what do we do when we are faced with a reality that appears uncomfortable, but necessary?  how quick are we to change what we’re doing, or to avoid what we know needs to be done, in order to avoid being uncomfortable?

john’s disciples come to Jesus asking if He is actually the One they’ve been waiting for, to which Jesus points out the work of the Kingdom that is already taking place. john’s disciples then take the message back to him in prison.

what do you do as john’s disciple here? if your rabbi is jailed do you go with him? do you stay there outside his cell, waiting? do you go find a new rabbi? what about Jesus’ disciples? what did they do when things got rough? most of them scattered in john 6 when Jesus talks about being the bread of life. the rest flee when the passover abduction takes place…watching from a distance.

but is that how they live the rest of their lives? was that the extent of the loyalty and devotion they had for Jesus? is that as far it it ran for them? no. this was a weak moment. we all have them. those first confrontations with fear, doubt and self-preservation. they ran and hid. but do we hear about them hiding after pentecost, after the Spirit comes?

they may have left the city to avoid death for the sake of continuing to spread the Word, but what is the end result for all but john? death. face first, plowing forward into the service of the LORD and Master, Jesus.

Peter’s reaction to the slip up in devotion should be mine and yours as well. we should be in tears when we knowingly let Jesus down. we have a call on our life. we know what needs to be done, but we fall short so many times. not because we we’re trying to live another day in serving, but out of pure, selfish desire to stay comfortable…and there is a huge difference here.

perseverance, living to fight another day, is totally acceptable. we can go mad like paul did, in order to spread the Word again later. we can flee to samaria like phillip and spread the word there. as long as we are doing everything possible to teach the word wherever we can, however we can, we are doing what we are supposed to do. running is controversial. it seems weak, and like there is a lack of trust, but if we go out seeking martyrdom, are we really seeking our own glory? martyrdom comes when there is no where else to go, and we accept it gladly. until that point, we do what we can to spread the word to just one more person while we have the time and freedom to do so.

comfort on the other hand is stagnation. comfort is laziness. comfort is telling God “i don’t care what You’re asking me to do.” and telling the lost “i don’t care about you at all.” we do not make the effort beyond what we feel like doing. we don’t stretch out a hand to help, we don’t look at those who need help, and when they come near, we act as though they don’t matter. getting our hands dirty, really dirty, isn’t something we want to do. when we’re comfortable, we’ll do ministry all day long, if it’s one of our pet projects that doesn’t ask too much of us…something that makes us look good without demanding too much of us. comfortable is death.

what is the extent of your (and my) loyalty and devotion? i don’t ask you this question without asking it also of myself.

yes. i am already in full time ministry. i go to a church to work every day, but just doing that doesn’t mean that i’m just where i need to be. if being on a church staff meant a guaranteed ticket and right life, there would be a  lot more people trying to get on at churches. but we know full well that there are plenty of people who have misused the positions that God has offered them. the rest of us try daily to combat the effects of what they have done.

but aren’t all of God’s people ministers of the Gospel? don’t we all have a roll to play, and part that belongs to us? yes, of course. but it all comes back to the question of loyalty and devotion. how far are you willing to go? how UNcomfortable are you willing to be?

rise up Church!