Resistance and Power

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Mathew 10:16-20

In Mathew 10, we find Jesus calling the 12 disciples and then sending them out to preach the message of the Kingdom of God and demosntrate the works of the Kingdom – heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and preach the good news! Good news that God’s Kingdom is near. And the spaces of our world that are not like His world are changing when they come under his rule.

The disciples are then designated apostles by Mathew. An apostle is basically a person who is sent out with a message to deliver and a mission to accomplish. The disciples were apostles, sent out with a message and a mission. And like the words of an army general to His army, Jesus speaks to his disciples. He basically tells them that the world is a dangerous place. And the message of the Kingdom, while exciting, is also going to be intimidating. We all like the works of the Kingdom – healing the sick, raising the dead – the stuff of headlines and euphoria. But we rarely consider the other side of things that the message is intimidating. The life of a disciple of Christ is a dangerous life. Why? Because inevitably the culture of the Kingdom of God is going to clash with the World systems.

Consider why Jesus was crucified? Was it because of his message? “Love your enemies”? Who would have a problem with that. Or was it his miracles? “Healing the sick, raising the dead”? Again, isn’t this something that the world is going to celebrate? Not necessarily, is what Jesus is trying to say. Jesus’ life was not only about the message he preached or the things he did, it was also about who He was – the Son of God. He represented another world which was at odds with this one. And the clash was expected. Jesus’ himself predicted his own capture, flogging, death and resurrection, much to the puzzlement of his disciples. Like “sheep among wolves” is the life of a disciple of Christ in this world. We are disciples, people who learn from Christ, we do what he does, say what he says, we are what he is – His body in this world.

And like the disciples, it is worthwhile for us to note that living out the gospel message doesn’t mean that everyone is going to be happy with us. In fact Jesus said, “Woe to you if people speak well of you, for that is how they treated the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26) This is not to say that we try to offend people on purpose. But it is also saying that part of the call of the disciple is to live out life of Jesus even when everything around you is just the opposite of that. It means, not conforming to the mold of a worldly, self-centered system. It means living out a culture of faith, love, and hope that is defined by God and not anyone else.

Also notice how Jesus says that people are not going to take it quietly. That the disciples will the dragged out and made to stand in front of authorities and questioned. That’s how nasty things can get. You may be singled out, made fun of, restricted and questioned for your lifestyle. “In that moment”, Jesus says, what you are to say will be given to you by the Spirit of God.

If the world doesn’t take the disciple’s life sitting down, God isn’t either. He will rise to empower you to stand strong in the face of opposition. He asically tells the disciples not to cower, not to back down. But speak up! The Holy Spirit will give you what to say.

In those moments when you feel abandoned by those closest to you, and those whom you trusted seem to be working against you for your downfall, stand up with your head raised and your shoulders back and know that you are not alone. He is right there with you.

This is how the Apostle Paul put it

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

We are brittle, vulnerable like jars of clay. But we have a power within us that is from God that makes the weak and vulnerable, extraordinary. And this is the tension that the disciple rests in. Like the athlete that rests in the pain, knowing that strength is being birthed, the disciple rests in the crushing, in the confusion, in the resistance knowing that power is is being birthed. Resistance and power. Resistance on the outside, power on the inside. That is a reality in the life of a disciple.

What resistance are you facing today to living out the life of a disciple? Is it from people around you? Is it yourself? Is it a spiritual resistance that you can discern? It seems to crush, make you want to give in and let go? Today, discover that “all surpassing power” that comes from God and not from us. Reach out to Him in the resistance and live in his power.