A New Year Revolution
As we start the New Year 2011, let us set expectations and measures with which we can judge our success. We are not talking about New Year resolutions because we can’t keep them but rather a revolution. We have all made numerous New Year resolutions which we only kept for the first week of January. The most popular resolution everyone makes is to exercise. The first two weeks of January, you can barely get a chance to climb on treadmill because of so many on the line in the gym. By the third week, the waiting is cut in half and by end of January; you can stay on the treadmill as much time as you want because the crowd is gone. Where did all those people with great first-week zeal go? Are you one of them? Hey I am not picking on you but just stating the facts because I have been there.
What is therefore a revolution that makes it different from a resolution? In a resolution, all you need is a mental assent and initial will-power to get started. It just means you have determined or declared to do something. On the other hand, a revolution comes for ultimate death at the end to bring a change. The word revolution has the following dictionary entries among others – the overthrow of a ruler, government or political system; a major change or dramatic change in ideas or practice; a complete circular turn around etc.
Christ is calling us to a revolution when he said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:24). This is a call for complete and total overthrow of the government of self and the establishment of the rule and government of the Christ. It is a radical change in idea and practice because it is counter culture and it is not the normal way of thinking and living. Are you ready for 2011 revolution in your life? This is not wishful thinking like a resolution but a call to die. We must follow Christ in obedience to His teachings and life examples.
Are you ready to daily die to self in 2011? Revolution is a rebellion, a revolt and an uprising against self interest and sin in my life that can only be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit in me. I can’t do it but Christ can reconcile me to a Holy God – the true Ruler and Government of my life. Who is going to rule and govern your life, decisions/choices on a daily basis in 2011? Is it you or God? At year end in 2011, what will matter are the daily choices we made with His Help to honor and glorify God.
Matthew 16 13-28
13 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 Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
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, the chief priests and the 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 concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have.
1. The context is always important and here, Jesus is speaking directly with His disciples. Everyone has opinion of who Christ is. People then said he was one of the prophets, Elijah and etc. Christ is asking you and me, “Who do you say I am?” The Holy Spirit revealed to Peter and the disciples whom Jesus is. We also now know who Christ is by His special grace and revelation. May be you may not even know who Christ is. Who is Christ to you? Is He the Messiah and God that He claimed to be or are you your own God? Our opinion has no weight in this regards. Jesus is God as He said and until we settle this in our hearts we cannot relate to Him. The Jews then knew that He was God but refused to acknowledge him as God. Will you today receive Jesus as God and the savior?
2. Like Peter, many of us have received the revelation of who Christ is but we do not want the Christ of the cross. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Christ was not apologetic about going to the cross. Christ came for only one purpose to die on the cross to save us from the wrath of God to come. Peter’s response (I think) is the beginning of the “prosperity gospel” of today and it comes from the pit of hell. It is the “feel good, all you can get, name and claim it religion”. Notice that the cross was not up for debate, so immediately Jesus rebuked Peter. In 2011, we must watch with the eye of the Holy Spirit for anything or person who would derail us from accomplishing God’s will. The voice of Satan can come even from those we love and those that love us. We must respond like Christ, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me”. Jesus rebuked Peter but rejected Satan. Keep in mind that our fight is not against flesh and blood (people) but against Satan.
3. We must walk the walk of revolution just as Jesus did. Peter was looking for maybe a political system or something else that will enthrone Christ here and make him popular. Jesus quickly reminded Peter, “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” You can still know about Christ and refuse to make God’s concerns” your primary concern and focus. Are your concerns only “human concerns” rather than the “concerns of God”? What will consume your energy in 2011? Human concerns (things for here and now) or God’s concerns (things that will last forever – the souls of men and women)?
4. Just like you, I like to be wished happy and prosperous New Year as long as we keep it in the context of what Jesus is calling us to. His kingdom first and other things follow. Prosperity is doing and being in God’s will. He has promised to take care of us and He always does. The disciples often forgot that provision was very simple and easy as far as God is concerned. Jesus reminded them of the feeding of the five thousand and the seven baskets that were leftovers. Let’s be reminded that God fed and cared for us in 2010 and He will do it again. Let’s be grateful and give God Thanks in 2011.
5. After hearing and seeing where Peter and the rest of the disciples were headed (human concerns), Jesus proceeds to lay down the ground rule for following Him. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. Tough to follow Christ? How about “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44)? In fact the gospel of Luke 9:23 adds the word “take up their cross daily and follow me”. Yes, daily and not once a year” Why daily and why deny self and why the cross?
6. Well Jesus has already done the dying for us. He is saying if you are going to follow me, you must acknowledge your lack of adequacy (deny self) and take up my strength which is the cross to follow me. Yes, it talks about sacrifice but more so of relying on the strength of God to live daily.
7. For 2011 are you going to deny your strength (fat bank account or lack thereof; your strong academic credential and superior/secure job and/or good neighborhood) but rely and trust God? In this New Year, none of these things will help except if the Lord helps you and me. “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to[a] those he loves (Psalm 127). Will you let God build you, watch over you and guard you in 2011 or do you want to do it all by yourself?
8. Will you join the revolution? Many of us are looking for change in 2011 but in the wrong places. We want changes in career and home and school etc (all have to be according to God’s will). The real change in 2011 must be a change in us to totally die and depend on God on a daily basis. The change is a change in perspective from personal strength to acknowledge personal weakness and inviting God’s strength to prevail for us. It has to be a year of inward-looking instead of pointing fingers at someone else whom we think is impeding the accomplishment of my desires and wants. You see, when you don’t acknowledge your sinful nature you think you are better than someone else. You judge people by their actions and judge yourself by your good intentions. We are all capable of offending one another, so go easy on others and grant them grace and forgiveness in 2011 just as you received from God. For some of us this may be the first cross of the year to forgive those that offended us during these Christmas holidays. Hey, stuff happens and or said when imperfect families come together. Mine and yours are no different.
9. Christ was not specific to what he meant by the daily cross. The cross could be our daily living and decision making that is consistent with God’s will. The fact that He said daily implies that it is something we have to repeatedly do. Well if you are married, one sure cross is your marriage cross. Marriage is a perfect set up for us to daily deny self to please God and be in His will. May God help us carry this cross in 2011and beyond. Everything would tell you to quit your marriage in 2011 but keep saying “get behind me Satan”. If you are single for now, you would still have to bear your cross of singleness. You will be tempted to give-in and not glorify God in your present state. Please stay on course in 2011 for the glory of God.
The ultimate revolution is the one that Christ accomplished on the cross. That is what he is inviting us to partake of –daily cross. “For all have sinned and come short of God’s glory”. I therefore must daily live and confess my need for God and His salvation. Christ said, “apart from Me, you can do nothing” in 2011.
Listen to Jesus, 26 “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” This would be the measure of all things when we come to the end of 2011 and to the end of our lives. Think about it for a moment. Christ is saying, even if you have all the money of all the central banks of the entire world (meaning no one else owns anything but only you), and you do not deny self and follow Christ, you have nothing. Can we for a moment put into perspective all our 2011grandiose ambitions and anticipated accomplishments in light of eternity and follow Christ? Can you be happy with just being a disciple of Christ and making unbelievers His disciple in 2011? What else are you looking for in 2011? I do not have any other plans than being a disciple and making disciples of Christ. Please pray for me in 2011 to accomplish just this goal. Whatever you do in 2011, may we do it for God’s glory. Amen.
Will you allow God to overthrow yourself government in 2011 and have Him establish His Rule and throne in your life? We also have been invited by God. 16 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Will you do this in 2011? This is the revolutionary life. Lord grant us your grace in 2011. Amen.
Happy Revolutionary life and Happy New You and New Year in 2011.
As we start the New Year 2011, let us set expectations and measures with which we can judge our success. We are not talking about New Year resolutions because we can’t keep them but rather a revolution. We have all made numerous New Year resolutions which we only kept for the first week of January. The most popular resolution everyone makes is to exercise. The first two weeks of January, you can barely get a chance to climb on treadmill because of so many on the line in the gym. By the third week, the waiting is cut in half and by end of January; you can stay on the treadmill as much time as you want because the crowd is gone. Where did all those people with great first-week zeal go? Are you one of them? Hey I am not picking on you but just stating the facts because I have been there.
What is therefore a revolution that makes it different from a resolution? In a resolution, all you need is a mental assent and initial will-power to get started. It just means you have determined or declared to do something. On the other hand, a revolution comes for ultimate death at the end to bring a change. The word revolution has the following dictionary entries among others – the overthrow of a ruler, government or political system; a major change or dramatic change in ideas or practice; a complete circular turn around etc.
Christ is calling us to a revolution when he said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:24). This is a call for complete and total overthrow of the government of self and the establishment of the rule and government of the Christ. It is a radical change in idea and practice because it is counter culture and it is not the normal way of thinking and living. Are you ready for 2011 revolution in your life? This is not wishful thinking like a resolution but a call to die. We must follow Christ in obedience to His teachings and life examples.
Are you ready to daily die to self in 2011? Revolution is a rebellion, a revolt and an uprising against self interest and sin in my life that can only be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit in me. I can’t do it but Christ can reconcile me to a Holy God – the true Ruler and Government of my life. Who is going to rule and govern your life, decisions/choices on a daily basis in 2011? Is it you or God? At year end in 2011, what will matter are the daily choices we made with His Help to honor and glorify God.
Matthew 16 13-28
13 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 Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
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, the chief priests and the 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 concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have.
1. The context is always important and here, Jesus is speaking directly with His disciples. Everyone has opinion of who Christ is. People then said he was one of the prophets, Elijah and etc. Christ is asking you and me, “Who do you say I am?” The Holy Spirit revealed to Peter and the disciples whom Jesus is. We also now know who Christ is by His special grace and revelation. May be you may not even know who Christ is. Who is Christ to you? Is He the Messiah and God that He claimed to be or are you your own God? Our opinion has no weight in this regards. Jesus is God as He said and until we settle this in our hearts we cannot relate to Him. The Jews then knew that He was God but refused to acknowledge him as God. Will you today receive Jesus as God and the savior?
2. Like Peter, many of us have received the revelation of who Christ is but we do not want the Christ of the cross. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Christ was not apologetic about going to the cross. Christ came for only one purpose to die on the cross to save us from the wrath of God to come. Peter’s response (I think) is the beginning of the “prosperity gospel” of today and it comes from the pit of hell. It is the “feel good, all you can get, name and claim it religion”. Notice that the cross was not up for debate, so immediately Jesus rebuked Peter. In 2011, we must watch with the eye of the Holy Spirit for anything or person who would derail us from accomplishing God’s will. The voice of Satan can come even from those we love and those that love us. We must respond like Christ, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me”. Jesus rebuked Peter but rejected Satan. Keep in mind that our fight is not against flesh and blood (people) but against Satan.
3. We must walk the walk of revolution just as Jesus did. Peter was looking for maybe a political system or something else that will enthrone Christ here and make him popular. Jesus quickly reminded Peter, “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” You can still know about Christ and refuse to make God’s concerns” your primary concern and focus. Are your concerns only “human concerns” rather than the “concerns of God”? What will consume your energy in 2011? Human concerns (things for here and now) or God’s concerns (things that will last forever – the souls of men and women)?
4. Just like you, I like to be wished happy and prosperous New Year as long as we keep it in the context of what Jesus is calling us to. His kingdom first and other things follow. Prosperity is doing and being in God’s will. He has promised to take care of us and He always does. The disciples often forgot that provision was very simple and easy as far as God is concerned. Jesus reminded them of the feeding of the five thousand and the seven baskets that were leftovers. Let’s be reminded that God fed and cared for us in 2010 and He will do it again. Let’s be grateful and give God Thanks in 2011.
5. After hearing and seeing where Peter and the rest of the disciples were headed (human concerns), Jesus proceeds to lay down the ground rule for following Him. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. Tough to follow Christ? How about “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44)? In fact the gospel of Luke 9:23 adds the word “take up their cross daily and follow me”. Yes, daily and not once a year” Why daily and why deny self and why the cross?
6. Well Jesus has already done the dying for us. He is saying if you are going to follow me, you must acknowledge your lack of adequacy (deny self) and take up my strength which is the cross to follow me. Yes, it talks about sacrifice but more so of relying on the strength of God to live daily.
7. For 2011 are you going to deny your strength (fat bank account or lack thereof; your strong academic credential and superior/secure job and/or good neighborhood) but rely and trust God? In this New Year, none of these things will help except if the Lord helps you and me. “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to[a] those he loves (Psalm 127). Will you let God build you, watch over you and guard you in 2011 or do you want to do it all by yourself?
8. Will you join the revolution? Many of us are looking for change in 2011 but in the wrong places. We want changes in career and home and school etc (all have to be according to God’s will). The real change in 2011 must be a change in us to totally die and depend on God on a daily basis. The change is a change in perspective from personal strength to acknowledge personal weakness and inviting God’s strength to prevail for us. It has to be a year of inward-looking instead of pointing fingers at someone else whom we think is impeding the accomplishment of my desires and wants. You see, when you don’t acknowledge your sinful nature you think you are better than someone else. You judge people by their actions and judge yourself by your good intentions. We are all capable of offending one another, so go easy on others and grant them grace and forgiveness in 2011 just as you received from God. For some of us this may be the first cross of the year to forgive those that offended us during these Christmas holidays. Hey, stuff happens and or said when imperfect families come together. Mine and yours are no different.
9. Christ was not specific to what he meant by the daily cross. The cross could be our daily living and decision making that is consistent with God’s will. The fact that He said daily implies that it is something we have to repeatedly do. Well if you are married, one sure cross is your marriage cross. Marriage is a perfect set up for us to daily deny self to please God and be in His will. May God help us carry this cross in 2011and beyond. Everything would tell you to quit your marriage in 2011 but keep saying “get behind me Satan”. If you are single for now, you would still have to bear your cross of singleness. You will be tempted to give-in and not glorify God in your present state. Please stay on course in 2011 for the glory of God.
The ultimate revolution is the one that Christ accomplished on the cross. That is what he is inviting us to partake of –daily cross. “For all have sinned and come short of God’s glory”. I therefore must daily live and confess my need for God and His salvation. Christ said, “apart from Me, you can do nothing” in 2011.
Listen to Jesus, 26 “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” This would be the measure of all things when we come to the end of 2011 and to the end of our lives. Think about it for a moment. Christ is saying, even if you have all the money of all the central banks of the entire world (meaning no one else owns anything but only you), and you do not deny self and follow Christ, you have nothing. Can we for a moment put into perspective all our 2011grandiose ambitions and anticipated accomplishments in light of eternity and follow Christ? Can you be happy with just being a disciple of Christ and making unbelievers His disciple in 2011? What else are you looking for in 2011? I do not have any other plans than being a disciple and making disciples of Christ. Please pray for me in 2011 to accomplish just this goal. Whatever you do in 2011, may we do it for God’s glory. Amen.
Will you allow God to overthrow yourself government in 2011 and have Him establish His Rule and throne in your life? We also have been invited by God. 16 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Will you do this in 2011? This is the revolutionary life. Lord grant us your grace in 2011. Amen.
Happy Revolutionary life and Happy New You and New Year in 2011.
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