When it comes to the kingdom of God it is better to be out than in. You could say it’s better to be inside than on the outside looking in, but there is no seeing from the outside. I am not referring to a fluffy cloud on the opposite side of hell, where one goes when they accept Jesus in their heart.
No. I am referring to the dimension of life where Christ is Master and the only business you are employed in is the Father’s business. I speak of a crossover into another realm. A realm where you work together with God, walking the road to dominion through discipleship.
Christianity is very fond of taking large bible stories and applying them to minor and common psychological battles. Apparently we all have our own goliaths to slay like David did and often Goliath manifests himself as a $500 phone bill at the end of the month or a large pimple that won’t leave our face before a special event.
Eventually, through a series of inspiring sermons and encouraging memes from friends, we cut the head off our Goliaths and sing our song of victory. Alas the giants of old never seem to quite die off, popping back up in the bible and back into our letterbox at the end of each month.
This sort of modern day comforting Christianity, where we transform our normality by self propaganda using the heroics of others, could be likened to putting on your football teams jersey when your wife drags you to the mall. It’s telling the world I may be shopping for milk and eggs, but in my heart I’m doing battle alongside my heroes and comrades.
This is all perfectly fine, as from time immemorial we have used stories and champions for motivation, but there can come a point when we minimise the greatness of past achievements by publicly associating them with lesser agendas. Kind of like how Dodge used a Martin Luther King Jr speech to sell vehicles in the super bowl. Or how Jim Bakker uses the 7 year tribulation in John’s Apocalypse to sell mid tribulation and post tribulation supplies of food buckets to his television audience.
When it comes to entering the Kingdom of God though, there can be no minimising the fact that it equates to having your own world altering Exodus. It is a traumatic and difficult experience onto a narrow and difficult path. Violent separations are made. The Jesus preachers ask people to invite into their heart and consult for life’s little hiccups is vastly different to the one who stands before you at an hour you do not expect and simply says “come, follow me.”
Jesus' call
This Jesus doesn’t wait for you to finish your business in your Fathers boat. He is not concerned about who will look after what you leave behind. He leaves the dead to bury their own dead. His call can divide families against each other. He is not concerned if it means you must sell all that you have.
He knows it will be a painful, gut-wrenching process. He knows it will cost you wealth, friends and family. He knows it will involve humiliation and suffering. Yet He offers no excuses, any wonder His mission is carried as a cross?
What I am talking about is the call of God to give your life for the life of the world. It is a serious matter. A Goliath may just be the start of your challenges. The bible says many are called, but few are chosen.
The privilege of receiving the call is itself not to be taken lightly, as when Jesus was walking and working many desired to leave all and follow Him, yet he would not allow them to, turning them away for another purpose. Then there were those who were given opportunity and rejected it. Those who find themselves cornered by the call of God are blessed.
No one knows what happened to James and Johns Father when they left the boat and the business. Who knows what became of Matthews tax table. Those issues are not the focus of the gospels and nor will they be ours. Nothing hinders a prophet like those who know his past. Some think we can multitask, and reach our goals while reaching Christ’s, I say the cross must be carried with both hands.
As the end of the age approaches, the call of God’s Son only becomes more serious. No time is to be wasted gathering your clothes or saying goodbyes. The sickle will bring us in or burn us out. There is a time when no more can be sown and all must be reaped. Do we believe in the harvest? Then Sunday school story time is over, let us all go out and labour, and do it with all our might!
Joshua Robbie is currently serving the Lord under Pastors Ronnie and Shirley Naidoo of KZN Celebration Centre in Tongaat South Africa. He and His wife Rene’ moved from Australia to South Africa in April 2016. Their desire is to help in whatever way they can so that the church can become all that God has purposed her to be. Josh also enjoys sports such as surfing, basketball and boxing.
Josh Robbie previous articles may be viewed
http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/josh-robbie.html
Joshua Robbie is currently serving the Lord under Pastors Ronnie and Shirley Naidoo of KZN Celebration Centre in Tongaat South Africa. He and His wife Rene’ moved from Australia to South Africa in April 2016. Their desire is to help in whatever way they can so that the church can become all that God has purposed her to be. Josh is a painter by trade and also enjoys sports such as surfing, basketball and boxing. He has also written a book, now available for purchase on Amazon called: “Your Father sees: Living the sermon on the mount”.Josh Robbie previous articles may be viewed http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/josh-robbie.html