Bad Christianity

This is part 2 of 2 of Lesson 10: Discipleship Under Pressure. Click here to go back to the introduction to this lesson.

In addition to self confidence, the study guide this week refers to three traits that the disciples showed under pressure: power, greed and vengeance. We’ll have a look in turn at each one of these.

1. Power

Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. John 6:15 (NKJV)

The disciples were quite excited in this phase of Jesus’ ministry. He was performing miracles and growing in popularity. From an earthly point of view, everything pointed to Jesus being crowned king, the throne of David which was ‘the rightful inheritance of their Master’. Unfortunately they had missed the point of Jesus’ mission to this earth. They had missed the prophecies of Jesus as the suffering servant, the ‘man of sorrows’.

As we have read in the Sermon on the Mount this quarter, Jesus’ teachings are all about surrender to God, self-sacrifice and love for others. While Jesus is King of Kings, Ruler of the Universe, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence that the amassing of power, political or otherwise, is something for His church on this earth to pursue. In fact where the Christian church has enjoyed power, this has often been associated with corruption and persecution.

The poet James Russell Lowell warned, “Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne.”

As the study guide this week says:

That God can put people in power, or that He can use people in power, is one thing; it is another to somehow view the amassing of political power in the name of God as the work of God, the work of discipleship. Nothing in the New Testament presents this power model of the gospel.

2. Greed

While greed probably affected many of the disciples (James and John coveted powerful positions in Jesus’ kingdom), Judas is the disciple in which this trait is most evident.

In the story of Mary ‘wasting’ a years’ worth of income in anointing Jesus with expensive perfume, Judas is the one who whinges about that money being needed for the poor. When John wrote up this account, he had to add this postscript about Judas’ motives:

…not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. John 12:6 (NKJV)

Ultimately, Judas’ greed led to the disgraceful betrayal of Jesus. Ellen White provides some more insight into the character of Judas:

“Judas was with Christ through the entire period of the Saviour’s public ministry. He had all that Christ could give him. . . . Had he sought to be a blessing, instead of a questioning, criticizing, selfish man, the Lord would have used him to advance His kingdom. But Judas was a speculator. He thought that he could manage the finances of the church, and by his sharpness in business get gain. He was divided in heart. He loved the praise of the world. He refused to give up the world for Christ. He never committed his eternal interests to Christ. . . . Judas was a religious fraud.”—Ellen G. White, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, pp. 1101, 1102.

And in that paragraph lies the relevance of the story for us today. Loving the praise of the world. Not fully committing to the life that Christ encourages us to take (for our own good!). Self confidence in our abilities and blindness to our true need for Christ’s influence in our lives.

Have we fully committed to Christ, or are we still on the pool edge, not yet ready to jump in?

3. Vengeance

James and John wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan village because they had rejected the ministry of Jesus. A little bit of an overreaction, to be sure! No wonder Jesus nicknamed them ‘Boanerges’ or ‘the sons of thunder’. Thankfully Jesus quickly turned that idea on its head:

…He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” Luke 9:55, 56 (NKJV)

I love this response. And what a message for today! Do you think that the world often sees Christians, and therefore God Himself as vengeful and stern?

Consider many other acts of Christians who seem bent on revenge. Whether it be those wanting to wage war on Muslims for the wrong reasons following the September 11 tragedy. Or radical Christians insensitively picketing the funerals of homosexuals, presenting God to be one consumed by hate. Or on a smaller scale, even within our own churches between theological factions!

Do you think we should be focussed on proclaiming that Jesus hasn’t come to destroy but to save men’s lives? The study guide this week puts things into perspective:

Our first work as disciples is to bring people to the mercy of Jesus and leave the judging of hearts to Him.

But the guide goes on to ask us to think about how we should show people who are doing wrong the grace and mercy of God, while at the same time not giving the impression that we condone or approve of their lives and/or beliefs?

A last question to ponder:

• This week we have seen Judas’ theft from the disciples’ funds. Also John and James’ thirst for vengeance. Similarly Peter’s critical weakness of self-confidence. As the lesson puts it, “What does this suggest about Jesus’ willingness to work with us, despite our flaws”

That’s it for this week. I hope we all have opportunity in the coming week to show those around us the true nature of God, one that is for mankind, not against them.

As always, we’d love to hear your comments on the topics this week. See you again next week…