"For which of you intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost whether he has enough to finish it, lest after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all who see it begin to mock him, saying 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'...So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:28-33
There is a weakness in the Church of America because the strong calling of the gospel has been watered down to become palatable to our self-centered society. It has been remade in the image of man's interests and ambitions in order to attract people to it. It has been toned down so as not to offend, it has been updated to include the latest trends, it has been packaged and marketed along side of a dozen other self-improvement fads whose only aim is to make people feel good about their self image. And in so doing it has become a sword without an edge, no longer able to cut and divide righteousness from wickedness, the sacred from the secular. The calling of the gospel, just as the sword without an edge, has become a museum piece, a memento of Christianity, which has lost its effectiveness to separate. We have tried to "become all things to all men" (I Corinthians 9:19-23) in order to make the gospel big enough for everyone. But here we have erred. The gospel has always been big enough for everyone, for Christ died for the sins of the world. It is the entrance into the gospel, its calling, that we have really objected to. We judge it much too narrow a way for it requires us to come to the gospel on the Lord's terms, not ours. The Lord is clear in John 10:1 "he who does not enter...by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." Those that have entered by another door do not possess true Christianity. But in every age, in every people, there have been those that have heard the calling of the gospel as a sword that pierced their heart, and have not been ashamed by it; those who have purposed in their hearts to enter by the Lord's door, and who have never once held back having once crossed the threshold. Such a man was James, the son of Zebedee.
He is called "the Greater" by the Church to distinguish him from James, the son of Alphaeus, another of the Apostles. We know that he was the son of Zebedee and brother of John the Apostle as it records in Matthew 4:21-22 (it is believed that he was the elder brother since he is always named first in any mention of the two brothers together). Salome, one of those women who ministered to the Lord until the end, is named as his mother by a comparison of Matthew 27:55-56 with Mark 15:40-41. We also know that he was one of the first disciples called while he sat mending the fishing nets with his family. The scripture simply states that when "He (Jesus) called them (James and John, his brother) ... immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him." There is little doubt that James embraced without hesitation the calling of Lord when it came. But what of counting the cost to see if he was able to finish what he had begun, as our opening scripture exhorts us? For the answer to that we must glean from other accounts in the pages of scripture.
Scripture records that Jesus called James and his brother Boanerges, a Hebrew word which when translated means "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17). As the thunder is the herald for the approaching storm, so perhaps this name characterized the zealous and impetuous nature which the Lord saw at a glance within James. In Luke 9:49 it records that John (perhaps in consort with his brother for he uses the word "we") forbade one casting out demons in Jesus name because he did not "follow with us". And in Luke 9:54 we see the brothers rebuked for wanting to call down the fire of judgment upon the Samaritans that refused to show Jesus hospitality on the road to Jerusalem. Surely we see a burning evangelical zeal for the Lord, one severe in temperament at any perceived sleight of the Master. Had he counted the cost while listening to the demands of Jesus' teachings and judged himself to possess what he had heard? The Lord's words in Luke 9:55-56 indicate that there was still more to count "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of." Scripture also relates that both the brothers and their mother made bold to request from Jesus the honor that one would be seated at His right hand, and the other at His left when He entered into His kingdom (Matthew 20:-28 and Mark 10:35-45). Once more the son of thunder was called to account. "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" With all his heart he replied "I am able" although he could not yet know fully the bitter dregs that the cup contained. The Lord's answer to him was prophetic "You will indeed drink My cup...."; and we later read in Acts 12:1-3 that "about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the Church. Then he killed James, the brother of John with the sword..."
Was this man of God able to finish what he had begun so many years earlier on the Sea of Galilee? History judges for us. Eusebius, writing in his history of the Church (Book II; 9:2-3) around 325 AD, quoted from Clement of Rome concerning the death of James. So profound was the testimony and demeanor of James before his accusers, that the one who had led him to judgment became a Christian in that very court of Herod and the two were beheaded together. Before the sword fell, the accuser asked James to forgive him, and at that moment when all earthly accounts had come due for the Apostle, James, no longer filled with a spirit of unguided and restless zeal, but now filled up with the Spirit of Jesus, His Master, answered "I wish you peace", and kissed him in brotherly charity. The first of the Apostles to be martyred, James, the Son of Thunder, counted the cost of following Jesus and was not found lacking at the end. In his life and death he showed the words of Jesus Christ to be true...."what you hear in the ear, preach (or perhaps thunder?) from the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body...." (Matthew 10:27)
So, what of us? What call does the blood of James spilled out before the heathen king place upon us? Have we counted the cost? Are we even now striving forward with all of our heart to uphold Jesus Christ and His Kingdom? Of such men of the gospel the Scripture proclaims "they overcame him (Satan, the great dragon) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and that they did not love their lives to the death." ( Revelation 12:11) Such is the cost that the gospel call demands of us. When the Lord bids us follow, may we unhesitatingly spring up, leaving all behind that would hinder us. And when He asks us, "are ye able?" may we with James be not ashamed to say with all the faith our heart can muster "I am able", or, if lacking that, let us as least proclaim, "I am willing Lord, make me able."
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
St. Peter, the Rock, Apostle (Remembrance Day June 29)
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Resist him steadfast in the faith....may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." I Peter 5:8-11
There are two tendencies at work in any person -- the image of God, however disfigured by sin, which tugs the human heart heavenward; and the power of indwelling sin which drags the human soul into the fires of hell. That is what Paul meant in Romans 7:21 "I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good." It is not a popular concept in our "enlightened" age. Man is a product of his environment, his financial opportunities, his education, his ethnic background, and so on. Given the right set of conditions, given the strength of determination, given the ambition to succeed a man can raise himself up and become the master of his fate. Or so the popular notions go. But we know differently. "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24). Only the saving grace of God can break the power of sin and restore His image within our hearts, not so that we can escape our circumstances, but rather that we can know that He is Master in every circumstance to bring forth good from them. This purposeful preaching of God as Savior is sometimes missing in our gospel message today. But remove it, and what "good news" is really left for us to proclaim? The scriptures say that the preaching of the true gospel is foolishness to the world, but is the power of God to us who are saved by it (I Corinthians 3:18). Such foolishness can only be received by those in need of a Savior, those who have come to the end of their own strength and purpose of will and have fallen short, those who have been tried in the balances by sin and found wanting, those who have hit bottom with no where to go. Such a man was Simon the son of Jonah, surnamed Peter.
What we know of Peter we primarily read in the scriptures, for the gospels speak more of him than of any other of the disciples of Jesus Christ. We know that he was a fisherman (Matthew 4:18), that he was a Galilean of the city of Bethsaida (John 1:44), that he was married (Matthew 8:14-15) and that he was bold and impulsive in his behavior. All of the tendencies of self-reliance and strength of will which sin cultivates to the destruction of the soul were there within him. But we also know that there was a spiritual hunger in his soul. For in Mark 10:28-30, when Peter said "See, we have left all and followed You", he spoke truly. And the Lord enumerated those things which he and the other disciples had left behind....house, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, lands.....all for the Lord's sake and the gospel's. And these two tendencies, one of pride in strength, and one of reliance on God's grace, struggled for pre-eminence in Peter. That is why he was able to have deep mysteries revealed to him by the Father in heaven (see his confession of Christ in Matthew 16:13-20) and then shortly after be rebuked by the Lord as Satan's tool and an offense to Christ because "you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." (Matthew 16:22-23) The Lord saw this all in a glance at Peter's heart, he saw the potential for failure ("Simon, Simon! Indeed Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.....I tell you Peter, the rooster will not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me." Luke 22:31-34), but he also knew the potential for God's glory ("I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.")
The Lord had once said in Luke 12:48 "everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required." And much was given to Peter! He was named first in all of the gospel's listings of the chosen apostles (Matthew 10:1-4), he walked on the water to the Lord (Matthew 14:22-33), he was present at the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1-9), he was asked to be one of the intimate companions of the Lord in prayer on the night in which He was betrayed (Matthew 26:26-38). And when much was required of him, what then was the result? "But he (Peter) began to curse and swear, 'I do not know this Man (Jesus) of whom you speak!' And...the rooster crowed. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said." (Mark 14:66-72). We would call that "the bottom". Utter failure, total unfaithfulness!
That night two of the Lord's men hit bottom. Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, overcome with remorse went out and hung himself. Peter, the denier of Jesus, overcome with remorse wept, and being sifted in sorrow found true faith when nothing of himself remained. It was then that he claimed truly for the first time Christ's own surname for him, Cephas, the Rock; and against such bedrock of faith the gates of hell could not prevail.
We haven't even scratched the surface of the record of this new Peter found in the book of Acts, the Peter who struggled with the two tendencies in his heart and by the grace of God was perfected, established, strengthened and settled, as our opening scripture declares. Read a few of the accounts in Acts 1:15-26, Acts 2:14-39, Acts 3:1-10, Acts 4:8-12, Acts 5:1-11, Acts 12:5-19 and see the difference which the recognition of the need of a Savior can make in a man's heart, his words, his actions. Tradition tells us that Peter eventually travelled to Rome where he was instrumental in establishing the Church within the very city which was the source of three centuries of vicious persecution. It was there, in the last year of the emperor Nero's reign, that he was put to death by crucifixtion. His last request was that he be crucified upside down, for he was not worthy to die in the same manner in which His Lord and Savior had. One thing is shown so clearly in the life of Peter for our example and exhortation. The greatness of God's glory and power being manifested in him was directly related to how deeply he had allowed God to enter into his heart and cleanse him of his sinful tendencies. Peter had discovered the truth of the Lord's words in Luke 7:47 which I paraphrase and adapt here. His sins, which were many and grievous, were forgiven, for he loved Jesus Christ dearly. May we take the lesson to heart and allow the love of Jesus Christ to constrain us. When we are sifted by sin, even if we sin so directly against His Name that we feel that there no longer remains a covering for our sins, let us shed our tears of grief and return to Him and let Him once more plumb the depths of our hearts with the question He asked Peter in John 21:15-19 "Do you love Me?". With Peter may our heart's answer be "Lord, you know all things, You know that I love You." Only then can we with confidence once more boldly step out when He answers "Then Follow Me."
There are two tendencies at work in any person -- the image of God, however disfigured by sin, which tugs the human heart heavenward; and the power of indwelling sin which drags the human soul into the fires of hell. That is what Paul meant in Romans 7:21 "I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good." It is not a popular concept in our "enlightened" age. Man is a product of his environment, his financial opportunities, his education, his ethnic background, and so on. Given the right set of conditions, given the strength of determination, given the ambition to succeed a man can raise himself up and become the master of his fate. Or so the popular notions go. But we know differently. "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24). Only the saving grace of God can break the power of sin and restore His image within our hearts, not so that we can escape our circumstances, but rather that we can know that He is Master in every circumstance to bring forth good from them. This purposeful preaching of God as Savior is sometimes missing in our gospel message today. But remove it, and what "good news" is really left for us to proclaim? The scriptures say that the preaching of the true gospel is foolishness to the world, but is the power of God to us who are saved by it (I Corinthians 3:18). Such foolishness can only be received by those in need of a Savior, those who have come to the end of their own strength and purpose of will and have fallen short, those who have been tried in the balances by sin and found wanting, those who have hit bottom with no where to go. Such a man was Simon the son of Jonah, surnamed Peter.
What we know of Peter we primarily read in the scriptures, for the gospels speak more of him than of any other of the disciples of Jesus Christ. We know that he was a fisherman (Matthew 4:18), that he was a Galilean of the city of Bethsaida (John 1:44), that he was married (Matthew 8:14-15) and that he was bold and impulsive in his behavior. All of the tendencies of self-reliance and strength of will which sin cultivates to the destruction of the soul were there within him. But we also know that there was a spiritual hunger in his soul. For in Mark 10:28-30, when Peter said "See, we have left all and followed You", he spoke truly. And the Lord enumerated those things which he and the other disciples had left behind....house, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, lands.....all for the Lord's sake and the gospel's. And these two tendencies, one of pride in strength, and one of reliance on God's grace, struggled for pre-eminence in Peter. That is why he was able to have deep mysteries revealed to him by the Father in heaven (see his confession of Christ in Matthew 16:13-20) and then shortly after be rebuked by the Lord as Satan's tool and an offense to Christ because "you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." (Matthew 16:22-23) The Lord saw this all in a glance at Peter's heart, he saw the potential for failure ("Simon, Simon! Indeed Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.....I tell you Peter, the rooster will not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me." Luke 22:31-34), but he also knew the potential for God's glory ("I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.")
The Lord had once said in Luke 12:48 "everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required." And much was given to Peter! He was named first in all of the gospel's listings of the chosen apostles (Matthew 10:1-4), he walked on the water to the Lord (Matthew 14:22-33), he was present at the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1-9), he was asked to be one of the intimate companions of the Lord in prayer on the night in which He was betrayed (Matthew 26:26-38). And when much was required of him, what then was the result? "But he (Peter) began to curse and swear, 'I do not know this Man (Jesus) of whom you speak!' And...the rooster crowed. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said." (Mark 14:66-72). We would call that "the bottom". Utter failure, total unfaithfulness!
That night two of the Lord's men hit bottom. Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, overcome with remorse went out and hung himself. Peter, the denier of Jesus, overcome with remorse wept, and being sifted in sorrow found true faith when nothing of himself remained. It was then that he claimed truly for the first time Christ's own surname for him, Cephas, the Rock; and against such bedrock of faith the gates of hell could not prevail.
We haven't even scratched the surface of the record of this new Peter found in the book of Acts, the Peter who struggled with the two tendencies in his heart and by the grace of God was perfected, established, strengthened and settled, as our opening scripture declares. Read a few of the accounts in Acts 1:15-26, Acts 2:14-39, Acts 3:1-10, Acts 4:8-12, Acts 5:1-11, Acts 12:5-19 and see the difference which the recognition of the need of a Savior can make in a man's heart, his words, his actions. Tradition tells us that Peter eventually travelled to Rome where he was instrumental in establishing the Church within the very city which was the source of three centuries of vicious persecution. It was there, in the last year of the emperor Nero's reign, that he was put to death by crucifixtion. His last request was that he be crucified upside down, for he was not worthy to die in the same manner in which His Lord and Savior had. One thing is shown so clearly in the life of Peter for our example and exhortation. The greatness of God's glory and power being manifested in him was directly related to how deeply he had allowed God to enter into his heart and cleanse him of his sinful tendencies. Peter had discovered the truth of the Lord's words in Luke 7:47 which I paraphrase and adapt here. His sins, which were many and grievous, were forgiven, for he loved Jesus Christ dearly. May we take the lesson to heart and allow the love of Jesus Christ to constrain us. When we are sifted by sin, even if we sin so directly against His Name that we feel that there no longer remains a covering for our sins, let us shed our tears of grief and return to Him and let Him once more plumb the depths of our hearts with the question He asked Peter in John 21:15-19 "Do you love Me?". With Peter may our heart's answer be "Lord, you know all things, You know that I love You." Only then can we with confidence once more boldly step out when He answers "Then Follow Me."
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