Narrow Way with Steve Phillips Which Jesus?
Which Jesus? “By faith they escaped the edge of the sword” –Hebrews 11:33,34. Amen. This is the delivering Jesus. “By faith others were murdered with the sword” –Hebrews 11:33,37. Still Amen?
Which Jesus? “They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison and led them out” -Acts 5:18,19. Amen. This is the delivering Jesus. Jesus said: “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you may be tested; be faithful unto death” –Revelation 2:10. Still Amen?
Christ suffered as no other ever has, but without sin. Only He who has overcome can assist those who must also do the same. “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame” –Revelation 3:21. Yes, there are things to overcome: grievous pains to be borne, bitter to natural sensibilities, shameful to self-esteem, uncomfortable to soft flesh.
They come from Christ. He has designed them that thereby we might overcome: that we will learn obedience through suffering, and that we might experience fellowship with the Man of Sorrows.
Paul prayed that he might know the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death: that he might attain to the resurrection from the dead [Philippians 3:10,11]. To him, suffering was fellowship with Christ. Is it the same to you? Or are you serving a Jesus of softness and sweetness?
Suffering, death, and resurrection: this is the necessary sequence. Christ became obedient unto death, even the cruelest and most despised, that of a cross [Philippians 2:8]. How did He learn such obedience? By enrollment in the school of suffering of which He is the Master of all would-be followers. “Even though He was a Son, he learned obedience through the things He suffered” –Hebrews 5:8.
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” –Matthew 11:28. But the manner in which He chooses to grant you rest, may be quite unlike that of your brother. The Lord Jesus individually tailors each of our situations for our eternal good and His unending glory.
Black despair burst into light’s glowing warmth in Herod’s dismal prison-house of death. Fierce guards and flashing swords were bypassed as if nothing by the liberated captive. Shackles and chains clinked powerless to the ground as Peter was escorted by his heaven-sent deliverer.
Acts 12:11: “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent forth His angel, and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod.” Those were the words of Peter.
This is the testimony of James: “Then Herod executed James the brother of John with the sword” -Acts 12:1,2. They were both apostles suffering in the same prison, bound by the same Herod, and serving the same Jesus.
Which Jesus do we want: the Jesus of Peter or the Jesus of James? Which Jesus will we love and serve? Which One will we not be offended with? Which Jesus has the will of God that we will embrace?
Shall we presume to choose, or even demand, our own means of deliverance? For, truly, both Peter as well as James were set free from Herod’s clutches, were they not? Neither remained in prison.
Peter was liberated by angelic visitation in a miraculous rescue. Amen: the delivering Jesus. James was set free by a hateful monster in gruesome form. Still Amen? Who had the better portion?
Peter passed through midnight’s darkness tramping on Jerusalem’s dusty lanes. He eventually entered the house of Mary where many were gathered praying, persecuted and fearing.
James passed into unending light and tread on streets of gold where myriads more were gathered in everlasting jubilation where there is no more crying, pain, sorrow, or sin.
So, which Jesus do you wish to follow, the Jesus of Peter or the Jesus of James? Is He not the same Jesus to both, and to all who trust in Him? Yes, He is. And so Jesus says to each of His would-be followers: “Blessed is he who does not stumble over Me” –Matthew 11:6. Still Amen? Which Jesus?