When Failure is Success
-It’s not a disgrace to fail-
John 17:14-19
I came to faith in Jesus Christ when I was in my tenth grade of High School. I confessed my sins, repented and committed my life to Jesus. I did my best to honor and follow the Lord during my High School years. One of my class mates asked me what I did for fun. I told him I had fun playing tennis, basketball, hunting, swimming and fishing. He said, “What about sex, aren’t you having fun having sex with other girls.” I told him I was saving my sex life for the woman I married. He said that I was missing out on the good things in life.
To my friend being a Christian meant giving up more things than you gained as a Christian.
Carollyn worked for a Development Company in Indianapolis constructing apartment houses and Day Centers as part of the complex. Her boss called her a “Nun” because she refused to listen to his dirty jokes.
Jesus prayed in John 17:14-19 (New Living Translation)
I. According to this Worlds Standard Jesus was a Failure.
Jesus tried to tell his disciples that in the view of the world he would be looked at as a failure.
Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 16:21-23 that he was going to Jerusalem and he would suffer at the hands of the religious leaders, priests and teachers of the religious law. He would be killed but he would rise on the third day.
Peter took Jesus aside and corrected Him, “Heaven forbid Lord, this will never happen to you.” Jesus looked Peter in the eye and said, “Get away from, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God’s.”
Like Peter, many of us tend to see life on earth from a human point of view. What we need is to see all of life from God’s view.
Jesus experienced failure. Mark 6:1-6 – Jesus is preaching in his hometown of Nazareth. Jesus was teaching in the synagogue and the people who heard him questioned what he said. “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon and his sisters live right here among us. They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Because of their unbelief he could not do any mighty miracles among them. Jesus was amazed at their unbelief.
Isaiah 53:5 describes Jesus as one who was despised and rejected by the world.
From the world’s view Jesus was a failure. He didn’t set up an earthly Kingdom and bring peace on earth. He died on a cruel cross. He was rejected by both religious and non religious leaders of his day.
Jesus said to his disciples, “You are not of this world. So stop loving this world.” (John 15:19) “Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you.” (I John 2:15)
What did Jesus mean when he used the term “World?”
Was it the physical world? What you see – all that is visible – land, trees, mountains, rocks, flowers and the beauty of the earth. We appreciate God’s creation but Jesus was not talking about the physical world.
Psalm 24:1 the Psalmist sing out, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.”
Was it the world of humanity? Did he mean all the people in the world, people in every tribe, nation and country of the world? Jesus told us that we are to love all the people in the world. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Jesus is talking about the world as an ethical principle. In John 17 Jesus is talking about the ethical values, morals, principles and standards in this world that oppose God. This world system is under the control of Satan the god of this world. 2 Corinthians 4:4, “Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them….”
Jesus called His Followers to stop loving this world system. Jesus said, “When you love this world system, you do not have the love of God in you.” Jesus prayed that all His followers would live in the world but not become part of the evil world system.
II. According to this World Christ Followers are Failures
Jesus said that his followers who followed him would find their life when they gave up their own selfish ambitions and lived their life for His sake.
According to Jesus, to fail according to the attitudes of this world, is to have success.
How do you succeed? By living in the world but not compromising or becoming a part of this world system. When you live in opposition to the world system you will experience conflict. You understand that this world does not tolerate those who do not align themselves with this worldly system.
# Erick and Evie Barendsen were American missionaries living out their faith in a humble home in Kabul, Afghanistan. Many Afghan Muslims and Christians alike came from many miles to the home of the Barendsens to receive personal support or medicine. But not everyone in Kabul appreciated this couple’s mission, and opposition grew to their teachings of God’s love and giving out medicine as an act of God’s love.
The Barendsens returned to America in 1980 for a brief furlough and were determined to return in spite of danger. They were excited about going back and said they only knew of one danger and that danger was not being in the center of God’s will.
When the family of four returned to Afghanistan, Erick and Evie were attacked in their home and killed by switchblade welding Muslims. The thought of the Barendsens’ home being a meeting place for Christians and a makeshift pharmacy was too much for the killers to handle. Two orphaned children were left behind, but an underground church continues to grow.
Four years ago 18 year old Johannes Mantahari was living in a small village in Halmahera Island in Indonesia. One night he was suddenly awakened at 3 a.m. and told that a mob of Laskar Jihad troops were heading for his village. He tried to escape but was caught by twenty of the radical Muslim warriors.
Five of them pinned him down to the ground and ten others surrounded him and stood above him with samurai swords, ready to attack. Johannes was asked if he wanted to become a Muslim. He said, “No.” His attackers said they would kill him if he refused to convert. Assured of his salvation Johannes said he was prepared to die.
The group of Laskar Jihad troops struck Johannes with their samurai swords. They cut him up and covered him with banana leaves and left him to die. They tried to light the leaves and burn his body but the leaves were too green. They left him for dead.
With his few breaths of life, Johannes cried out to God for help. Suddenly, he felt enough strength in his arms and legs to remove the banana leaves and escape into the jungle. He hid in a cave until he felt it safe to come out. He stumbled through the jungle for eight days crying for help. He collapsed from exhaustion and cried out again to God for help.
As Johannes lay in the darkness of the jungle he suddenly felt a comforting hand embrace his arm and touch his hand. He could see no one, but the touch was peaceful and reassuring. He felt a warm surge of energy and regained enough strength to continue on.
Later his brother found him in the jungle and gave him help. Johannes said he believed his comforting visitor was Jesus. Johannes is studying to become an evangelist. He says Jesus spared his life so he may lead many Muslims to Christ.
People who are successful in this world have several common characteristics:
• They are marked by love
• They live in the light of eternity
• They are totally dependent on God
• They Love God’s Word
• The are extremely courageous
Jesus was spit upon, beaten, suffered pain, crucified on a cruel cross, but he did not retaliate. He said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
The question is: “Are we prepared to fail.” Too often we only see things from the human point of view and not God’s view.
Someone wrote the following lines:
I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked God for strength that I might achieve;
I as made weak that I might learn to obey.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power and the praise of men;
I was given weakness to sense my need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life,
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing I asked for but everything I hoped for;
In spite of myself, my prayers were answered –
I am among all men most richly blessed.
According to this Worlds Standard Jesus was a Failure.
According to this World Christ Followers are Failures
III. Christ Followers are Called to a Life of Holiness in an Unholy World.
John 17 Jesus is praying about his followers: “They are not part of this world any more than I am. (verse 14) Make them pure and Holy by teaching them your words of truth.” (verse 17)
Jesus Provides Protection
Jesus prayed, “I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.” 17:15
Satan will do all he can to trip you up and ridicule you. “Don’t be a Puritan Prude? Instead of acting “Holier than Thou” you might as well go along with the rest of us. Be cool.”
“We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the power and control of the evil one.” I John 5:19. To give one inch and flirt with the ways of this world can lead to compromising our love for God. Regardless of what advertisers may say, nothing in this world system will bring satisfaction.
# When Napoleon and his men marched endlessly through the burning Egyptian desert during his ill-fated attempt to conquer that ancient land, the soldiers were thirsty for water. As they trudged onward, someone shouted form their ranks, “Water! Water! Water!” Lifting their eyes to the horizon, the men saw what seemed to be a lake – an oasis in the middle of the desert. Its waters shimmered and sparkled in the desert sun, inviting them to come and be refrfeshed. However, as the soldiers ran toward them, the waters receded. It was a deceptive mirage of the desert.
The world’s attractions never quite satisfy; their illusive images are only mirages.
Christ – followers are called to become part of a counter culture. Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Jesus Provides Preparation
Jesus wants to prepare us to live in this world but not become part of this world’s ethical system. Jesus prayed for his disciples and for us: “Make them holy – consecrated – with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth.” John 17:17 (Message)
To live a holy life means that you are dedicated and consecrated as a fully devoted disciple while surrounded by a godless world.
The secret to a radiant Christian life is being saturated and obedient to God’s Word. Reading and studying the Bible is not an optional experience. It is essential for our survival. Why? Because the world system will do all it can to bring you down. Psalm 119:9,11 is our answer.
Jesus wants us to Penetrate the world with his love and healing.
John 17:18, “As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.”
During the reign of Oliver Cromwell, the British government ran out of silver to make coins. Cromwell responded to the need by sending his men across the nation to see if they could uncover more of the precious metal. They returned with a report that the only silver they found was in the statues of the saints that were on display in cathedrals around England. “Good!” replied Cromwell. “Then we will melt down the saints and put them back into circulation!”
Jesus doesn’t want us to be statues on display in church talking about how spiritual we are. We are to be equipped for battle to bring healing to a broken world, not to become religious museum pieces.
Becoming a Christian is like being cured of leprosy while still living inside the leper colony. The question is: How will the Christian respond to other lepers? Will he integrate himself into the colony and try to help others, or isolate himself to avoid being re-infected?
This morning are you willing to fail to succeed?
