Wanted, men for polar expedition. Harsh climate, little pay, bitter cold, severe winds, starvation. Little likelihood of safe return. For those who do, glory. If you’ve been listening to Christian radio lately, you’ve likely heard that story. It’s a true one.
In a lot of ways, that ad could have run for people willing to follow Christ. Wanted, human beings. To be hated, despised, misunderstood, and betrayed. Because they killed Him, they will try to kill you. But some will listen, and because of your faithful witness, they will receive everlasting life. If you persevere in the struggle by the power of the Holy Spirit, not only will you stand with Jesus, but you’ll be rewarded by Him in glory.
When we’re open to the Lord, people will hate us.
All of us want to be appreciated. If we’re not, or if we think we’re not, we’ll often pout – maybe even sing silly little songs like “no one likes me, everyone hates me, guess I’ll just eat worms.” We realize that what we want is not often what we get, but we still try to be loved and liked. Jesus said that we will be hated if we follow Him. That’s hardly a great recruitment slogan. But if you’ve been a follower of Christ for any amount of time, if you’re really seeking to follow Him, then you know it’s true. Unfortunately, most of us think we’d ought to be liked and respected, not hated. Where do we get that idea?
Since this seems to be a national problem, maybe it stems from the birth of our nation. The Declaration of Independence states that we have the “right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Never mind that those who framed the declaration understood the pursuit of happiness to mean the right to own property. We think we should get everything we want when we want it. If we think that, we’re wrong. Jesus said, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
By the way, do you see who it is that will hate you? It shouldn’t be those within the body. They should come alongside you and tend your wounds. The world, though, they’ll turn on you. Are you ready to be turned on? Is the door to your life open or shut to the Lord?
Have you noticed what happens when we try to compromise with God’s standards so that the world likes us better? We end up compromising on everything. It’s just little things at first – blood’s too gory to mention in nice circles, so we take the mention of Jesus’ blood from hymnbooks. Then we start to think about how horrible crosses are, and so we remove them from churches, just so those “newcomers” won’t have to be offended. Before long, we realize that we feel bad enough about ourselves without hearing about our own sin, so we want warm messages about how great everything is . . . even if our community is falling apart around us. After awhile, we aren’t a church anymore. We’ve invited in every thought and theory, but we’ve pushed out the Lord Jesus Christ. There’s just no room for Him anymore.
No. We can’t be fooled. If we want everything that God wants for us, there won’t be room for anything else. We’ll be told that we’re crazy. Even called religious fanatics. But it isn’t about religion, it’s about relationship.
Just as a young couple need to pull away from family and friends so that their marriage will be strong, we need to pull away from the world in order to know Christ. But when that happens, just like the family and friends of the bride and groom, we are looked upon as if we are selfish, inconsiderate, and just plain wrong. But those who have been through it know better.
When we’re open to the Lord, we become different from those around us.
Openness is a whole lot more than saying that God can do something if He wants to. It’s telling Him He’s free to do with us whatever He desires – even if we don’t like what happens to us. Honestly, I’ve never heard anyone say they weren’t open to God. But what if He wants to do something with you that you wouldn’t want Him to? Are you open to that? Are you willing to love that person you don’t trust? Are you willing to accept someone you disagree with? What if what He was going to do was make you feel as if He were far, far away from you?
That’s the dilemma the disciples faced. Jesus told them that He had to go away. He even said that it would be better for them if He did, because then, His Holy Spirit would be sent to guide them into all truth and provide them with the counsel they need. By extension, we are recipients of that promise. We receive the Spirit of God when we become His children, and that Holy Spirit works to change us and those around us. Even if we don’t open our mouths.
Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit’s job is to convict people. It’s His job, not ours. I’m sure you’ve experienced it, though. People changing their conversation when you walk into the room, apologizing for the things they think they’ve said. Maybe it’s just the way that people in the world start feeling uncomfortable around you. Jesus said, “when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.” I think we’re fine with that, as long as it’s other people God wants to change. But the truth is, there is none of us worthwhile enough in what we do that God will be happy with us. Isaiah mentions that all of our righteousness is nothing better than filthy rags to the Lord. We need to be changed by the power of the Holy Spirit in order to please God. So that when the Father looks at us, instead of seeing our sin, He sees His Son.
That’s the part we’re ready for . . . but it comes at a great cost.
Our openness to God will bring trouble.
I believe the Lord has been knocking at many doors in Creswell. And while that opens up many doors of growth and opportunity for us, we’d be naïve to think that it wouldn’t also bring trouble. After all, who really thinks the enemy wants us to get close to the Lord?
According to Ed Silvoso, in the book That None Should Perish when the church is making inroads into Satan’s territory, the enemy counterattacks, bringing accusations a churches most vulnerable members. “Accidents happen. Finances dry up. Domestic disputes erupt. Immorality is exposed. It’s a most difficult time. Most believers give up at this point (259-260).”
It’s easy to get discouraged when it feels like all of hell is being turned loose on you. You’d be foolish not to be concerned. But what do you do when things get bad? Giving up is not an option. Silvoso goes on to encourage extended times of prayer. Specifically, those God has gifted as intercessors need to stand against the enemy.
I don’t think there’s any doubt that there’s been a lot going wrong in our lives. We’ve all felt pain lately. Some, much more than others. The enemy is making a foolish mistake by using pain to drive us from God. It doesn’t have to push us away. After all, when everyone hates us but one person, don’t we run to that one person all the more? That person is Jesus Christ, and He wants you to run to Him.
The truth of the matter is, the Lord wants some great things for this congregation. As He says in Revelation 3:20 – He is standing at the door of this church, and knocking. If we hear Him, right here, right now, and instead of turning our backs and ignoring His call, open the door, He will come in.
