While with Jesus, they’re excited. The disciples believe and they are ready for the Kingdom of God to come. But then Jesus is captured. He’s subjected to a farce of a trial and we find the disciples running for their lives. We find them in hiding. But then a short time later these same men are standing up to the very same Jewish leaders to condemn Jesus to death and are out publicly proclaiming the good news about Jesus.
You see dissonance is when who I am no longer lines up with who I had hoped to be or how I hope others see me. It happens so often and so subtly that most of the time you and I don’t even realize it’s going on. We all know that major dissonance (or compromise) doesn’t crop up overnight. It starts small. So small that we might not recognize it in ourselves or want to acknowledge it. This morning we’re going to open to the Book of James, chapter one.
He could have let Jonah die a slow painful death being digested by a giant fish. Now aren’t you glad that God shows mercy to Jonah? I know I am. Because I need the sort of God who lovingly pursues me. I need the sort of God who will be merciful towards me. In spite of Jonah’s disobedience, God uses this situation to make His name great. God could have used someone else to witness to the Ninevites but God’s actions here would seem to indicate that God desires Jonah. This is good news. Even if we give up on ourselves, God doesn’t give up on us.
While suffering might be the very thing we need to help us grow we must understand that even in the middle of it that it is the thing that when we are faithful in the midst of it, is producing a crown of glory. God promises that my suffering is somehow producing life that I don’t understand.
While we might think that God’s grace is super-abundant in that we could have more than we would ever need or want, we act like it will run out, that there won’t be enough. Much like the Christmas cookies or hot water for a shower on a Sunday morning we might think we need to grab what we need/want before someone else takes it all and there’s none left for us. But God’s grace is more than sufficient for your or my every need.
I have been united with Jesus. I am free: I can find grace in time of need. I have not been given a spirit of fear but instead one of power, love and self-discipline.
We are addicted to sight. We are addicted to needing to know. We are addicted to control. Some of you plan way in advance. Some of you do tons of research before you even think about buying something. You might get nervous before you travel. You worry that something might not go according to plan. I don’t think a single one of you wants to live a boring life.
But then I got a letter from Moody that read, “We’re sorry but there’s no more room for you at the Moody Bible Institute”. In other words, “We’re sorry but your application wasn’t good enough and you’ve been rejected”. But, but, but, that WAS the PLAN! My thoughts raced, why had God allowed this road block? How was I going to serve God if He didn’t let me go forward with THE PLAN???
We have thoughts and ideas about what we’d like to do with our life, places we’d like to go, things we’d like to do, when we’d like to do those things. Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?
Do you remember when you were a kid? If your mom was anything like mine she made you say, “I’m sorry”. In fact your mother probably drilled that into you. But what about now? When was the last time you went to someone and ate the humble pie and said “Hey I was wrong and I’m sorry.” Think for a minute. Is there someone in your life today with whom you need to be reconciled? Perhaps someone with whom there has been a rift for years and years. Go make amends. Go ask for forgiveness. Go and make reconciliation today.