The Higher Call
Men in our culture have a hard time saying certain things. It’s difficult for them to say “I love you.” It’s also difficult for them to receive a hug. The world’s man code doesn’t allow men to acknowledge and express the most important things in life….relationships with those we love, and especially our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Politically correct Secularism in America despises “religiosity” as they call it. A conservative “think tank” did a survey of wealthy to middle income people who identified themselves as “coastal elites.” Only a minuscule percentage perceived themselves as “religious.” Then they went into the back roads of America and surveyed people in these “fly-over” rural communities. Only 13% had a meaningful relationship with their local church. Americans who identify with faith are decreasing.
Still in America, foreigners marvel that Americans stop at stoplights. One economics professor showed an aerial view of a typical town in the heartland of America. He pointed out the houses of worship on every corner. The professor ended his speech by saying, “when you neglect faith, you can’t hire enough policemen to keep the peace.”
In one German community, parishioners had to pay the church tax in order to be buried in the church cemetery. They reluctantly paid the tax but this was the only benefit they perceived for their local church.
Paul was an Apostle of Jesus Christ. In Romans 1:1 he addressed his letter by identifying himself as a “bondservant of Jesus Christ and an apostle.” The traditional requirement for an apostle was one called and sent of God who had been a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry. Paul was called on the road to Damascus in a life changing encounter with the resurrected Christ. The early apostles brought new light from the Word of God to their generation and planted new churches. Apostles are also called and sent to preach the gospel by both word and deed. Their lives were to be a “living epistle” known and read of all men.
Some think the American Dream is the “pursuit of happiness.” However, according to Romans 5, life is hard and is full of tribulation and pressure. If we look in the mirror we’ll be depressed. If we look at others we’ll be stressed. However, if we look at Jesus we’ll be blessed. He said, come unto me all ye who are weary and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. The pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of the Blessor and not the blessing.
Hard times and mental pressure are the norm. They are given for our own benefit: for tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit which is given to us.
The devil will approach Christians when their tanks are empty. He will come along side and whisper in our ear, “if God loved you, would he leave you like he’s done in the pit of depression?” However in Matthew 16:25-26 Jesus said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Jim Elliot, the missionary who gave his life witnessing to the Auca Indians of Ecuador said in the book Through Gates of Splendor, “He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep in order to gain that which he cannot lose.”
How we live today will determine our rewards in eternity. If we live for him and are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, we’ll live with him in glory in eternity. According to Romans 1:16 the apostle Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God unto salvation unto the Jews first and also to the Gentiles.”
Jesus Christ was not highly regarded by most Roman citizens. He had been executed on a Roman cross. Crucifixion was the Romans’ most shameful form of capital punishment. The cross was an agonizing death emphasizing humiliation in guilt and shame. The people who professed Jesus Christ as Lord were despised by proper Roman citizens. The emperor Nero understood that the Christians were shamed and abased. Nero burned down Rome in his ego-maniacal madness. He wanted to rebuild the city as a monument to his own ego and he needed a scapegoat. He thought that Christians would be an easy mark to blame. Christians were executed and thrown to the wild animals in the Colosseum as entertainment. He lit ablaze the bodies of executed Christians using them as torches to light the city at night.
In World War II many Christians went into death camps in Nazi Germany. In one death camp 20,000 people had been shot to death and thrown into a mass grave. How did the Nazi’s get to the point that they no longer regarded human life? They convinced themselves that these were no longer people and that they were not worthy of life.
Some segments of our society say that if you espouse biblical Christian values and stand up for traditional marriage and against the pro-abortion agenda, then you don’t deserve to live and work in America. If you read Romans 1:24-28 in public then you’re guilty of hate speech.
Paul went to the center of the Roman Empire and witnessed to the Praetorian guards in the palace. Paul was convinced that he had been ordained by his Lord to preach the gospel, the power of God unto salvation. How do we get to the point that we are “no longer ashamed of the gospel of Christ?” According to Matthew 10:24-28, “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his househol. 26. Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 27. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.”
If you’re to be afraid, then fear the Lord. In the movie Patton, General George S. Patton said, “the Americans will lose their fear of the Germans. Hope to God they never lose their fear of me.” Ye are slaves to whom ye obey. As Joshua said to the children of Israel, “chose ye this day whom ye shall serve. As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord.”
In Luke 14, Jesus said unless you hate your family in relation to your love for me, you cannot be my disciple. If any man is in Christ he is a new creature…morning by morning new mercies I see. The newness of life is new every day. Each day is a new day to “hold every thought captive to Christ.” We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness form on high. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual to the pulling down of strongholds. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself above the knowledge of Christ, bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
The key to the abundant life is to come to the realization that, “I have found the enemy and he is me.”
There’s a story about Russians who were hold up in a house to pray. A group of goose-stepping Nazis stormed into the house and said, “we’re here to execute everyone who is not willing to die for his faith. Everyone else is allowed to leave.” There was only a handful of believers left. The Nazis put down their rifles and said, “We’re Christians like you. We wanted to worship with other Christians who were willing to die for Jesus Christ.”
Paul said, “quench not the spirit.” As likeminded believers, we’re here to fan each others’ flame. Discipleship is choking in the dust of our brothers who are in hot pursuit of of the Lord Jesus Christ. For what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael