You CAN’T Play Both ENDS (The Discipline of a Disciple–part 4)
We’ve been talking about what a true disciple of Jesus Christ is supposed to be, and how he’s supposed to live, and how he’s supposed to affect the world around him.
So far, we have covered:
- The importance of witnessing our faith, shining our light.
- The importance of speaking the Words of God with authority and faith in our life in order to manifest His promises before our eyes. His Words are seeds.
- The power of AGAPE love. The power of unselfish love to change the world around us. The compassion, and the heart of God which makes us our brothers’ keeper.
When we look at the many requirements for discipleship that Jesus spelled out, His message seems to polarize everything. His teachings appear extremely constraining and stringent.…but are they? Or was He teaching a principle or a law through each one? Let’s look at some of them…
Jesus expected people to follow Him right away (Mark 1:18) Why? Because a decision not acted upon right away is indecision.
He re-defined parents and family by telling people not to love their family more than Him (Mat 10:37). He even re-defined His own family by saying, “Only those who do the will of My Father are My brothers and sisters” (Mat 12:50). Why? Because once you’re in the kingdom of light, you have a different family. We’re now born AGAIN and children of our Father in heaven. Our brothers and sisters are those of the kingdom.
He told people to let the dead bury the dead (Lk 9:60). Why? Because our commission is to bring LIFE eternal to the dying spiritually.
He told people to not look back (Lk 9:62). Why? Because if you look back, you’ll go back.
He told people to not have any other God before Him (Ex 20:2). Why? Because you can’t serve two masters (Mat 6:24). Because you’ll soon despise the one you’re not serving.
You can’t work for money and for God (Mat 6:24). Why? Because money is made to be a servant, not a God.
If you want to follow Me, you have to deny your own life (Mat 16:24). Why? Because it’s by DYING that you live, except a corn of wheat dies, it cannot bear fruit.
He told people you have to live holy (1Pet 1:15-17). Why? Disobedience brings compromise and you lose focus on your priorities.
You have to live humbly. Why? Pride is the root of all evil (Pro 8:13). It blurs your destiny and godly purpose when you worship your ego.
You can’t live solo-discipleship (1Cor 12:26). Why? Because we’re part of a body. We need each other to help each other. It all operates as one.
You’re gonna get persecution (2Tim 3:12). Why? Because the kingdom of darkness fights light.
You must forgive (Mat 18:21-22). Why? We can’t carry a grudge because you relive it constantly. Plus, you can’t judge righteously. Why? There’s a beam in your own eye (Mat 7:3-5). Plus, man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. ONLY true judgement works, with the Word (Mat 5-7).
Love your enemies (Mat 5:44). Why? They know not what they do. And agape love covers a multitude of sins (1Pet4:8).
Don’t hide your light (Mat 5:14,15). Why? Because it gives light to all in the house.
Don’t fear man (Mat 10:28). Why? Because it brings a trap (Pro 29:25). And it detracts from reverencing God.
He said not to be ashamed of Him and of His Words (Lk 9:26). Why? It’ll make you deny your convictions…
Beware of Facebook, when all men think well of you (Lk 6:26). Why? Those are not true values, because there’s no worth in the praise of man, but only in pleasing God. Man looks on the outward trends and fashions. But be not conformed to this world, but transformed. Beware of following the crowd. Wide is the gate to destruction (Mat 7:13).
He re-evaluated everything… money, career and ambition. Why? Seek FIRST the kingdom of God and everything else will be added to you (Mat 6:33).
But, if you stop and think about it, He was only telling people to get rid of all the WRONG doings and WRONG priorities that were killing them. He was teaching them values and laws to LIBERATE people from the shackles that were holding them back. “If you continue OBEYING My Word, then you are TRULY My disciples (kingdom citizens). Because you will know My liberating TRUTH and that’s what will set you FREE” (Jn 8:31,32).
His laws are not constraining and stringent, but they are liberating and guiding. They’re setting us free to advance the kingdom.
He was teaching the laws of the kingdom that are making it possible for people to live in FREEDOM; to no longer be captives of the kingdom of darkness. He was teaching people to focus on the most important things and stick to the priorities that will make their life worth living.
At present, my wife Linda is being trained by our granddaughter who’s a personal trainer in dietary and physical discipline. And every day Linda is testifying to the benefits of the discipline which frees her of muscle weakness and she’s able to develop beneficial habits. You can see discipline as strenuous and constraining or as LIBERATING and emancipating. Discipline creates room for growth and progress. It’s the same with the discipline of a disciple of Christ.
It’s not that difficult to understand. Once you take religiosity out of the gospel, it all comes down to OBEDIENCE to a healthy discipline and walking in the new identity He has given to us.
Once we are born again, we live in a DIFFERENT kingdom and we have a different passport. Jesus preached the kingdom of God. And by His life, His works, His everyday sample, He advanced the kingdom. Not only by talking.
Jesus then said, “I give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven” (Mt 18:18). Basically, He gave us the authority to advance the kingdom of heaven on earth against the kingdom of darkness.
This means that once we know the truth, we’re empowered and we can perform the works of God. That new Man gives us a new citizenship, with a new passport, only ONE passport. The one that opens up every door before us.
But it also comes with a big responsibility. Why? Because once we know these things, we are accountable. We’ve been given responsibility to set the captives free. That was Jesus’ main mission to bring the kingdom of light, and to set the captives FREE.
THAT responsibility makes us our “brother’s keeper”. The compassion of Jesus compels us to love. We help and we give and we provide; –from food and clothing, to healing and salvation–the whole kaboodle. We care and never stopped caring.
The problem comes when people try to hold on to TWO IDENTITIES. Two passports. While they are “in the world” they continue to be “of the world” while trying to be “of the kingdom” and they keep flip-flopping between the two. And the one takes away the authority of the other. “The carnal mind is enmity with God” (Rom 8:7). And “without (obedient) faith, it’s impossible to please God” (Heb 11:6).
You can’t play by the enemy’s laws in the kingdom of light. That’s what is not working. It becomes religion. It’s all the good principles without the POWER thereof, without the FRUITS and without the WORKS. It’s trying to put a new patch on an old garment. They don’t match.
It’s trying to live Christianity without obedience. James says, “If you know something and you don’t do it that’s a sin” (James 4:17). When you look at it that way, it makes a lot of sinners out of a lot of religious people. Jesus said, “If you know these things, you will be happy IF YOU DO THEM“(Jn 13:17). And He also said “if you don’t do it, it’ll all fall apart. BUT if you’re a DOER, you’ll be set on a rock. Rock-solid faith” (Mat 21:.28-32).
That’s why discipleship cannot be confused with religion. “How terrible for you, teachers of the law [scribes] and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You close the door for people to enter the kingdom of heaven (by your lack of example). You yourselves don’t enter, and you stop others who are trying to enter” (Mat 23:13).
They say “the best leaders lead by EXAMPLE“.
We’ve got to DEMONSTRATE the laws of the kingdom. Not by religious principles, but by RESULTS. The WORKS that I do, shall you do also. How? By OBEYing My teachings.
OBEDIENCE to the Word brings understanding and clarity. Understanding is so important. “Those who have understanding will be given more, and they will have all they need. But those who do not have understanding, even what they have will be taken away from them” (Mat 13:12). If we don’t understand, the enemy comes and steals the Word at 13:19). “And with all thy getting, get understanding” (Pro 4.7). It’s by DOING it that you GET it.
Operating according to the laws of the kingdom should become second nature to us. Obedience to the Word has to be our default position.– plain vanilla simple!
In the kingdom of God, we don’t worry. Why? Because of Psalm 91 and because of Luke 11:19. We don’t concern ourselves about money. Why? Because of what Jesus said about the sparrows (Matt:26). We don’t walk in fear. Why? Because He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of powerful AGAPE love, and courage and a sound mind (2Tim 1:7). We forgive people 490 times because of Mat 18:21-35.
We LIVE the kingdom, we walk differently, we talk differently and we SHOW the kingdom. Jesus came to bring the kingdom of heaven on earth and he demonstrated it.
We have a new set of rules and laws and they WORK. We can be blessed to BLISS. And it’s TRUE! And it WORKS! We have access to so much power, so much wisdom, so much revelation. We’ve been made righteous. “The prayer of a righteous man avails MUCH”. AWAKE to your righteousness (1 Cor 15:34).
People have to SEE the kingdom in YOU. You have to be full of testimonies. Full of the ACTS of the apostles.
