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Part 2
by Samuel E. Ward
June 12, 2011
Introduction
There is a myth among many non-Christians and some professing Christians that Christians are perfect. However, the fact of the matter is that the most spiritually mature of us readily admit that we are a work in progress. We are imperfect people seeking to become (over the period of our lifetime) everything God wants us to be. Such was the aspiration of the Apostle Paul.
(Phil 3:10-14 NIV) I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, {11} and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. {12} Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. {13} Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, {14} I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
In the quest to know what a disciple of Christ looks like, we must now consider their imperfections. I will not produce a comprehensive list; but the following observations from the Gospel of Matthew will serve to alert us to some of them. It will also show that Jesus knew that He was choosing imperfect disciples and that He desired that they progressively grow through and beyond their imperfections.
Having made ten general observations about disciples in Part 1, take note of . . .
II. Ten Observed Imperfections of Some Disciples and the Means to Overcome Them
A. Disciples Sometimes Have Other Priorities.
1. An example
(Mat 8:19-22 NIV) Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." {20} Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." {21} Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." {22} But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
Jesus was not being uncompassionate. We should not assume the father is dead. The Jewish culture buries its dead immediately. If this fellow's father had just died, he would not be hanging around listening to Jesus. Instead, the most likely story is that this disciple wants to wait to follow Jesus until after his father dies. This was an issue with Abraham. See Genesis 11:31-12:5.
2. The overcoming principle: If Jesus calls today, today is the day to come.
(Heb 3:6-10 NIV) But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. {7} So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, {8} do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, {9} where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. {10} That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.'
B. Disciples Sometimes Lack Faith
1. An example
(Mat 8:25-26 NIV) The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" {26} He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
2. The overcoming principle: Jesus has power over all that causes us to fear. Trust that even when He appears not to be aware, He is and will take care of you.
(Mat 8:27 NIV) The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"
C. Disciples Sometimes Miss the Point of Their Mission, Mat 15:22-28.
1. The example
(Mat 15:22-28 NIV) A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." {23} Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." {24} He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." {25} The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. {26} He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." {27} "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." {28} Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
2. The overcoming principle: Jesus' compassion extends to all who seek it and so should ours.
(Acts 10:37-38 NIV) You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-- {38} how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
D. Disciples Sometimes Miss the Point of Jesus' Teaching, Mat 16:5-11.
1. An example
(Mat 16:5-11 NIV) When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. {6} "Be careful," Jesus said to them. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." {7} They discussed this among themselves and said, "It is because we didn't bring any bread." {8} Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, "You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? {9} Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? {10} Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? {11} How is it you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
2. The overcoming principle: As disciples we must always seek the deeper truths.
(Mat 16:12 NIV) Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
(Mat 13:35-36 NIV) So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world." {36} Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."
E. Disciples Are Sometimes Slow to Integrate Truth, Mat 16:13-24.
1. An example
(Mat 16:13-24 NIV) When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" {14} They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." {15} "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" {16} Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." {17} Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. {18} And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. {19} I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." {20} Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. {21} From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. {22} Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" {23} Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." {24} Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
2. The Overcoming Principle: We Must Be Able to Integrate the Whole of God's Teachings in Order Not to Miss the Total Truth and Its Implications.
Yes we will experience great blessings from God as believers. But we may also experience great persecution.
(1 Th 3:2-6 NIV) We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, {3} so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. {4} In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. {5} For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless. {6} But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.
F. Disciples Sometimes Try to Minister Without the Exercise of Faith, Mat 17:15-20.
1. An example
(Mat 17:15-20 NIV) "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. {16} I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him." {17} "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." {18} Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. {19} Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" {20} He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
2. The overcoming principle: Without faith in Jesus, we can do nothing.
(John 15:4-5 NIV) Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. {5} "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
G. Disciples Sometimes Show a Lack of Understanding of How Much Jesus Loves Children, Mat 19:13-14.
1. An example
(Mat 19:13 NIV) Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. {14} Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
2. The overcoming principle: We should be as eager to share Jesus with children as with anyone else.
(Mat 19:14 NIV) Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
H. Disciples Sometimes Impulsively Make Promises They Cannot Keep, Mat 26:31-35
1. An example
(Mat 26:31-35 NIV) Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: "'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' {32} But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." {33} Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will." {34} "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." {35} But Peter declared, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same.
2. The overcoming principle: We should be careful about boasting about what we can or will do. It is better that we avoid having to "eat our words."
(James 3:2, 5 NIV) We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. . . {5} Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
I. Disciples Sometimes Fail to Comprehend the Need for Watchful Prayer, Mat 26:37-38, 41.
1. An example
(Mat 26:37-38, 41 NIV) He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. {38} Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." . . . {41} "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
2. The overcoming principle: We must pray that we are not tempted to become complacent and therefore easy victims of Satan's schemes to cause us to fall.
(1 Pet 5:8 NIV) Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
J. Disciples Sometimes Lack the Courage to Stand with Jesus, Mat 26:55-56.
1. An example
(Mat 26:55-56 NIV) At that time Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. {56} But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
2. The overcoming principle: Jesus understands our initial fears but He expects us to get over it as we learn to place our faith and trust in Him.
(Acts 4:1-3, 8, 12-13 NIV) The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. {2} They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. {3} They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. . . {8} Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! . . . {12} Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." {13} When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
Conclusion
What is expected of all disciples?
1. That we put Jesus first in our lives.
2. That we follow Jesus in every aspect of our lives.
3. That we be fruitful for Jesus' sake with our lives.
4. That we love others as Jesus has loved us.
