Tag: Discipleship

For or Against Jesus

And John answered and said, “Master, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us.”
But Jesus said unto him, “Forbid him not: for he that is not against you is for you” (Luke 9:49-50).

“He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth” (Luke 11:23).

The Bible is full of mysteries and has a few conundrums, and here is one right from the mouth of Jesus. It also has great relevance for today since there are plenty of people who, in reality or in effect, just quote these two verses against one another. If you are not for Jesus, are you, by necessity, against Him? Or if you are not against Jesus, are you really for Him? How could anyone be for and against Jesus at the same time?

While the two statements may seem contradictory, they are not. They are in different contexts talking about different situations, and there is much to be gained from considering them.

Mark (Mark 9:38-40) and Luke (Luke 9:49-50) record the interaction between John and Jesus regarding the one who cast out demons in Jesus’ name but who did not walk with the disciples. We do not know precisely why John brings this up– perhaps he is internally questioning the decision, or perhaps he is attempting to get some kind of commendation for his activity. Nevertheless, John receives a rebuke. This gentleman, whoever he is, should not be censured for his conduct. Mark reveals a bit more of Jesus’ reasoning than does Luke: “for there is no man who shall do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me” (Mark 9:39). This is why Jesus says that “he that is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40). They have some level of recognition that there is power in Jesus’ name, and they cannot be as quickly to speak evil of Jesus or those who follow Him if they have that recognition. Yet it should bear noticing that such a person, while perhaps being “for us,” still is not included in “us.”

Matthew (Matthew 12:22-30) and Luke (Luke 11:14-23) record Jesus’ interaction with the crowd and the Pharisees. Jesus casts out a demon, and the Pharisees, always more interested in justifying themselves than perceiving the truth of God in Jesus, declare that He casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub prince of the demons. Jesus first devastates that claim– Satan would not cast out Satan, and the Pharisees would have to condemn their own sons– and then goes on to show the real problem. The Pharisees are blaspheming against the Spirit, declaring the work of God to be the work of Satan (Matthew 12:31-32). In such a condition there is little hope of repentance. It is to these Pharisees that Jesus declares that whoever is not with Him is against Him, and that whoever does not gather with Him scatters (Matthew 12:30). Such people have no belief in Jesus and are entirely hostile to Him and to His purposes. They are not “for” or “with” Him in any sense of those terms.

Jesus is not confused and He is not trying to be confusing. He is indicating that there are at least three groups of people out there– Him and His disciples, those who have some recognition of Jesus and His authority, and those who are entirely against Jesus and His disciples.

The ones who are against Jesus are those who do not recognize Him and who act in ways that are contrary to His will. They are like the Pharisees who rejected Jesus and were more than willing to ascribe His works to Satan in order to justify themselves. Such, without repentance, will scatter, and will be condemned on the final day (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9).

There are some who recognize that there is something about Jesus, however, and who are more sympathetic to Him and His purposes. Since they are not actively opposing the work of God in Christ, they show a level of approval, and are in that sense “for” Jesus.

Yet, ultimately, it is not enough to just not be against Jesus. If we wish to be saved, and to have eternal life, we must follow Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:1, 1 John 2:3-6). We must seek to do His will in all things (Colossians 3:17). We must renounce all that is “us” and put on Christ (Galatians 2:20, 3:27). Let us not be found to be against Christ, or even that we were simply not against Him; instead, let us be found to be one of His followers, and obtain the promises!

Ethan R. Longhenry

The Lamb

On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, “Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Generally, when we think about lambs, we are not filled with fear or respect. We would perhaps consider them “cute” or something of the sort. We would think of a young and vulnerable animal, perhaps not the smartest, yet, above all things, harmless and innocent.

Therefore, there are good reasons why you do not see many high schools or colleges whose mascot is a lamb. The designation would be either ironic or all too appropriate. It is also a term that is generally not used to describe another person. You rarely hear someone who has been given the nickname “Lamb.” Even if such a one were to exist, he would not be someone whom you would fear!

Yet John the Baptist, on seeing Jesus, speaks of Him as the “Lamb.” Why would John say such a thing? Is it an insult? What is he trying to communicate?

While we may think of lambs as cute, young, harmless, and the like, an ancient Israelite would have added to all those things “a sacrifice.” Lambs were offered as sacrifices to God even in the days of Abraham (cf. Genesis 22:7-8). In order to mark out Israelite houses, God commanded Israel to sacrifice lambs and use their blood to mark the lintel and the side posts during the Passover (cf. Exodus 12:3-5). Lambs were the perpetual daily sacrifices for atonement (cf. Exodus 29:38-42). Lambs were sufficient sacrifices for sin and trespass offerings (cf. Leviticus 4:32, 5:6).

Yet why the poor lamb? What did it ever do to deserve such a fate? Absolutely nothing– and that was the point. As elaborated in Leviticus 17:11, the life of an animal was in its blood, and animals were offered on the altar in order to atone for the sins of the one sacrificing. The penalty for sin was death (cf. Genesis 3:3, Romans 6:23). For the penalty to be paid, something had to die– and in the old covenant, the innocent lamb was the one who paid the penalty.

This is the background behind John’s statement. By signifying that Jesus is the “Lamb of God,” John forecasts His life and death. Jesus, as the Lamb, would be sinless and innocent (cf. Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:21-22). Through His death on the cross He was able to take away the sin of the world– to be the sinless, innocent Life that would atone for all the guilty who believed in Him (cf. Matthew 20:25-28, Romans 5:5-11, 2 Corinthians 5:20).

The blood of lambs, in truth, could not take away sin (Hebrews 10:4). God passed over the sins of the righteous of old, looking forward to the propitiation that came through the obedience of Jesus the true Lamb of God (cf. Romans 3:25, Hebrews 5:7-10). In so doing Jesus broke down the barriers between Jew and Gentile and all people, allowing all to be cleansed of sin and reconciled to God through His blood (Ephesians 2:11-18).

We again see Jesus as the Lamb in Revelation 5:6-14, the One worthy to open the seven seals. The Lamb receives power and honor and glory for His life, death, and resurrection.

Therefore it is important for us to remember that Jesus, the Lamb of God, was not just a sacrifice– He was humble, meek, and lowly, One from whom you would not derive a mascot (cf. Matthew 11:28-30). His way is not the way of the world, but the way of love, humility, and service (Matthew 20:25-28). In order to be His disciple we must also become sacrifices, albeit living ones (Romans 12:1), and we must develop the humility and disposition of a servant as did our Lord (cf. John 13:1-17, Philippians 2:1-11).

The Lamb gave His life so that we could have abundant life, both here and in the hereafter. If we seek to obtain that life, we must give up our own lives and follow the ways of the Lamb of God!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Walking as He Walked

He that saith he abideth in [Jesus] ought himself also to walk even as he walked (1 John 2:6).

Why did Jesus live?

It would be entirely understandable if people got the impression that Jesus lived only to die for our sins. A lot of emphasis in preaching and teaching falls squarely on the death of Jesus for sin and comparatively less on how Jesus lived and the lessons of His life.

This is not to say that Jesus did not die for our sins, or that His death was not part of His life. According to Ephesians 3:11 and John 1:29, Jesus’ death for the forgiveness of sins was understood from eternity and from the beginning of His work on earth. Romans 5:5-11 eloquently expresses the nature of Jesus’ death and its great value for those who would believe in Him. Furthermore, there must be an emphasis on the death of Jesus for sin in the preaching of the Gospel, since it is a significant part of what must be believed, and a good reminder of what was required for us to be redeemed from sin (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Titus 3:3-8).

On the other hand, to believe that the only reason for Jesus to come to earth was to die would be a gross exaggeration and a distortion of what the Scriptures teach. If all Jesus had to do was to die, why did He preach and teach the people for three years? Why not just go quickly to Jerusalem and get it all over with?

Many may point to the fact that Jesus needed to first fulfill the prophecies made regarding Him, and that is certainly true (cf. Luke 24:44-47). Jesus Himself said that all things required fulfillment (Matthew 5:17-18). But are the only reasons why Jesus lived the fulfillment of prophecy and to die?

The Scriptures indicate that Jesus is the Word made flesh– if you see Jesus, it is as if you are seeing the Father (John 1:18, 14:6-11). Jesus came to communicate in word and deed the nature and essence of God. This was not designed to be a mere intellectual exercise or a model attempt!

When we read Scriptures like the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 5-7, the various parables in Matthew 13 or Luke 14-16, or the instructions to the disciples in John 13-17, among other passages, it becomes quickly apparent that Jesus in life is interested in making disciples who will follow Him, live by His principles as He did, and to proclaim His message and advance His Kingdom for His purposes and to His glory.

Under both covenants the command is given to be holy as God is holy (cf. Leviticus 11:17, 1 Peter 1:16). We are to love others as God has loved us, and this is expressed most powerfully through Jesus Christ (1 John 4:7-21). When we stop and think about it for a moment, all of the commands, principles, and exhortations of the new covenant– either regarding clinging to the good or abhorring the evil (cf. Romans 12:9)– are grounded and based upon the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.

This is why John is able to express the truth simply: if we will abide in Jesus, we must walk as He walked. We must be imitators of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Granted, there are some aspects of Jesus’ life and teaching that apply to first century Judaism and are not directly relevant for the new covenant, yet this does not change the reality that the foundation of the ethics, principles, and statutes of the New Testament is Jesus and what He accomplished in life.

Did Jesus live to fulfill prophecy and to die for the sins of mankind? Certainly– but His life means so much more. He lived to show us how to live. He became flesh and showed the way through His words and His deeds. He shows us that it is possible to be human and yet be holy and godly, both in what we are doing and in what we avoid.

But how can we walk as Jesus walked if we do not know how He walked? If we believe that we are Christians, then we must claim that we are disciples of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20); how can we be disciples, or learners/followers, of Someone whom we barely know and under whose feet we are not sitting in order to learn? While all Scripture is profitable for spiritual growth (2 Timothy 3:16), the four Gospels should always hold a special place in our hearts, devotions, and study, for they are where we find the life and work of Jesus of Nazareth, our Redeemer, Lord, Master, Teacher, and Friend. Let us walk as Jesus walked, growing in His grace and knowledge (1 John 2:6, 2 Peter 3:18)!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Following Afar Off

And they seized [Jesus], and led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed afar off (Luke 22:54).

The night’s confused events were taking place rapidly.

They had all spent the night eating the Passover with Jesus, and they all knew that the time was near. Jesus had indicated that He would not drink the fruit of the vine again until the Kingdom had come (Luke 22:18). He had served His disciples and instructed them in many things regarding His imminent departure (John 13-17).

And then, in the garden, Judas had come with the band of soldiers. Peter felt that this was the time to act, and he cut off Malchus’ ear (cf. Luke 22:47-51, John 18:10-11). Jesus censured him for the move, and healed Malchus. All of the disciples then turned and fled while Jesus was led away (Matthew 26:56).

Soon after, Peter remembered exactly what he had told Jesus and what Jesus had said. Peter said that he would go with Jesus both to prison and to death (Luke 22:33). He could not abandon his Master now, and so he followed from afar.

The pieces were then in place. Peter sat with others and warmed himself by the fire (Luke 22:55). It was in this setting that his courage failed him. He had three opportunities to confess Jesus, and he denied Him three times (Luke 22:56-60). Then Jesus turned and looked at him (Luke 22:61). We can only imagine how Peter felt at that moment!

Thus Peter betrayed Jesus. It was really classic Peter, exhibiting the same type of initial brashness and then wavering as seen when he walked on the water and then began to sink (cf. Matthew 14:28-31). Peter as a man of little faith was exposed again.

That exposure was unnecessary as we can see. The disciples had fled, and Peter could have continued to flee. He could have waited out this tempestuous time away from the danger and would not have had the opportunity to deny Jesus. Yet Peter, as impetuous as always, followed Jesus into the danger zone, and, as usual, failed.

But would Jesus have really wanted Peter to flee and not experience the testing of faith? That is a much more difficult question. As much as Peter’s denials must have pierced Jesus’ soul, Peter was at least willing to suffer the danger of being near Him. The abandonment was not entirely complete, as it certainly was for some of the other disciples.

After Pentecost the day would come when Peter would again step forth into the danger zone, but this time he would not fail– he boldly stood before the Sanhedrin and confessed Jesus as the Risen Christ (Acts 4:1-23). Peter would be the one to stand and preach the first Gospel message to Jews (Acts 2:14-36) and Gentiles (Acts 10:1-48), and, according to tradition, follow his Lord and Master to death by crucifixion (John 21:18). All of this was because Peter was not one to flee but to be willing to, if nothing else, at least follow afar off.

There are many times in our lives when confused events take place rapidly. Times of distress and difficulty come upon us; many times we do not expect them. When our faith is tested, and we feel as if we are going to be bereft of our Lord, how will we respond? Will we be as many of the disciples and run away, attempting to avoid all the possible dangers? There is a time and place for that, assuredly, but not always. Or will we be like Peter, willing to follow even if it is afar off, willing to risk our livelihoods and our lives to follow Jesus?

Perhaps we will find ourselves in that kind of situation and we fail like Peter failed. We should then “turn again” and “strengthen our brethren” (cf. Luke 22:32), repenting and seeking to do better. Or maybe we will succeed and stand firm, proclaiming through our word and deed in distress and difficulty that we are servants of Jesus Christ. Then God receives the glory (cf. 1 Peter 4:11).

We have no reason to believe that Peter the Apostle could have been the force for good for the Kingdom that he turned out to be had he not been Simon the disciple who was willing to follow and yet failed. Likewise, we will never be the disciples of Jesus Christ we can be, and we will not be able to be the force for good for the Kingdom that we should be, if we never take the risk of following Jesus in difficult, distressing times. We might very well stumble and perhaps even fail; the flesh is weak even when the spirit is willing. We can learn from our failures and move on. And perhaps we will succeed and God will be glorified and it will be evident how wise it was to follow and not flee. But that day will never come if we always flee, never taking the risk, never being exposed to the danger.

What kind of disciples of Christ are we? Let us seek to follow Jesus, even when the times are difficult, even when the danger is evident, take the risk, and stand firm for Him and His Kingdom!

Ethan R. Longhenry

To Whom Shall We Go?

Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, “Would ye also go away?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God” (John 6:66-69).

Jesus never intended for Christianity to be easy. He has spoken and commanded many difficult things. Many of His teachings and practices are counter-intuitive and entirely against the grain of “conventional wisdom.”

Most people can accept, or at least tolerate, much of what Jesus said and did. Most people have no difficulty accepting the teachings and practices of Jesus Christ that come easily for them. After all, it is easy to keep avoiding the sins you have been avoiding and to keep doing the good things you have been doing!

But then there are the more challenging commands. “Deny [yourself], take up [your] cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). “The greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 20:27). Be crucified to self, live for Christ– no longer me, but Him (Galatians 2:20). Love your enemies; do good to those who would hate you and do evil to you (Luke 6:27-36). Do good at every opportunity, even when inconvenient (Luke 10:29-37). The list can go on and on, and the list will be different for each person!

Jesus had taught many difficult things in John 6 (John 6:60). He told people that they needed to eat His flesh and drink His blood if they were to have eternal life (John 6:53). While Jesus was speaking spiritually (cf. John 6:61-63), the image was quite disturbing for these good Jews, and it was difficult to wrap their heads around the idea of “consuming” the Incarnate Word (cf. John 1:1, 14). Because of these difficult sayings, many disciples no longer walked with Him (John 6:66).

Jesus turns and asks the Twelve if they would go away in John 6:67, and we then have Simon Peter’s excellent confession in John 6:68-69.

Notice what Peter does not say. Peter does not say that the teachings are easy or that they are entirely in line with the way the disciples already think. No– Peter recognizes that Jesus’ words are challenging and difficult. They were as counter-intuitive and against “conventional wisdom” then as they are now!

Instead, Peter demonstrates his faith and the faith of the other eleven disciples. Their faith is in Jesus Himself. They have come to believe and know that He is the Holy One of God, the promised Messiah that the prophets anticipated (John 1:41, 45). They have seen His work and know that no man can do what He does by His own strength (cf. John 9:30-33). Therefore, even if what Jesus of Nazareth teaches is difficult to swallow, it must be swallowed, because He has come from God and He speaks words of eternal life, and no such words can be found elsewhere!

If we are going to be effective servants of Jesus Christ, we must have the same starting point of faith as Peter and the disciples. It is not enough for us to believe in Jesus Christ for the things we like about Him, or that we should be attracted to Him because He taught some “good things.” Our faith must be rooted, first and foremost, in the belief and knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Holy One of God, Lord of heaven and earth, and His words are the words of eternal life (John 6:68-69, Matthew 28:18, Acts 2:36). If we first believe that, then we will be able to accept all things that He has taught, not necessarily because we think that they are all wonderful and lovely, but instead because we know that they are true and lead to eternal life, and that we cannot find such life anywhere else.

It will not be easy. Jesus’ deeds challenge us and force us out of our comfort zones. Jesus’ teachings overthrow some of our cherished beliefs and perspectives. We will be compelled to change the way we think, act, and how we present ourselves to others (Romans 6:16-18, Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 10:5). It may be difficult, but, in the end, where else can we go? Jesus is the Holy One of God, the One who teaches words of eternal life. Let us learn from Him, accept both the easy and the challenging, and be found as faithful servants of God!

Ethan R. Longhenry