There is a line from the movie “40 The Temptation of Christ” that keeps running through my head. The devil and Jesus are speaking and the devil is offering Christ a life without suffering and a people who would experience no suffering …………….
“Is not an eternity of peace worth a moment of compromise?” the Devil asks Jesus at the end of His 40 days.
His forty days of wandering in the desert. His forty days with no food or drink. His forty days of prayer. His forty days of temptation. His forty days to prepare for His three years of ministry.
Jesus knew what was in store for Him. He knew the suffering that was awaiting Him. He knew the betrayals He would experience from friends and disciples. He knew the curses that would be hurled at Him. He knew the sword that would pierce His mother’s heart. He knew He would cause division. He knew He did not come to bring peace but came as a warrior to conquer death.
“when Simeon blessed them, and said to his mother Mary, Behold, this child is destined to bring about the fall of many and the rise of many in Israel; to be a sign which men will refuse to acknowledge; and so the thoughts of many hearts shall be made manifest; as for thy own soul, it shall have a sword to pierce it.” Luke 2:34-35
So many theologians, preachers, priests, bishops, deacons, ministers, etc., have decided that they have acquired intelligence to understand, much better, the words and teachings of Christ, beyond the understanding of the Apostles or Early Church Fathers. They have misled His people into sin and on the road to perdition all for the sake of what they call justice, inclusion, tolerance, empowerment, and so many other catch words that give us a warm & fuzzy. Make us be able to break our arms patting ourselves on the back!
I say go to the source!
“Thou hast learned, from many who can witness to it, the doctrine which I hand down; give it into the keeping of men thou canst trust, men who will know how to teach it to others besides themselves.” 2 Timothy 2:2
It sounds to me that Paul is telling us to go to the source!
Too many read Christ’s words and take His teachings as they wish He was saying today. No – we need to take His words exactly as He said them – not as we wish He said them!
So many times it is hard to follow Christ! That’s why He told us about the narrow gate and how very hard we would find it to follow Him into the narrow gate.
Christ’s words and teachings, the continued teachings through the Apostles and disciples and our Early Church Fathers, do not fit the warm & fuzzy we wish to have today. They do not fit what we wish He would accept and allow and “understand”.
If you wish to go to a source in addition to the Bible, try the Didache – a brief catechism by the Twelve Apostles to the nations – http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/didache.html – or to the early Church Fathers.
Ignatius of Antioch is said to have been the child that Jesus pulled onto His lap when He told them to not hinder the children coming to Him. You can find letters written by Ignatius online (right now) or in many published books. http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/ignatius.html
There are writings of Polycarp – http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/polycarp.html – and of course, Ambrose and Augustine are not so far removed from Christ’s life that they have distorted His teachings. And it took years and many prayers of his mother, Monica, before Augustine turned from his sinful life and devoted his life to Christ.
Paul knew what was coming that’s why he wrote to Timothy in his second letter;
“The time will surely come, when men will grow tired of sound doctrine, always itching to hear something fresh; and so they will provide themselves with a continuous succession of new teachers, as the whim takes them, turning a deaf ear to the truth, bestowing their attention on fables instead.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4
And Paul knows through all of his trials – and remember he is also one who had a conversion of the greatest magnitude –
“I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have redeemed my pledge; I look forward to the prize that is waiting for me, the prize I have earned. The Lord, the judge whose award never goes amiss, will grant it to me when that day comes; to me, yes, and all those who have learned to welcome his appearing. Make haste, and come quickly to me.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8
In that same letter he updates Timothy on some companions and says of one of them;
“Demas has fallen in love with this present world; he has deserted me, and gone to Thessalonica.” 2 Timothy 4:9
Do not fall in love with this present world. Remember, this is but a drop in the bucket to the length of time in eternity – and I want us all in eternity with the only true Love there is – God our Father, Jesus His only Son and the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life.
We are living in this age, in this time because God has chosen us to be here for a purpose that He has charged us with. Your children and your grandchildren are living in this age, will live in this age, in all this turmoil because God has chosen them to be here. God has a purpose and a reason that is not for us to know but only for us to faithfully follow.
Pray for God to show you His will for you. Ask Him to show you the way. Pray for all those in your life. For all those you will meet in the course of your day. Pray to know and to be able to follow His will.
Teach your children, your grandchildren to search for God’s will in their lives. Help them to follow Him and teach them to be strong in faith!
So many of us, I for one, failed our children when we bought into the secular narratives of the times. We bought into the “Buddy Jesus” and forgot He was our King, our Judge. We bought into the crap that He will understand, even if we break every commandment, that it would be too hard to do it any other way.
We bought into the crap that Jesus’ commands didn’t take into account what the times would be like for us – in other words – we didn’t believe He was truly God!
We bought into the warm & fuzzy, the Kum-By-Yah, the if it feels good, do it and we are not hurting anyone else crap. And to top it off, we taught the same crap to our kids!
“What Jesus Christ was yesterday, and is to-day, he remains for ever.” Hebrews 13:8
Please know I pray for you! I pray for our country! I pray for our Church! I pray for our world!
We have many trials and tribulations in front of us. We also have much love and many smiles in front of us. Paul tells us;
“At my first trial, no one stood by me; I was deserted by everybody; may it be forgiven them. But the Lord was at my side; he endowed me with strength, so that through me the preaching of the gospel might attain its full scope, and all the Gentiles might hear it; thus I was brought safely out of the jaws of the lion. Yes, the Lord has preserved me from every assault of evil; he will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom; glory be to him through endless ages, Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:16 – 18
Trust in the Lord to be your strength!! Teach your kids that He is their strength!!
So answer this – Is an eternity of peace worth a moment of compromise?
Just a Fat Sassy Grandma 