Not Weak or Strong, Just Committed

 

Today I began to wonder what type of man is GOD looking for today? Is GOD looking for a white-collar worker, a blue-collar worker, what skill set does the man of GOD need today? I began to search the scriptures and soon found a rich white-collar worker in the Gospel according to Mark.

 

Mark 10:17-23

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life? Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother. Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy. Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

So, what do we learn from this scripture?

1.      GOD is not looking for someone who is capable of inheriting Heaven by their own merit…because, that person simply does not exist. No One Can Inherit Heaven On their Own Merit.

 

v We are all so tempted to place our hope and trust in something or someone other than GOD. For the rich man in this story, and many of us today, it was money and good deeds dominating his life. He thought by having enough money and being good enough he could earn salvation. But he couldn’t and we can’t either. The ONLY Thing We Will Ever Worship That Will Satisfy Is Christ.

v Everybody worships something or someone. You just get to choose what you worship. What we worship will be where we get our identity. It becomes who we are. The problem is the things that most people worship will never satisfy; they only leave us wanting more.

 

2.     Jesus Offers a Better Way to Live… But It Will Hurt. Jesus offers us an invitation to a better life. Life the way it was intended to be lived. Life free from the things that weigh us down. The invitation is free, but the process is painful.

 

v Hear me on this. Salvation is a free gift that you don’t have to do anything but accept. However, Jesus wants more than to just save us, he wants to redeem us. Why? Because he loves us and wants what is best for us. But that redemption process will be painful, like pruning a fruit tree.

3.     That’s what Jesus was offering this rich young ruler. A better life. This guy had everything the world has to offer and still felt something was missing. Jesus offered him a better way, but instead he left sad. Why? Because the pruning/pain of going through that redemption process was too great for him.

 

v It meant leaving behind what he worshiped--his identity. And at that moment he just couldn’t do it… he was too weak. Even though he seemed to be living a life free of trouble…he was too weak to follow Jesus.

GOD does not need weak men like the rich young ruler.

“Sometimes the devil allows people to live a life free of trouble. Because he does not want them turning to GOD. Their sin is like a jail cell except it is all nice all comfortable and there doesn’t seem any need to leave. The door is wide open…until one day…time runs out and the cell door slams shut…and suddenly it is too late” (Rice Broocks).

So I ask you, what really matters?

Next, I began to look in the Old Testament; surely, I would find an example there. Therefore, I looked at the book of Judges for a blue-collar worker, you know someone of humble beginnings. The Book of Judges begins with the death of Joshua and tells the story of Israel’s complete failure. Before Israel demanded a King, Judges governed them. These Judges were regional 12 total one for each tribe, and went from a bad Judge to even worse Judges moving in a downward spiral. The book of Judges shares the story of six main Judges: Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson.

The Book of Judges recounts a number of Samson’s exploits: he kills a lion with his bare hands, and after losing a wager, he lashes out and kills thirty Philistines in anger. In what is perhaps his most famous exploit before he meets Delilah, Samson kills an entire Philistine army with a donkey’s jawbone. So, what happens to the strongest man ever to live?

Judges 16:21

“Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison.”

Prior to being cast into prison consider how Samson lived a life free of trouble. He did what he wanted, when he wanted, to whom he wanted, with no consequences… or so he thought. This got me thinking, what exactly did Samson grind?

Perhaps Samson was compelled to grind wheat, or perhaps he was tethered to a large millstone walking in a circle grinding wheat, day, after day, after day.

What we do know is in the Scriptures, the term “grind” means sexual relations. You can cross-reference verses in Job 31:10, and Isaiah 47: 2-3 and see two examples. If this is what Samson was forced to do…just imagine what he thought. What was once his soul’s desire now becomes a drudgery…day…after day…after day. His enemies were now using his sin against him. But GOD was not through with Samson.

Judges 16:28

“And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me I pray thee…”

Before we look at Samson’s downfall and redemption let us examine his beginning. GOD appeared to Samson's parents and told them they would have a child, and this child would be a Nazirite. Therefore, Samson's parents before his birth were given a revelation from GOD concerning his birth. Prior to this, his mother had been barren and did not have any children.

A Nazirite is one who is devoted to GOD. According to the customs of the Old Testament, Nazirite persons vow part of their lives or their entire lives to GOD. Samson was a Nazirite from the womb of his mother. So, he was not only consecrated for a certain period of his life but he was consecrated all his life, even prior to conception, to GOD.

As a Nazirite, Samson had to honor three standards:

1. He could not touch a dead body.

i)   Samson compounded that error by violating his Nazirite vow. God gave him great strength, with which he killed a lion, but then he came into contact with the lion’s carcass when he scooped honey out of it (Judges. 14:6–9). 

ii) Samson killed 30 philistines and removed their coats. (Judges 14:19).

2. He could not shave the hair off his head.

3. He could not drink wine, nor touch grapes.

Samson broke his vow during the wedding feast to celebrate his marriage with a woman from Timnah. The Hebrew word translated “feast” in Judges 14:10 actually refers to a weeklong drinking party that was held at the home of the bride’s parents. Consequently, Samson ignored that aspect of the vow as well. Samson refused to listen and obey GOD, he was so concerned and even preoccupied with what he wanted, with what he desired, and with living for the moment. Samson like each of us had been warned…but he did not care because he was living for the moment.

Samson had allowed the desires of the flesh, alcoholism/substance abuse, and self…three of the deadliest parasites into his life. Parasites will suck the very life out of you growing like a disease. They promise pleasure only to demand more and more of your time, thoughts, and resources. They steal away your heart from those you love, and those who love you.

GOD does not need strong men like Samson.

“Sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you are willing to pay.

Sin brings serious consequences and pain into our life and the lives of those we love. Therefore, it is far better for us if GOD works through our obedience to accomplish His purposes than working through our disobedience.

So, I ask you again, what really matters?

Romans 5:8

“But God demonstrated His own love towards us in this: That while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

 

As I searched the scriptures, I found GOD has used white-collar workers, blue-collar workers, Kings, Queens, Pharaohs, Profits, Judges, and children each one imperfect who shared one common attribute. It was here I found my answer.

GOD needs committed men like Steven who served in Jerusalem.

GOD needs men who are willing to take a stand for what is right and true not fall for the things convenient and politically correct. Jesus was born circa 1 AD, most scholars place the date of his birth between 4-6 AD. Therefore, it has been approximately 2,022 years since Jesus walked the earth.  Additionally, it has been approximately 1,992 years since Jesus called Peter, Andrew, Big James, John, Phillip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas, and it has been approximately 1,989 years since the first Christian martyr Steven died. Now there is an interesting word. Martyr is a Latin word meaning “one who bears testimony.” How did the meaning of the word martyr transform to being “put to death” so goes humanity’s Lexicon of time, today “bad” means good, “lit” means amazing, “sick” means sweet, and “thirsty” means trying to get attention.

Stephen was truly one of the most prominent leaders of the early church. Soon after Jesus ascends back to Heaven to be with the Father the church would experience challenge after challenge; and with each challenge, there would be an opportunity. This is when the Apostles gathered the church together and decided to choose men who were known to be full of the Holy Spirit. After prayer seven men were chosen, one of whom was Stephen. We find the story of Stephen recorded by Luke in Acts Chapters 6 and 7. Stephen was a man full of faith, full of the Holy Spirit, and full of GOD’s grace and power. Stephen decided to continue to be present, to remain active, and consistently serve the needs of others. I have thought a lot about those challenges and opportunities of the early church and how little has changed. “behold, I say unto you. Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” John 4:35.

Over the past 30 years as a teacher, I have witnessed firsthand the destruction of the American family by men refusing to accept and embrace the role of a Father. Any male can procreate. Our schools, communities, and prisons are full of young men and young women devastated by being abandoned, neglected, and discarded. They each have feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness. They have been disappointed more than they have been cared for, they have been despised more than they have been valued, and they have been hurt more than they have been loved.

I would like to take a moment and speak to the men. Your vocation, possessions, athletic accomplishments, or business accolades have no lasting legacy. Marriage in the United States has been under attack over the past 50 years. Divorce today seems to be the acceptable answer when things get tough. Marriage is a covenant, not a contract established by GOD, and one meant to last for life. I am very aware there are times spouses will refuse to reconcile, and when this happens, the Church must be present to support each person never taking sides. If you have gone through a divorce, I do not stand here to judge you, for I too have endured the pain of divorce. Our mothers were never intended to carry the weight of parenthood alone. Divorce does not mean you are no longer a Father. 

Our communities need Godly men to embrace an active role as Father and Father figures. We must love and mentor those who have no Father in their lives. If you are not a Father, you still have a vital role because there are children in our community desperately needing direction by Godly men being present, firm, fair, and consistent. 

If you truly desire the pattern of destruction to be defeated, begin today to develop and maintain a Godly influence, and pray for GOD to open the door and when GOD opens the door, He will provide you the strength to walk through it. Today we looked into the life of someone weak. Today we looked into the life of someone strong. Today we looked into the life of one committed person.

Well here is what we learn from the life of Steven.

1.   Nothing is more important than the GOD’s will.

2.  GOD does his greatest work through imperfect people.

3.   We are called to share the love of GOD, called to fellowship, and called to service.

4.  Grace to endure suffering always comes when we need it, and not one second before.

 

In this fragile life, the only thing we can keep forever is what JESUS told us to give away. Yes, the LOVE of GOD lasts forever because it multiplies by returning to the Father.

 

Today I have asked you, what really matters?

 

Well, what really matters today, mattered yesterday, and it will matter tomorrow. It matters Father’s day, it matters Mother’s Day, and it matters every other day. It matters for the weak, and the strong. It matters for the white-collar worker and the blue-collar worker. The answer to this poignant question each will answer for themselves daily, not by what we say, but by what we chose to do and how we chose to spend our time today, tomorrow, and forever Amen.