The road may be rocky, but it goes to the right place

Yesterday we were encouraged to “bloom where we’re planted and rejoice in the “glad news that God reigns supreme.” Today we will be looking at some of the more trying aspects of living for Him in a sinful world. We will consider what we can expect as we join him in his mission. Here are five statements from one chapter in Luke that some might feel to be deterrents to accepting Christ.
       (1) The disciples are chosen and then, when sent out, discover that they are like “sheep surrounded by a pack of wolves” (10:1-16).
       (2) They will be taken into custody and put on trial because “hostility will become so extreme that even family loyalties will disappear” (10:17-25).
       (3) “Anyone who denies in public that they belong to me will be denied by me in the presence of God’s angels” (10:26-33).
       (4) Christ did not come “to bring peace to the world,” but to “bring conflict” (10:34-36).
       (5) Jesus says that you can’t be his if you ”care more for father or mother than for me” (10:37-39).
 
       From these verses one would assume that the Christian life is certainly difficult.  Once again: believers are like sheep surrounded by a pack of wolves, they will be put in jail, the door to heaven may be blocked, conflict is an essential ingredient in their life, and family is no longer primary. Yes, that is what Jesus said, and is true. But each statement needs to be looked at in the larger context of all that may be involved.
       That Christians sent into the world are like “sheep surrounded by a pack of wolves” is true in that the lifestyle taught in the gospel is significantly different than its alternatives. To decide for Christ is to decide against everything that stands contrary to who he is and what he teaches. A genuine commitment does not allow a “believer” to be an atheist every Friday evening when “the boys get together.” In other words, opposition is a necessary part of believing, because by definition “A” is meaningless if there is no “non-A”.
       This leads naturally to the second verse quoted. If your life as a Christian happens to be in a hostile setting, jail could be something like the first step in a procedure that could end in death. That is what happened to Jesus, and, incidentally, to thousands of his faithful followers throughout history. So, while it is not a pleasant prospect, it could be part of the Christian experience. It certainly has been for countless numbers of faithful martyrs since the birth of Christianity.
       To “deny in public’’ that you “belong to Christ” would be an outward confession of loyalty to a different culture and world-view. Would any serious group of believers allow that? I think not. Since every point of view is opposed by those who hold the opposite, if the latter have the authority, they may well “silence” their opponents by placing them under arrest. It is just part of life.
       The statement that Christ did not come to bring peace, but conflict, to the world, is obviously one that calls for context. The “peace” of which Jesus speaks would be a settled, well- functioning society built on non-Christian principles. The “conflict” he spoke of would not be war in general but all the social unrest that results from someone accepting a faith that has a higher code of ethics and for that reason disturbs those who want to stay right at the low level they now enjoy.
       And “caring for God more than father or mother” is a concise way to say that in the long run, if a decision has to be made, I would have no option but to choose God. It is not a denial of the vital importance of good relationships within one’s personal family.
 
       So what we have in these five statements is a candid recognition that while the Christian faith is our greatest hope and blessing, it does not come without a certain “price.” Whatever one accepts involves giving up its opposite. If something is worth having it is worth paying the required price. Ultimately, the “price” of giving up what the world treasures most, is so absolutely infinitesimal in comparison to life in Christ and the privilege of living forever in his presence, that even to consider it seriously would call for a quick trip to the local therapist.