There are two passages assigned for today!
SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 6
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination. [Nehemiah 6:9]
Intimidation, those who choose to believe and to follow Jesus will face intimidation.
Nehemiah is doing the work that he feels called by God to do; the work itself is hard, but add to that the pressure that he faces from their enemies, and their allies among the Jews.
Lies, threats, mockery, intimidation – all designed to discourage them and stop the work.
These are the kinds of challenges that Jesus-followers will eventually face too if they determine to live as Jesus lived.
And often the pressure will come from their own family and friends.
So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue. [John 9:24-34]
This Jesus story is about how the religious leaders are trying to discredit Jesus by discrediting a man that Jesus healed from blindness.
But what I love about this story is that the man is not discouraged, but emboldened.
The greater pressure that is applied, the bold he gets; like Nehemiah, who responds to the intimidation with greater determination.
This doesn’t make the pressure stop – in fact it makes it worse (they threw him out of the synagogue) – but the man could not deny the life-changing impact that Jesus had for him.
Have you decided to follow Jesus?
Have you determined to live like Jesus – at work, at home, in your neighbourhood?
Are you prepared to deny yourself, to take up your cross, and follow Jesus into kingdom living?
Then be prepared for intimidation, be prepared to be mildly or seriously harassed.
You will not be harassed for living a ‘respectable christian life’, but you will be harassed if you actually take the teaching and example of Jesus seriously, and live like Him.
And often the greatest pressure will come from your own family friends, people who don’t mind a little religion but are afraid of radical or extreme discipleship.
People who actually try to follow Jesus will face pressure, intimidation, threats.
Not sure you believe this? Try it: start loving the person that hurt your family; give generously to people that are in need; spend your spare time helping people that are struggling; make prayer and bible-reading a top priority in your daily life; go to the places where the oppressed live; talk to your family, friends and co-workers about the life-changing impact of Jesus on your life…
If you are not sure about this for yourself, read Shane Claiborne’s The Irresistible Revolution, and notice how he faces intimidation and threats for going beyond ‘respectable christian living’ to actually living like Jesus.
PRAYER:
Lord, forgive me for turning your message into a ‘respectable religion’, help me to recover that radical, risky lifestyle of following You; and grant me greater determination to withstand whatever pressure comes my way.