November 26, 2012 Are You Sure?

Are You Sure? Luke 10:3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. “OKAY! I’m ready to go. Send me, Jesus. I’ll go and do what you want when you want. I’m yours! “Oh, wait a minute, Jesus. You said I’d be as a sheep among wolves? That’s pretty unsafe, isn’t it, Jesus? That sounds pretty risky to me. Wolves eat sheep. Have them for lunch—and any other meal they desire. Are you sure, Jesus, you want me to go where people might hurt me, turn on me or even kill me? I’m not sure now, Jesus. Let me think it over.” It sounds prudent, doesn’t it, to think about, to carefully consider those places Jesus wants you to go? Satan’s ravenous wolves have devoured many of Jesus’ sheep through the centuries. The list of martyrs grows steadily. The list of discouraged Christian workers grows even more dramatically. And certainly the “death rate” of pastors is alarming. Why would Jesus send his faithful into such deadly danger? Think of this. How do you conquer an enemy? You must go where the enemy is fortified. You have to meet the enemy and do battle with him. He will not be defeated if you stay home and wait for him to surrender. The tragic truth is that Kingdom of God victory requires dedicated workers willing to give their lives. Sin’s opposition will destroy some of those workers. As in war when a soldier sacrifices his life so others will live, Christ followers must always sacrifice their way of life. And sometimes they must sacrifice their physical life for Jesus. Faithfully following Jesus sometimes requires physical death to point others to the Lord of Life. It’s True! Your life belongs to Jesus.