I saw this in a devotional on my Bible Software home page today:
"It is enough for the disciple that he be as His
Master." - Matthew 10:25
No one will dispute this statement, for it would be unseemly for
the servant to be exalted above his Master. When our Lord was on earth, what was
the treatment He received? Were His claims acknowledged, His instructions
followed, His perfections worshipped, by those whom He came to bless? No; "He
was despised and rejected of men."(Isaiah 53:3) Outside the camp was His place: cross-bearing
was His occupation. Did the world yield Him solace and rest? "Foxes have holes,
and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay
His head." (Matthew 8:20) This inhospitable country afforded Him no shelter: it cast Him out
and crucified Him. Such—if you are a follower of Jesus, and maintain a
consistent, Christ-like walk and conversation—you must expect to be the lot of
that part of your spiritual life which, in its outward development, comes under
the observation of men. They will treat it as they treated the Saviour—they will
despise it. Dream not that worldlings will admire you, or that the more holy and
the more Christ-like you are, the more peaceably people will act towards you.
They prized not the polished gem, how should they value the jewel in the rough?
"If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they
call them of His household?"(Matthew 10:25) If we were more like Christ, we should be more
hated by His enemies. It were a sad dishonour to a child of God to be the
world's favourite.
This is SO true, and it goes right along with our Bible Reading Plan for today! In John 8 the unbelieving Jews kept putting Jesus to the test, arguing with Him and eventually tried to stone Him! Look first at verses 12-19:
12 Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life. 13 Whereupon the Pharisees told Him, You are testifying on Your own behalf; Your testimony is not valid and is worthless. 14 Jesus answered, Even if I do testify on My own behalf, My testimony is true and reliable and valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You [set yourselves up to] judge according to the flesh (by what you see). [You condemn by external, human standards.] I do not [set Myself up to] judge or condemn or sentence anyone. 16 Yet even if I do judge, My judgment is true [My decision is right]; for I am not alone [in making it], but [there are two of Us] I and the Father, Who sent Me. 17 In your [own] Law it is written that the testimony (evidence) of two persons is reliable and valid. 18 I am One [of the Two] bearing testimony concerning Myself; and My Father, Who sent Me, He also testifies about Me. 19 Then they said to Him, Where is this Father of Yours? Jesus answered, You know My Father as little as you know Me. If you knew Me, you would know My Father also.
Jesus continued by explaining to them why they couldn't understand, believe and receive from Him when He spoke! He said this in verse 47:
47 Whoever is of God listens to God. [Those who belong to God hear the words of God.] This is the reason that you do not listen [to those words, to Me]: because you do not belong to God and are not of God or in harmony with Him.
Many people think they are Christians because they go to a church somewhere! Going to church doesn't make someone a Christian anymore than sitting in a garage will make someone a car! Jesus said THIS to those who DID believe in Him! Verses 31-32:
31 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. 32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.
Jesus was giving them the key to living by faith. Some believed and others did not! Those who did not believe became angry and responded like this in verse 59:
59 So they took up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus, by mixing with the crowd, concealed Himself and went out of the temple [enclosure].
So, getting back to the devotional for today, don't expect the people in the world without Jesus to treat you any better than they treated Jesus! BUT, expect HIM to rescue and deliver you from every situation! You, too, may find yourself walking right through a crowd of people who want to stone you and coming out untouched! AMEN! Dare to believe! Here is Hillsong United with "Yours Forever", because WE ARE! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
