Strayers and Stayers – Part One
Luke 22: 25 – 30
Jesus is looking for people who care. Do you?
He is looking for people to represent Him. Will you?
There have always been people who followed Christ. Those who have can be divided into two groups: STRAYERS AND STAYERS.
John 6:66 describes the first group. Jesus depicted the challenges and demands of following Him, and “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” Then Jesus turned with a broken heart and addressed a question to those remaining: “Do you also want to go away?” (6:68)
They became His decals. They stuck. Near the end of His ministry in the upper room on the eve of His death He paid them one of the highest compliments He ever paid anyone. He said, “You are those who have continued with me in My trials.” In effect, “You,” He said in effect, “stuck with me.”
They were not much to brag on and they probably knew it, but one quality they had and He stressed it. “You stayed when others strayed.” They stayed because they cared.
Loved ones often keep long vigils in hospitals because they cared. Families go without food and get little sleep in order to keep a love vigil in an hour of crisis because they cared.
The philosopher, Friedreich Nietzsche, not a conservative writer; in his book, “Beyond Good and Evil” made a worthy observation. He wrote: “The essential thing ‘in heaven and earth’ is…that there be a long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living.”
That is what results when one really cares about Christ and His cause. There is a long obedience in the same direction. There is no turning back.
If you care, you share. There is an old proverb which came from ancient Europe which states: “Shared joy is double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow.”
Clearly, the way of doubling a joy is by sharing it. When something good happens and you share it with a friend, the joy is doubled.
Likewise, when something sorrowful happens and you share it, the burden is lightened and the sorrow diminished.
That is the environment in which we are to live and serve. Jesus complimented them saying they had been with Him in His “trials.” The Greek word is “peirasmos” meaning dangers, afflictions, troubles, or tests intended to prove.
We need one another because inevitably we also are going to have “trials.”
If you really care about Jesus, you will stay, not stray.
It Is a Matter of Time
The value of time is found in this verse from an ancient Sanskrit poem.
“Look to this day for it is life the very life of life.
In its brief course lie all the realities and truths of existence
The joy of growth, the splendor of action, the glory of power.
For yesterday is but a memory, and tomorrow is only a vision.
But today well lived makes every yesterday a memory of happiness,
and every tomorrow a vision of hope,
Look well, therefore, to this day.”
The Bible ripples with such counsel. The following verses are from the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible.
“Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:16-17)
The ant is an illustration of being an energetic self-starter.
“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8)
Then follows this council for sluggards. “How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:9-11)
It is expedient to understand when is the right time to act.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Now a worthy challenge. “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90: 12)
Do that, calculate how many days old you are. It helps to realize there will be a last number in that sequence, so don’t waste a one. For,
“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14)
The Bible calls us to a life of hard work and good deeds. So many things get individuals off those twin rails. To avoid this, identify your priorities. If you don’t, other people and distracting factors will schedule your life for you. You should know better than anyone what a day deserves. Budget the time needed to achieve it and set your mind on achieving it. After his record climb of Mt. Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary spoke of the epic event saying that climbing in such a rarefied atmosphere the mind tends to wander. Therefore, before leaving the base camp in the morning, it is necessary to fix your mind on the objective for the day.
Ask the Lord to help you be a better steward of time.
The Bible and Law
Critics often refer to some Old Testament passages because they claim there are laws therein that are not germane today, yet advocated. This failure is based on not knowing there are three types of law in the Bible: Levitical, Civil, and Moral. Not all are intended for today.
Levitical law is primarily the ceremonial law related to Temple worship, offering animal sacrifices, the observance of certain days, and ritual cleansing.
These became passe and were intended only for a past era.
The ceremonial law was related specifically to Israel’s worship (see Lev 1:2-3, for example). Its primary purpose was to point forward to Jesus Christ; these laws, therefore, were no longer necessary after Jesus’ death and resurrection. While ceremonial law no longer binds us, the principles behind them—to worship and love a holy God—still apply. The Pharisees often accused Jesus of violating ceremonial law.
Civil laws were designed for ancient Israel only. They controlled the legal system for old Israel. They were culturally adapted for a society of a different era. The civil law applied to daily living in Israel (see Deut 24:10-11, for example). Because modern society and culture are so radically different from that time and setting, all of these guidelines cannot be followed specifically. Jesus revealed the passing of these standards by not complying with them as indicated in the intended stoning of the woman caught in adultery.
Moral laws are ageless. For example, it has always been wrong to murder, steal, lie, or commit adultery. That was true long before there were Ten Commandments regulating such conduct.
The moral law (such as the Ten Commandments) is the direct command of God, and it requires strict obedience (see Exod 20:13, for example). The moral law reveals the nature and will of God, and it still applies today. Jesus obeyed the moral law completely.
These laws are put in perspective by Jesus who declared:
“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of
Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” (Matthew 5: 17 – 20)
Understanding Difficult Words
Mark Twain said, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
Still some words not being understood challenges a reader. For example, Selah which appears in the Book of Psalms over 70 times. Its meaning is still a mystery to many, even scholars. Amen, Hallelujah, and Selah are not English words, they are Hebrew. Their special sanctity has preserved them. A better understanding of Selah comes from knowing the Psalms were originally sung by the Levitical choir in the Temple. Some contain musical direction. Selah most often comes at the end of several verses. Many scholars think the word comes from the root “SLL” meaning rise up instructing vocalists to lift their voices. Others think it comes from the root “sal” referring to a drum beating at intervals. Whatever it is understood to mean is conjecture. At best, not knowing the meaning does not rob a reader of the meaning of the passage.
A little known word appearing several times in the New Testament with reference to Jesus is “propitiation.” “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (John 4: 10)
Basically the word refers to Jesus becoming our substitute, assuming our obligations, and covering our guilt. In summary it referred to a peace offering between two estranged parties.
A crude example comes from an old Tarzan movie in which two warring tribes would come together and sacrifice a chicken as a peace offering settling their dispute. That is what the death of Jesus makes possible regarding the estrangement between God and human beings. Jesus is God’s peace offering.
Often help is needed to understand some small familiar English words like hate as in Luke 14: 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” The Greek word “miseo” is translated “hate.” It is only in a comparative sense, and not literally, that the term can possibly be used. In comparison to our love for Jesus our proper genuine love for our parents is like hate. It is not an instruction to literally hate others and ourselves. It means our strong love for Jesus exceeds our strong meaningful love for our family and ourselves.
Napoleon understood this principle when he said, “I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander [the Great], Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and this hour millions of men would die for him.”
Because of His propitiation for our sins, we should love Him, Selah.
Burden Bearers
Galatians 6: 1 – 5
Jesus said to a religious leader of His day, “Woe to you…For you load men with burdens hard to bear and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.”(Luke 11:46)
These persons were so lacking in compassion and understanding that they created burdens for others. Some have such compassion and understanding that they delight in helping others carry their burdens.
T.H. White in his final volume of the story of King Arthur wrote of the aged Gwenevier working in a cloister of nuns: Gwenevier he wrote, “Never cared for God. She was a good theologian, but that was all.”
We must care for God and resultantly be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
Galatians 6:2 reads, “Bear one another’s burdens….” (Baron = sorrow or grief)
Galatians 6:5 reads, “Each one shall bear his own burdens.” (Phortion = responsibility)
Two different Greek words were used; both of which can be translated “burdens.” In verse two the Greek word is “Baron,”meaning a physically, spiritually, or emotionally heavy burden. It is principally used of sorrow or grief caused by circumstances. It is that which makes an overwhelming demand on one’s resources spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, or physically.
In verse five the word is “Phortion,” meaning something carried without reference to weight. It was principally used of responsibilities.
Thus, together the two teach us that we should help others bear their sorrows and griefs while being accountable for our own responsibilities. It is an appeal to avoid creating burdens and then helping others when they have them.
The text says we are to minister in such a manner as to “restore” others. The terms translated “restore” was a Greek medical term, katarizo, used to describe setting a broken bone. We are to work to help put the broken right.
If you bear another’s burden, you “fulfill the law of Christ.” (Vs. 2)
The Law of Christ is, “…love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13:34) If we love, we want to aid others.
Christianity is not a spectator sport.
There is an old proverb: “A joy shared is a double joy. A burden shared is half a burden.” Try it, you will find it true. Consider this.
“I’ve been a weight for long enough upon the churches back, I have grumbled, complained, and criticized and had others carry me. From now on I am going to take a completely different tact. I will work, pay, and pray instead, And not have others carry me like people do their dead.”