Be Bold
I was reading Francis Chan's recollection of his trips to India and China and the conversations he had with Christians in these countries. They talked of the extreme persecution that they underwent after surrendering their lives to Christ. One of the men recalled how he was almost beaten to death, another was disowned by his father at the age of 11 years old, a woman told of how she and her husband had to flee their village with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a Bible, and Chinese students enlightened Chan on how they often have to hide from government officials when they meet to worship God.
These things may all sound extreme to us here in the United States, where the majority of Americans claim to be Christians, but around the world this is a reality for those that carry the name of Jesus. So I started wondering, would I be willing to lose everything for Jesus if that's what is came down to? Would I have the courage that these people that Chan talked with had? Would I have that much confidence in my faith in God that I would risk everything, trusting that He will indeed provide and protect me? Would I be capable of living such a life worthy of the gospels? I want to be able to say yes.
I've had people make harsh comments to me and treat me differently because I am a Christian, but I've never risked my life or given up everything I have to defend my faith. And to think I've called myself a Christian most of my life and undergone such little threat while these people had only been Christians for a very short time and lost everything.
Roughly 83% of people in the United States call themselves Christian, but only about 30% actually claim to be pursuing a relationship with God and a lifestyle that reflects Jesus. The United States was founded on Christian principles, and many of the first citizens came to escape religious intolerance back in Europe. So, even though many Americans aren't actively following Christ, Christianity has commonly been a go-to label; something to connect ourselves to and identify with others through. Some may believe in God and that Jesus is who he says he is but they haven't engaged past the surface. So many are under the impression that just believing is enough to save them, and because they believe it doesn't really matter what kind of life they live. This lukewarm Christianity has become the norm for the majority here. Jesus is acknowledged with lips but not honored in actions. Because of this, it's understandable why Chan asked one of the men in India if some of the people in his church call themselves Christians without living it out. The man replied, "That wouldn't make any sense. If you call yourself a Christian, you automatically lose everything. Why would someone volunteer for that if they weren't serious?"
If that were the case in the United States, I wonder what percentage of Americans would still call themselves Christians. Would I be included in that number? Would you?
It seems like Americans have so many distractions and things that sidetrack us from Jesus. Instead of reading our Bible we're reading our news feeds and timelines. Instead of looking to God for direction we look to celebrities and politicians. Instead of striving to further the Kingdom of God we're striving to further our own kingdoms: new cars, the latest phone, the biggest and nicest houses, a tropical vacation, a six figure income… And instead of trying to make His name known we're trying to make our own names known. It is how our society has become, preaching empty messages, and many have grownup believing that wealth, possessions, and fame are the goals of our existence - it's the "American Dream." While the United States may have some of the wealthiest people in the world, I believe that we are some of the most poor spiritually as well. We are making ourselves our own gods, pushing away the God that we so desperately need.
Our comfort in our lavish and sinful lifestyles has kept us from being bold for Christ. We may believe in God and that Jesus died for us, but maybe we're afraid to fully commit our lives to Him and follow Him because we're afraid of what that might entail. After working so hard to build ourselves up Jesus might ask us to give it up like he did to the rich man in Luke 18. Or maybe we'll feel some conflict in service; curling up on the couch in front of the TV sounds more comforting than helping the poor. And once we do engage in helping those who are in need we then have faces of friends to put to that need and those issues of poverty and injustice, and from then on it's hard to go on ignoring them. Or maybe we're simply afraid of what other people will think of us. Or, worst of all, maybe we just don't care enough about what God has done for us for it to change us. Maybe we think that just believing is enough: we can do whatever we want, we'll be forgiven and saved because we believe in Jesus. But do we really think God is fine with that? Why should He welcome you into Heaven to be with Him and praise Him for eternity when you don't even want to be with Him or praise Him during your short time on earth?
Once we dedicate our lives to Christ we must put to death our old ways of living, and some may not be willing to do that. It's easier to do what we want and be the gods of our own lives versus doing what God wants and risking what has given us false security for so long. But everything that we are clinging to is disposable. Once we die, we aren't going to have any of it. Even with a lot of our phones, cars, and clothes they only last for so long before they are worn out or a new version comes along and we want new things; even the pleasure we get from participating in our sinful ways only lasts for so long.
These things may all sound extreme to us here in the United States, where the majority of Americans claim to be Christians, but around the world this is a reality for those that carry the name of Jesus. So I started wondering, would I be willing to lose everything for Jesus if that's what is came down to? Would I have the courage that these people that Chan talked with had? Would I have that much confidence in my faith in God that I would risk everything, trusting that He will indeed provide and protect me? Would I be capable of living such a life worthy of the gospels? I want to be able to say yes.
I've had people make harsh comments to me and treat me differently because I am a Christian, but I've never risked my life or given up everything I have to defend my faith. And to think I've called myself a Christian most of my life and undergone such little threat while these people had only been Christians for a very short time and lost everything.
Roughly 83% of people in the United States call themselves Christian, but only about 30% actually claim to be pursuing a relationship with God and a lifestyle that reflects Jesus. The United States was founded on Christian principles, and many of the first citizens came to escape religious intolerance back in Europe. So, even though many Americans aren't actively following Christ, Christianity has commonly been a go-to label; something to connect ourselves to and identify with others through. Some may believe in God and that Jesus is who he says he is but they haven't engaged past the surface. So many are under the impression that just believing is enough to save them, and because they believe it doesn't really matter what kind of life they live. This lukewarm Christianity has become the norm for the majority here. Jesus is acknowledged with lips but not honored in actions. Because of this, it's understandable why Chan asked one of the men in India if some of the people in his church call themselves Christians without living it out. The man replied, "That wouldn't make any sense. If you call yourself a Christian, you automatically lose everything. Why would someone volunteer for that if they weren't serious?"
If that were the case in the United States, I wonder what percentage of Americans would still call themselves Christians. Would I be included in that number? Would you?
It seems like Americans have so many distractions and things that sidetrack us from Jesus. Instead of reading our Bible we're reading our news feeds and timelines. Instead of looking to God for direction we look to celebrities and politicians. Instead of striving to further the Kingdom of God we're striving to further our own kingdoms: new cars, the latest phone, the biggest and nicest houses, a tropical vacation, a six figure income… And instead of trying to make His name known we're trying to make our own names known. It is how our society has become, preaching empty messages, and many have grownup believing that wealth, possessions, and fame are the goals of our existence - it's the "American Dream." While the United States may have some of the wealthiest people in the world, I believe that we are some of the most poor spiritually as well. We are making ourselves our own gods, pushing away the God that we so desperately need.
Our comfort in our lavish and sinful lifestyles has kept us from being bold for Christ. We may believe in God and that Jesus died for us, but maybe we're afraid to fully commit our lives to Him and follow Him because we're afraid of what that might entail. After working so hard to build ourselves up Jesus might ask us to give it up like he did to the rich man in Luke 18. Or maybe we'll feel some conflict in service; curling up on the couch in front of the TV sounds more comforting than helping the poor. And once we do engage in helping those who are in need we then have faces of friends to put to that need and those issues of poverty and injustice, and from then on it's hard to go on ignoring them. Or maybe we're simply afraid of what other people will think of us. Or, worst of all, maybe we just don't care enough about what God has done for us for it to change us. Maybe we think that just believing is enough: we can do whatever we want, we'll be forgiven and saved because we believe in Jesus. But do we really think God is fine with that? Why should He welcome you into Heaven to be with Him and praise Him for eternity when you don't even want to be with Him or praise Him during your short time on earth?
"We can admire and worship Jesus without doing what he did. We can applaud what he preached and stood for without caring about the same things. We can adore his cross without taking up ours."
-Shane Claiborne
Once we dedicate our lives to Christ we must put to death our old ways of living, and some may not be willing to do that. It's easier to do what we want and be the gods of our own lives versus doing what God wants and risking what has given us false security for so long. But everything that we are clinging to is disposable. Once we die, we aren't going to have any of it. Even with a lot of our phones, cars, and clothes they only last for so long before they are worn out or a new version comes along and we want new things; even the pleasure we get from participating in our sinful ways only lasts for so long.
For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and in a trap and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
- 1 Timothy 6:7-10 (NIV)
The only thing that lasts is God and His Kingdom. The individuals that Chan talked to in Asia know this and they have confidence in Him because of this. They have found the hope in Christ that doesn't exist in the things of this world. They know that we are not meant to be comfortable on this earth because it is not our home. Heaven is our home, our final destination, and The Kingdom is what endures throughout time.
We must do all we can to reveal The Kingdom to those who have not yet caught a glimpse of it. We must go boldly into the world and live lives worthy of the gospels to reveal what is really important, a relationship with Christ. Jesus was crucified so that you can be in relationship with God - why do we often take that so lightly and act as though it's something we don't need? Why do we value things of the world that only last for a short time over intimacy with the Creator of the universe who placed each star in the sky, who knows how many hairs are on our heads and how many grains of sand are on the beaches, and who is preparing a place for us to be with Him forever in paradise? Our God loves us so much we cannot even comprehend it yet we don't seem to want to love Him back most of the time, we just want His stuff and what He can give us. God chose to create us and He desires relationship with us while we continue to reject Him. God has never needed us but He desires us, while we need Him but barely desire Him.
"God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through."
-Francis Chan
We must do all we can to reveal The Kingdom to those who have not yet caught a glimpse of it. We must go boldly into the world and live lives worthy of the gospels to reveal what is really important, a relationship with Christ. Jesus was crucified so that you can be in relationship with God - why do we often take that so lightly and act as though it's something we don't need? Why do we value things of the world that only last for a short time over intimacy with the Creator of the universe who placed each star in the sky, who knows how many hairs are on our heads and how many grains of sand are on the beaches, and who is preparing a place for us to be with Him forever in paradise? Our God loves us so much we cannot even comprehend it yet we don't seem to want to love Him back most of the time, we just want His stuff and what He can give us. God chose to create us and He desires relationship with us while we continue to reject Him. God has never needed us but He desires us, while we need Him but barely desire Him.
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." "Alas, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am too young." But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declared the LORD. The the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."
- Jeremiah 1:5-10 (NIV)
Before we even existed God knew us and had a path for us, one much larger than what most of us have been living. This passage of Jeremiah reveals the power we have through the Lord. The church is the hope of the world and God intended for us to go out into it as His disciples, with His word, to build His Kingdom while we destroy any wickedness. Why do we take this so lightly?! God has given us a huge task and a major responsibility. Why do we just sit around, trying to do the bare minimum that will help us to just get by? We should be focused on discipling to the nations which we were made to do. This can seem like a daunting task but God even said that He has already given us the words and abilities that we need to do it - He promised that He will help us. When we start to take steps towards becoming these disciples we will see that when we are bold and brave for Christ He will back us up, and our trust and love for Him will grow stronger as we see that we can do incredible things with God on our side - it's what we were created for!
This doesn't mean you have to book a flight to Africa to start digging wells and treating HIV - not everyone is called for that kind of ministry. We all have a unique ministry that is made up of everything that you do in your day, and there is so much that can be done in our own backyards. We are all surrounded by need, some are more obvious than others. You can glorify God at work, through conversation with a friend, by acts of kindness to your neighbors, etc. With that being said, we can start taking steps in the right direction, we don't have to wait until God reveals the big picture. We must make sure our motives are pure though. If we're doing it because we want to appear to be a good person to the people around us or out of obligation or guilt we might as well not do it at all. Our hearts should be in the right place, glorifying God in our work.
While I have specifically addressed the church in the United States, this is meant for all members of the church, including myself. Some have already stepped up and taken on their role as a disciple of Christ to the nations, but many of us haven't. Some have a foot in the water but aren't completely soaked yet. The church globally is lacking a drive and a passion to change this world and spread the name of Jesus and it is becoming dangerous. We need to be bold and be willing to take risks like the men and women Chan encountered in Asia. Just like them we need to understand that God and His Kingdom are the only things that will last forever and they are worth living and dying for.
So if being a Christian globally meant that you automatically lose everything, would you deny Christ or would you commit to a life worthy of the gospels?
Don't be a lukewarm Christian anymore, be an on fire Christ follower.
Don't be a lukewarm Christian anymore, be an on fire Christ follower.
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
- Psalm 73:25-26 (NIV)
Recommended Reading
Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Passion: The Bright Light of Glory by Louie Giglio
The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne
The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne
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