Things To Consider Before Becoming Christ’s Disciple

Apr28
2012 Written by Warner Smith

I absolutely despise shopping for a new car.  You never know if you got a good deal or not.  This uncertainty arises from the lack of proper pricing.  Everyone knows that the sticker price is not the real price.

I feel that too often individuals try to apply the ideal of getting a good deal to becoming a Christian.  Some people seem to be most interested in knowing what is the very least that they will have to commit to Christ in order to become a Christian.  This question reveals a great misunderstanding about the Christian life.  Bargaining with God reveals a total misunderstanding of God’s nature.

Becoming a Christian is nothing like purchasing fire insurance to keep yourself out of the fires of hell.  Instead becoming a Christian is accepting your own moral bankruptcy and God’s absolute grandeur and awesomeness.  A deep and desperate desire to know God while simultaneously realizing your own moral corruption precede the decision to accept Christ as Savior.  Jesus told us that ;

“. . . the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46 (ESV)

Our own salvation is worth everything we have.  Actually it is worth all we have ever had, currently have and ever hope to have.  Anyone who is considering becoming a Christian needs to understand the following key principles.

First, be clear on who the boss will be.

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them He said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:25-26

Jesus is the boss!  His will is most important!  Only His vote counts!  Every disciple who is obedient must submit to His will 100% of the time.  The idea that one can follow Jesus while “doing their own thing” is not only wrong-headed it is a sin.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer understood the commitment necessary from each disciple when he wrote, “When Jesus bids a man he bids him come and die.”

Second, be certain that you must carry a cross.

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27

Being obedient will not be easy, and will involve personal sacrifices.  You will lose many things while following Jesus.  You may lose family, friends, respect, or business.  Some today in Islamic countries lose their life when they accept Christ.  Suffering for Christ is not a topic you hear Christians discuss often but it is biblical.  Reading the book of 1 Peter is an excellent place to begin to study the concept of Christian suffering.

Next, be sensible and consider the cost of becoming Christ’s disciple.

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?  For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’  “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king.  Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?  If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.  In the same way, any of you who does not give up every thing he has  cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:28-33

The price of becoming a disciple is everything. That is a high price. The gain you receive is everything, that is a great return on your investment. You give everything you have and in return you share in everything Christ has.  Personally I cannot think of a better deal.

Finally, consider the cost of not becoming a disciple.

“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.  “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 14:34-35

Do you have ears to hear? On first blush it seems that the price of not becoming a disciple is nothing.  That is a low price.  The gain you receive is nothing, that’s no return because there was no investment.  You give nothing and in return you share nothing with Christ.

The logic seems sound. Unfortunately, on the day of judgment instead of sharing in the riches of Christ you will share in the punishment of the devil.  Talk about sticker shock.  It does not take a genius to realize that this is definitely not a good deal.

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Jesus Encourages His Disciples To Be The Good News

Apr24
2012 Written by Warner Smith

Christians sometimes feel as though they do not fit into society.  The news of the day and other peoples opinions of it are often very different from ours.  I am often amazed when I speak to people who are not Christians.  I am often shocked by the attitudes and opinions which they hold.  The reason for this difference is that as a Christian we are aliens in this present world.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11 (NIV)

The longer one walks with the Lord the more you realize how different God’s ways are from the ways of the world.  When we dwell on how different this world is from what Christ’s will is it is easy for us to become discouraged and think “Why bother, why not just give up we are obviously not making any real difference in the world”?

When you feel this discouragement remember Jesus and his disciples faced enormous obstacles also.  He taught them two parables that encouraged them to be the good news and trust God for the results.

1. Do not be afraid of small beginnings.

According to Jesus great things can come from small beginnings.  Jesus taught His disciples;

“What is the kingdom of God like?  What shall I compare it to?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden.  It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches. Luke 13:18-19

The mustard seed is the smallest of the garden seeds, yet it may grow to a height of 30 feet in a single season.  Jesus is teaching His followers that the kingdom will start small yet it will grow.

2. Never underestimate the power of God to transform the world.

A little yeast can leaven a great amount of flour.

Again he asked, “What shall I compare it to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Luke 13:20-21

The lesson is that kingdom men and women can and will make an enormous difference in this world, as we live transformed lives.  Are you making a difference for the kingdom by the way you are living?

You may not think that your are.  If you are trying to live the Christian life but are discouraged by the results you see around you remember the words of the old hymn Little Is Much When God Is in It.

In the harvest field now ripened There’s a work for all to do;
Hark! the voice of God is calling To the harvest calling you.

Little is much when God is in it! Labor not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown and you can win it, If you go in Jesus’ Name.

In the mad rush of the broad way, In the hurry and the strife,
Tell of Jesus’ love and mercy, Give to them the Word of Life.

Does the place you’re called to labor,  Seem too small and little known? It is great if God is in it, And He’ll not forget His own.

Little is much when God is in it! Labor not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown and you can win it, If you go in Jesus’ Name.

Are you laid aside from service, Body worn from toil and care?
You can still be in the battle, In the sacred place of prayer.

When the conflict here is ended, And our race on earth is run,
He will say, if we are faithful, Welcome home, My child well done!

Little is much when God is in it! Labor not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown and you can win it, If you go in Jesus’ Name.

Quit worrying about results.  Trust the results to God!  We just need to be the best seed and most active leaven we can be!

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Help May Be Closer Than You Think

Apr23
2012 Written by Warner Smith

Some days are better than others. Fridays are good, so good, in fact, that a restaurant chain has taken the initials of a common phrase spoken by most of us on Fridays as their name, “TGIF” (Thank God It’s Friday).  At the other end of the spectrum is Monday. The day we return to work is not often our favorite. The girl group The Bangles summarized how many feel in their song Manic Monday. If you don’t remember, let me remind you, the opening lines were:

Six o’clock already
I was just in the middle of a dream
I was kissin’ Valentino
By a crystal blue Italian stream
But I can’t be late
‘Cause then I guess I just won’t get paid
These are the days
When you wish your bed was already made

Another group, The Mamas And The Papas, of an earlier generation, verbalized some of our feelings in a line of their song Monday, Monday. The lines of this song is:

Monday Monday, can’t trust that day,
Monday Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to be

There is truth in the statement “can’t trust that day.” We can’t trust any day, whether it be Monday, Friday, or any day. I have often been guilty of allowing the circumstances of life to prevent me from enjoying life. Too often I have been guilty of believing that “When x, y, or z occurs, then I will be able to relax, or enjoy myself.”

I have come to realize that this reasoning is poisonous. The reality is that you and I should not trust any day, we should only trust in the Lord everyday. If we are living in accordance to God’s will everyday will be worthwhile and meaningful, although not without challenges. Our Monday morning’s are nothing when compared to the morning “the servant of the man of God” had in 2 Kings 6:8-18. There we read:

Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.” The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:8-17 (NIV)

We each need to be men and women of God who can pray and show others that the help they seek is closer than they have imagined.

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The Apostle Paul Would Not Recognize Most Of American Christianity

Apr21
2012 Written by Warner Smith

A friend of mine who does research for a living told me of a conversation he recently had with a professional pollster.  The pollster knew that my friend was a Southern Baptist.  He told him that his company had developed a new strategy for checking the margin of error in results which also doubled for doing a poll immediately when clients wanted an instant result.  The method was to gather 15 Southern Baptists and ask them their opinions. The reason they can depend on such a shortcut in their research he explained was that the “Southern Baptist Church has the purest picture of America in the streets.”

This statement was not meant to be a compliment.  We have changed what the people in church believe but not how they live.  We have taught them to know better but not to do better.  This state of affairs explains why individual Christians can make statements like, “I know that this is not right but . . .”.  Think about how often you behave in a way contrary to your stated beliefs.  How quickly do you discount what you know to be right for a course of action that is either more convenient or more desirable?

Paul had discovered the true value of knowing Christ and it so changed his behavior that he could write:

8 . . . I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.    Philippians 3:8 (ESV)

Saul (who later became known as the Apostle Paul) was educated at the Harvard of his country.

3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. Acts 22:3 (NASB)

While no one can know for certain, it is reasonable to assume that prior to being knocked off his horse by Christ while on the Damascus road (and converted), Paul was well off and married.

All Pharisees were married as a matter of custom.  They did not think that one who was not married had either the social status within their community or the accumulated wisdom to teach others.  Although a Jew, Paul was also a Roman citizen.  His Roman citizenship provides us another clue to both Paul’s social standing and wealth.  Roman citizenship was purchased only at a very high price.  Either Paul or his family would have had to have purchased his citizenship.

When Paul says “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” we need to realize that his relationship with Christ really had cost him plenty.

23 Are they servants of Christ? . . . I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.  24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.  25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.  26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;  27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.  28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.                               2 Corinthians 11:23–28 (NASB)

Paul clearly placed knowing and obeying Christ above everything else in his life.  What are you willing to loose because you so value “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ?”  Some people mistakenly want to know Jesus without losing anything.  Southern Baptist’s whose lifestyle is so like American culture that pollsters can describe them as the “purest picture of the American street” are practicing a form of Christianity which would be unrecognizable to the Apostle Paul.  Today’s American Christian so values pursuing the American dream that he is unable or unwilling to be inconvenienced in order to gain Christ.

Think about your own lifestyle.  What have you lost and what are you willing to loose to in your pursuit of Christ?

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Fully Indictable Committed Christians

Apr20
2012 Written by Warner Smith

Many people have had great influence on my Christian life.  One person who has had a tremendous impact on my Christian growth I had never met until fairly recently.  The books and writings of Carl George have blessed me for years.  In November of 2008 I had the pleasure of meeting him.  As we talked and shared the thing that most impressed me was not his intellect (though he has a Ph.D.) nor his knowledge of church growth and consulting (he has probably forgotten more on either subject than I will ever know) but his passion for Christ.

His eyes sparkled and danced any time he spoke about Christ or heard another speak about Christ.   In his presence his charisma and passion for Christ were palatable.  One of the greatest lessons which Carl taught me is that as a Christian I am to develop “fully indictable committed Christians” in my ministry.

This is exactly what Jesus did.  His disciples were “fully indictable committed Christians.”  Listen to what the Sanhedrin council said about Peter and John after they had examined them.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 (ESV)

Were your Christian faith examined by a council, board or court, could you, would you be indictable?  Could you be convicted of being a committed Christian?  Would they find you guilty of being a casual Christian (some would argue that a casual Christian is no Christian at all), or would you be acquitted of being a Christian at all?

What would Jesus have to say about your practice of Christianity?  One day those who are His will hear him say

Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Matthew 25:21b (KJV)

Living so that you may hear this statement from Jesus should be the central focus and most important goal in your life.  If hearing this statement from Christ is your life’s ambition then it will effect your priorities and passions.  What is most precious to you? If we are honest there are many things which we have placed before our passion for Christ.  Each of these competing distractions are idols and must be cast aside.

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