HAVE WE DROPPED THE BALL?
by Ronnie Mutina
If you were asked the question, "Where do you think Christians have dropped the ball, as far as servicing God?" what would your answer be? I’ve tried to image what some of the Apostles would say to us if they were in the world today, and they were as on fire about Jesus as they were back then.
If you were to look at the handful of apostles who were inspired to write the New Testament in the Bible, you would probably get different responses from all of them on this question. I’ve tried to look at the Bible and see what they would have written in their books that would inspire us today. Of course, God’s Word should inspire us all, everyday! People, even people who call themselves Christians have stopped reading the Believer’s Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Of course, excuses for that are as vast as excuses for not going to church too.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke did mostly recording of what Jesus said. You don’t see a lot of their own opinions in their books, but I’ve come up with a short version of what the apostles of the New Testament would tell us about how we are wrong for ignoring God in our lives as Christians.
Matthew, who’s real name is Levi, was a tax collector before he met Jesus. He gave up a very lucrative lifestyle to follow Jesus. He had money, which he obviously gave up to follow Jesus. His main purpose was to exalt God for fulfilling HIS what was prophesied in the Old Testament. He would tell us that the things of the earth do not matter, only the things of God. And then he might tell us to get refocused on doing what Jesus told us to do.
Mark, whose full name was John Mark, was a relative of Barnabas (Col.4:10). He journeyed with Paul for a short period of time and learned from Paul. Even though Paul and him had a disagreement, he obviously learned a great deal about the Lord and how to serve HIM. The main theme in the Book of Mark is to show Christ, the tireless servant of God and Man. Thompson Chain reference says that the key word in the book of Mark was straightway, which show immediate action. So Mark would have probably told us it is our responsibility to do things for God immediately, without hesitation. Something we could all improve on.
Luke, the writer of the book of Luke and book of Acts, was a physician. He was a very close companion to Paul and even records some of the things that they did by using the words, ‘we’ and ‘us’, who showed that Luke experienced some of the pains that Paul went through to serve our God. He would probably tell us that we still have it easy compared to the Christians of that day, and those Christians went to their death exalting a risen Savior. Would we be willing to die to stand up for Christ today? I think not, at least in America. There are people in other countries, including some missionaries from America to these countries who have died for the cause of Christ. However, if the government of America were to say stop serving Christ or die, which one would we choose?
John, who always referred to himself, as the one that Jesus loved, was the writer of the books of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and recorded what the Lord showed him in the book of Revelation. Mark recorded that John was naturally full of energy, (Mk. 3:17), Intolerant, (Mk.9:38), and ambitious, (Mk. 10:35 – 37). Luke recorded that John was somewhat vindictive, (Luke 9:54), at times when it come to serving the Lord and taking up for Jesus. John also shows us that Jesus main purpose was to save the lost and he showed us just how much HE loved us. He wanted to inspire faith is Jesus Christ as the Son of God. John would tell us that our main purpose is to show people how to put their total faith and trust into God, without reservation. However, because most people’s faith is so week, we need to work on ours too. Jesus said, "When the Son of Man cometh, shall HE find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8).
Paul, being the writer of at least 13, and in my opinion, 14 books of the New Testament, is an inspiration to me and should be to all Christians. I believe that Paul also wrote the book of Hebrews, because it is written like Paul’s manuscripts. Either way, if we read all of Paul’s writings, we see a spunky man who reminds me of a cocky rooster. He preached Jesus and HIS salvation and He stood up for what Jesus stood for. When this man was saved, he turned a complete 360 in his life style. There was such a life change that even the Christians of that day, including the disciples that followed Jesus while HE was on earth, questioned whether it was real or not. However, it turned out that he was more on fire for God that most of the apostles. He even rebuked Peter, in the book of Galatians, for compromise, and in 2 Peter, Peter referred to Paul as a ‘beloved brother’. If Paul were here in the United States today, we would be trying to get rid of him. The ACLU, America Crazy Liberal Underclassmen, as I like to refer to them as, would try to make a stand to shut Paul up. However, even if they put him in jail, he would not shut up. The very fact that Jesus saved him was enough for him to stand up for what was right. He would tell us that compromising between this world and God is a sin and that we needed to get our stuff together. He loved the churches that God allowed him to plant. He was a worker and did not endure the lazy Christian. This was the reason he used to Barnabas, not to take John Mark back on the field with him. Through danger and turmoil, Paul did not hesitate in exalting the name of Jesus. In fact it is recorded in 2 Timothy 4:7, where Paul said, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." He encouraged other preachers such as Peter, Timothy, Barnabas, Silas, etc., and regretted that he had made mistakes with Stephen and made up with John Mark. Even with the mistakes he made, Christ was always in the center of his life. Is Christ truly the center of your life?
Peter, one of the most outspoken disciples of the 11, made ready by Jesus in John 21, was a very inspiring in his writings of 1 and 2 Peter. He talked about the victory that a child of God has while over coming the suffering. He used the example of Jesus Christ winning the victory. Peter was very outspoken following Jesus and, except for an occasion of compromise, always proved that he truly loved Jesus. He was interested in Christian growth, and we can learn lots from his two books. If Peter were here, he might say, "Child of God, stand up for what you believe with the vigor that every child of God has been given by the Holy Spirit."
James, the brother of Jesus, probably had, in his opinion, the roughest time as a child. Can you imagine having to be the brother to Jesus? "James, why can’t you be like your brother, Jesus? He never gives us a moments trouble." LOL. However, his book inspires us to do good works and allow it to manifest itself. He would tell us, as he did, "Faith, without works, is dead." You must have faith that Jesus is going to bless whatever you do for HIM.
There are many other things we could learn from apostles and Christians alike throughout God’s Word. We know that everything has a purpose and that purpose manifests itself to glorify the ONE and TRUE LIVING GOD. If we aren’t living to glorify HIM in our lives, then what is our purpose? So, the next time you don’t feel like simply reading your Bible, going to church, or witnessing to the lost, think of what the men of the New Testament would tell you concerning this.
Where have we dropped the ball? By not continuing to go by the principles of God's Word as set forth by God and then by the apostles and other Christians in the Bible. We have become cowards when it comes to standing up for the truth and we have allowed Satan to establish sin in our lives to the extent that God's Word doesn't have much impact on us. When God's Word becomes law in our lives, we, then, will be able to live victorious Christian lives.
I think you would hear them say, "Stop with the excuses: no excuse is acceptable with God, and you have a job to do. Go into the world, preach the gospel, baptize the believers, and then teach whatsoever Jesus has commanded you too." NO EXCUSE FOR NOT DOING THIS IS ACCEPTIBLE WITH HIM. God grant us the wisdom to continue to do you service. Motivate us to serve you with all we have…Amen
