McMahon Life

Mark 13:9-11,13

As for yourselves, beware; for they will hand you over to councils; you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them.  And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations.  When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit… and you will be hated by all because of my name.  But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

At the end of this passage Jesus connects salvation with enduring to the end.  Interesting.  Anyway, in another direction: to what advantage was it for the disciples to receive this warning?  Perhaps it can even be viewed as a call, or a description of their role as disciples.  I think it is to their very great advantage.  No disciple who was there could be under any understanding other than that God was going to use them to spread the ‘good news’ to ‘all nations’ and in order for that to happen there would be trials, arrests, hatred, persecution – and that is what they were being called to, to endure through it for the sake of the Gospel, that all nations can know the good news.

How would it impact our faith if we took this as being our call as well?  How would it impact the way we live our lives if we took this to heart?  Would we be more willing to sacrifice and lose jobs, friends, houses, families if we thought this call was for us too?  Would we be more willing to live radical lifestyles in pursuit of Jesus and in sharing his gospel if we felt that Jesus had told us that we would have suffering and trials anyway? 

I think that if persecution was a foregone conclusion, we would be a people far more willing to love so extensively that there is retribution, to forgive so constantly that it hurts us, to be so generous that we ourselves have very little.

Maybe we should think about it.  I think as the church in America, we fear persectusion.  The church in China views persecution as its friend.  Any church that is experiencing persecution understands that it actually is a benefit to the church.  Why?  Because we don’t value what we don’t fight for, what we don’t suffer for.  Christians who have suffered for their faith know that their faith is real in ways that those who have not will never know.  Persecution is a benefit to the persecuted – and it is a benefit to the world.  The church grows under persection.  Look anywhere there is persecution, and you will find a vibrantly growing church. 

Maybe we should be more open to being persecuted for our faith in this country.  Perhaps the freedom and peace that we have experienced has not ultimately benefited us.  Perhaps we have come to expect that the call of Christ for us is a call to be at ease and in relative comfort.  I don’t see Jesus promise that to his disiples anywhere.  The only thing I see Jesus promise his disciples is that though there will be persecution, he will be with us and he will see us through.  But it’s been so long since we’ve experienced persection that now we don’t want to give up the things that we have been blessed to  have during a time of peace.  Hmmm.

Just some thoughts.

Jesus, guide my thoughts.
I am ready and willing to suffer for you.
Open my eyes to the ways in which you want to use me.
Use my mouth as you say the Holy Spirit would use the disciples.
Speak through me words that are not my own.
Lead me, guide me.
My life is not my own.  It belongs to you.
Amen.