Honest Prayer

It seems that prayer is one of the most neglected means of grace. Thomas Watson once remarked: “Christ went more readily to the cross, than we do to the throne of grace.” Watson’s observation in the seventeenth century is still true today. The biggest evidence of this is the small number of people attending prayer meetings. Christian commitment to prayer is ridiculously miniscule. Worse still, even during prayer times in worship gatherings, there are evidences suggesting that many Christians do not know how to pray. Honestly, I often wonder if people in church—whose eyes are closed—are truly praying when someone is “leading the prayer.”

We all remember that on His last week on earth, Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the Temple. He caused quite a scene there because He overturned the tables of the merchants and drove them away. Then He said, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers’” (Matt 21:13; quoting Isa 56:7). Today, I sincerely do not think that we are guilty of having turned God’s sanctuary into a den of thieves, but I am not quite certain whether our churches will not be judged for failing to make God’s sanctuary a place of prayer.

The Scriptures has a lot of say about prayer. One of the most crucial ones is written by James: “You do not have because you do not ask God” (4:2).

To be honest, reading James 4:2 makes me very uncomfortable for two reasons.

First, it seems to vindicate prosperity gospel. According to Wikipedia, this is a movement teaching that faith, asking, and positive thinking will increase one’s material wealth. The idea is that when humans have faith in God, He will deliver His promise of security and prosperity. If we confess these promises in faith, God will give them to us. It is a “claim it, have it” ideology.

Secondly, it contradicts what I affirm and believe about God’s Godness. I know that God is free. God cannot be forced to do things. He is the Lord of the universe, and I am nothing. But the passage seems to say that I, a mere insignificant creature—a bug, a useless chaff in the wind (Ps 1:4; Job 21:8), a grass or flower that withers (Isa 40:8; 1 Peter 1:24)—have a significance in the universe that my prayer can affect God’s decision. We do not have, because we do not ask. The verse seems to say that my prayer—yes, my simple prayer—can change the condition I am in, particularly of not having something.

Surprisingly, the same thought was expressed by Jesus: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. ⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matt 7:7-11).

The only thing we must do is ask! But there’s a catch. How should we ask?

We must ask earnestly. The word “ask” refers to pleading with the whole heart. It is asking what we desire with all our hearts. It is not an uncommitted prayer. It is not asking with the lips; it is asking with the whole heart. It is pleading to the point that we are grieved when what we asked for is not given to us. It is like my daughter asking for a Stick-O, and becoming really frustrated when she is denied. It is not asking with an indifferent attitude, or not caring whether our prayers are answered or not.

What is important is not the number of times we pray, but the fact that we mean what we pray and that we really desire what we pray for. When we pray for the healing of a person, and we really do not care about the person and whether he or she is healed, do we think we truly prayed? When we pray for our food out of plain routine, do we think that God will truly bless our food? When we pray with our mouths for God to bless our pastors and our church, and yet we do not really care about things such as ministry and the like, do we think we really prayed?

Genuine prayer is praying out of the depths of the heart, beseeching God to grant us what we really desire. It is a genuine insult to God when we come to Him with words, but we do not really mean them. John Bunyan once wrote, “When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words without heart.”

I remember some of the prayers I uttered while I was a young boy. Night after night, when I was in my elementary years, I prayed that I would get an academic award when the commencement exercises come in March. Even as a small child, I was very specific with my prayers. When I think about them now, they seem childish, but when I was young, they were the honest contents of my heart. Perhaps what we need today as believers is to go back to being an honest child in praying. As we have matured in our intellectual capacities, we have expanded our vocabulary and learned to construct poetic statements. Then we employ these learnings in our prayers, trying to flatter God [and the congregation] with our jargons and complex sentences. But perhaps what God really desires from us is the simplest expressions of what our hearts truly desire. No pretenses. No sugar-coating. No flattery. Just plain and honest utterances coming from the depths of our hearts.

So the important question is this: What is it that we really desire in our hearts? What do we truly desire? Have we told God about them yet, no matter how ridiculous they might sound? Or are we just mumbling things that we do not really care about?

The worst possible scenario for a Christian is when he or she does not desire anything godly anymore, which is why he or she does not have anything to pray about too. He does not have because he does not ask; and he does not ask because he does not care. To make the questions more focused and general to us:

Could it be that there is no personal growth in us because we do not really seek or desire to grow in our faith? We do not have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control because we do not ask God for these virtues, because we don’t really care. Could it be that we are not asking for more of God because we are already content with our spiritual status as infants? We do not pray much because we do not really care much about God anyway.

Could it be that the reason why the church is not growing is that we are not praying about it, because we don’t really care. We do not have the desire to see our empty seats filled. We do not care whether our attendance is dropping. Anyway, we can find another church if our local church closes down. Could it be that there are not even 5 or 10 who are genuinely praying and desiring for this church to become a sanctuary-filled people whose lives have been transformed by the grace of God?  

Could it be that there is no revival in our church and in our nation because we do not really ask for it from God, because we don’t really care? We do not have the desire for ourselves, for the church, and for the nation to be swept away by the mighty power of God. Yahweh once said, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chron 7:14). Could it be that the reason this is not happening in our lifetime is that we do not desire it? There is no intense longing to see our neighbors become transformed by the power of the gospel.

Could it be that there seems to be nothing happening in our lives and in our church because we do not have spiritual desires and aspirations? Could it be that we are already content with where we are? Could it be that our spiritual desires and aspirations are swallowed up by our earthly and worldly desires (James 4:4, 7-10)?

These are really tough questions that every believer should courageously face and answer. We are accountable to God, whether we like it or not and whether now or later.

No Neutral Ground

In my blogpost, Ready to Die, I discussed Simeon’s response when he saw and held Jesus Christ. When he said, “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace” (Luke 2:29), he was basically saying that he has seen the One his heart has been waiting for, and so he was ready to die any time. Like Simeon, because we already encountered Jesus Christ, our attitude about life and death should be different. We consider meeting Christ as the greatest joy and privilege in life.

Simeon regarded meeting Christ as the greatest thing in life, but his next statements say something quite disturbing. He said to Mary (quite insensitively, I would say): “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:34-35).

The next words of Simeon do not seem to fit his initial assessment of the coming of Christ in the world. He was like: “This is great! I love this guy! He is the one I have been waiting for my whole life. Now that I have seen him, I can die! Ah! By the way, he will be reason for many terrible things to come.” Simeon rings a rather gloomy note. According to Simeon, Jesus will be the reason for many to fall and rise in Israel, He will receive opposition and bad mouthing, and even his own mother Mary will suffer.

What does this mean? Why would the coming of Christ bring about negative things? Later in the life of Jesus, he admitted the same thing about his ministry in Matthew 10:34-40:

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
³⁶     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

³⁷ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.³⁸ Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.³⁹ Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. ⁴⁰ “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me.”

These passages tell us that the coming of Christ cannot be overlooked. Jesus Christ is not like a stranger on the road. He is not like a street vendor. He is not a sales representative. He is not a tele-marketer. He is the Lord and Creator of the universe. We do not have the right to ignore Him. We do not have the right to pass by Him. We do not have the right to avoid Him. He has all the rights in the universe.

And because He has already come, He demands that we make a decision about Him. He invites us to be forgiven. He invites us to be His followers. He invites us to be His worshippers. He invites us to be His servants.

And because we are asked to make personal decisions, the whole world is now divided between those who love Him and those who reject Him, between those who follow Him and oppose Him, and between those who are sheep and those who are goats. We see the divisive character of the coming of decisions for Christ especially in Muslim countries, where converts to Christianity are either killed or denounced by their families, friends, and neighbors.

There is no neutral ground any more. Those who are non-committal will have the contents of their hearts revealed. In the presence of the Jesus Christ, how we respond to Him and His call will reveal the genuine contents of our hearts. We are either for Him or against Him. Those thing they are neutral by not making decisions are to be classified among the unrighteous. As Alan Torrance once said, “to be neutral before God is to be hostile against God.”

This is where even Christians have problems.

First, we do not want to take a side. We do not want to be identified as a conservative or a liberal. We stay in the middle and congratulate ourselves because we do not have the fanaticism of the conservatives and the immorality of the liberals. We want to be nominal in our faith: we do not want to be identified as someone very committed but we also do not want to be known as a backslider. To these people is a relevant warning: “Because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Rev 3:16).

Secondly, we have become ignorant to the real meaning of knowing God. To know is to be transformed. Knowledge of people either deepen or break relationships – but we are unresponsive. The truth must be that those who truly encounter Christ must be humbled by His birth (Luke 2:6-7), must be encouraged by His growth (Luke 2:40, 52), must be challenged by His ministry (John 13:14-15), must be convicted by His death (Mark 15:37-39), must be comforted by His resurrection (1 Cor 15:54-58), must be charged by his ascension (Acts 1:4-8), and must be confronted by His coming again (Matt 24:3-38; Rev 16:15).

No one is exempted from making a personal decision. Even Mary will need to make a decision: “a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35).

The characters of the story of Christmas are from different generations: Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon and Anna are old. Mary and Joseph are young. This is the nature of the coming of Christ. It is never too late or too early to obey, follow, and be used by God for His purposes. We must make a decision now. There is an urgent call. The words of James are wise for us:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that...”  ¹⁷ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them (James 4:13-17)

Ready to Die

All the Christmas festivities are done. All our Christmas bonuses are probably spent. All the hypes—the busyness and the frantic cramming—are over. For some, Christmas vacation is done. So what now? Where do we go from here?

These questions were probably raised by Joseph and Mary after Jesus was born. Before and during the birth of Jesus, there were supernatural events surrounding them. Angels visited Mary and Joseph (Matt 1:18-21; Luke 1:26-38). Even their cousins experienced the same (Luke 1:5-25). When Jesus was born a star shone brightly in the skies (Matt 2:2). Shepherds have gone around telling stories about a multitude of angels singing (Luke 2:8-20).

But after Jesus was born, what should Joseph and Mary do next? When all the festivities and attention were gone, what were their next agenda in life? Quite shockingly, their next actions seemed to be so ordinary. They were just following a routine required by the law. On the eighth day of Jesus birth, they had Jesus circumcised (Luke 1:21) and on the 40^th day, Jesus was taken into the temple to be presented to the Lord (Luke 2:22-24).

But what happens at the Temple, particularly with Simeon, is quite exhilarating. When Simeon saw Jesus Christ, he exclaimed:  

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32)

Simeon’s response is quite extraordinary, or even weird. Imagine that you are wearing Simeon’s shoes. You have always known that you will meet the promised Messiah. And finally, such a happy occasion happened. What would you do? What would you say? When the magi saw Jesus, they bowed down in worship and gave their presents to Him (Matt 2:11). Shepherds were so overjoyed that they spread the news to everyone (Luke 2:17). But Simeon was different. As soon as he took the baby Jesus in his arms, his first words were: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace” (Luke 2:29). Basically, the first words he said when he saw Jesus was: Kill Me Now!

This response sounds really off, when in the presence of the King. But it is actually quite profound. The birth of Christ allows us to embrace our death. This is crucial because our attitude about death and life affects our whole being. Most people are inactive or are playing things safe or are not prone to take risks because they are afraid. And humanity’s greatest fear is death. Fear of pain and death is a mighty weapon that can be used against us so that we will be timid and petrified in doing God’s offensive work in the world.

Just imagine with me. What changes in our lifestyle will happen—in our giving, in our decision-making, in our service, in our approach to others, in our ministry, in our mission—if like Simeon we have the attitude of readiness to die? Would we be more courageous? Would we be less afraid? Would we try to accomplish more? Would we be completely different from who and where we are right now?

Now how does a simple encounter with Christ change our perspectives about life and death? It is simple. For Simeon, right before His eyes is the Lord of the universe. This, for him, was the greatest thing in the world. Is it not true that we usually do not want to die because we have many things left unaccomplished? We want to see more because we feel that we have not yet seen the best views and locations in the world. We want to enjoy more because we feel that we have not yet experienced true happiness and joy. We want to know more because we feel that the heights and depths and width of knowledge is still far from our grasps. We want to stay alive more because we feel that we have not yet experienced the fullness of life.

But what if seeing Jesus is all our joy? What if knowing Jesus is everything we want (Phil 3:8-10)? What if experiencing Jesus is everything we want in our lives? What if there is nothing in the world anymore that can be offered to us that can outmatch the joy of encountering Jesus?

This is a post-Christmas story. The question is this: what has changed about you and your perspective about life since you encountered Jesus Christ? 

Be Holy, for God is Holy

The command to be holy is found most explicitly in Leviticus 11:44-45: “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy… ⁴⁵ I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.” Two interesting this can be said about this passage: (1) the command to be holy is repeated twice, once in each verse; and (2) the commands to be holy are predicated on God’s initial self-description. It seems that the indicative about God is the foundation of the imperative to be holy.

Firstly, there are two ways God describes Himself in these two verses.

a. I am the Lord your God (11:44)

It is interesting that the statement “I am the Lord your God” is repeated several times in the Old Testament (Exo 6:6; 15:26; 20:2, 7; 29:46; Lev 26:1; 26:13; Deut 5:6; Isa 43:3; Jer 34:13). It seems that God needed to remind them about this fact all throughout their history. But we can understand this repeated reminder of Yahweh to the Israelites. Ancient New East offered plenty of gods. In Egypt alone, where they came from, there is a significant number of gods, each in-charge of something. The Israelites were surely influenced by Egypt. Being raised in a culture means that you are influenced by your environment. What you think about right and wrong, what is proper and improper etiquette, what is honorable and disgusting, what is socially approved and not, and other seemingly ordinary thought patterns are conditioned by our environment. So for the Israelites, it was normal for them to think that there were many gods. This was why it was easy for them to rebel against God and worship other gods even when they were already in the promise land.

The implication of God’s reminder that He is the Lord God of the Israelites is simple. If He is the God of the Israelites, then He deserves their worship, their devotion, their offerings, their allegiance, their dedication, their prayers. If He is their God, then He deserves everything. Again, they do not have the right to ignore Him or avoid Him. He is their God, and they have their responsibilities to Him.

This is the same with us. He deserves our love (Mark 12:29-30). He deserves our service (Matt 4:10).

b. I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt (11:45)

This statement is also repeated several time in the Old Testament as well (Exo 6:6; 13:3; 15:26; 29:46; Lev 11:45; 26:13; Deut 5:6; 7:8; Judg 2:1; Jer 2:6; 16:14; 34:13; Amos 2:10). God describes Himself as someone who did something for the Israelites. God met with them as the Redeemer. He is not just the some God who personally manifested Himself to them. No. He is the God who has done great and marvelous things for them. Their history would not be without Him. Yahweh reminds them that He is the Lord to whom they owe their entire existence as a nation.

God’s redeeming self-manifestation with the Israelites is also true in all of God’s dealing with humanity. He does not meet us just for the sake of meeting us. He meets us in order to meet our needs. He meets us in order to give us something. He comes to us and presents Himself because He recognizes our inmost being. He presents Himself and not offers Himself in relationship. He presents Himself because He wants to do something for us. This was what happened to Abraham, who was met by God in order to give Him the promise of blessings (Gen 12:1-3). This was also true to Moses, who was met by God in order to save the Israelites (Exo 3:7-10). Even Mary, when she encountered God through an angel, became the recipient of a great blessing (Luke 1:31-32). We encounter a God who does not just appear in our midst. The God we encounter is One who is gracious, compassionate, and merciful. He is a God who comes to us bearing gifts and blessings.

But God does not only reveal Himself to us. He also does not only come to save us. He wants us to be holy like Him. God’s self-introduction is also coupled by a command. The command is: “be holy, for I am holy.” But this is to be expected. Worshippers of different gods imitate the characters of their gods. Satan worshippers dress up with dark and demonic symbols. Followers of Buddha shave their heads and dress up like Buddha. And they do these things unashamedly. Even followers of famous people dress up like the person they idolize (e.g. Lady Gaga). Meaning: imitation of someone we love and adore is almost spontaneously expected.

So what does the command “be holy, for I am holy” mean? Two things may be mentioned here.

a. Being like God in His character

The identity of the Israelites as people of God must be patterned after the God who saved them and who they serve. God wanted the Israelites to be His reflection on earth. The calling of Israel was for them to reflect the character of God to their neighbors. They have to have a distinct identity in order for them to reflect who God is. This was why the Law was given, because the Law guides them to be the people God wanted them to be. The Ten Commandments reveal not only God’s will, but God’s character also:

1. There is no other worthy God to be worshipped.
2. No image can ever satisfactorily portray His greatness. To contain God is to insult Him.
3. God’s name is holy.
4. God honors rest and contentment.
5. God values those from whom we owe our existence.
6. God values the life that He gave to us.
7. God values single-minded commitment.
8. God values honest hard-work.
9. God values honest interpersonal relationships.
10. God values contentment.

By receiving the Law, the Israelites were being molded by God. The analogy of pots being molded by God the Potter is found in Jeremiah 18:1-10: “The pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him… [Yahweh] said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.”

Paul also says the same thing about Christians: “we are God’s handiwork” (Eph 2:10). In Greek, it says that we God’s poiema, a term also used in poetry and art. This means that we God’s careful masterpieces. Like poems, He chooses the best words and the best rhymes to finish a beautiful poem. Like songs, He chooses the best chord and note progression and lyrics to finish a beautiful song. Like a painting, He chooses the best color combination and brush strokes to finish a beautiful painting. Why? Because by shaping us, His character is also revealed and manifested.

b. Being like God in His work

Based on Leviticus 11:45, it seems that the holiness of God also refers to His saving character. Holiness is not just His attribute. Yahweh said: “I am the Lord who brought you out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, as I am holy.” To reconstruct the statement, it means “I am the holy Lord who brought you out of Egypt; therefore be holy like I am.”

Holiness, therefore, is also tied to with God’s actions. In Matthew 5:48, Jesus challenged His hearers: “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” If we go back up to verse 43, the perfection or holiness of the Father is described as (1) loving enemies and praying for those who persecute us, (2) causing sun to rise to the evil and good, and (3) sending rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. To be perfect like the Father is to imitate Him in these works.

It seems, therefore, that the holiness of God is evidenced by His saving work and in reaching out to others in need. His holiness is found in His forgiving work (“He is faithful and just,” 1 John 1:9). His holiness is found in delivering the oppressed, proclaiming the good news, giving sight to the blind (Luke 14:18-19). His holiness is found in embracing others, including sinners (Matt 11:19). His holiness is found in his coming to serve (Matt 20:28). His holiness is found in giving His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). His holiness is found in coming to heal the sick (Mark 2:17). His holiness is found in looking for the lost sheep of Israel (Matt 15:24).

To be holy just as God is holy, therefore, is to imitate Him in His reaching out to save others. The hymn written by Thomas O. Chisholm in 1897, “O to be Like Thee,” perfectly illustrates this:

O to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

O to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.

O to be like Thee, lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.

The Harvest is Plentiful

According to a speaker during the Manila International Missions Conference I attended in 2015, there are approximately 180,000 people saved in the world per day. Right now, there are 7.3 billion people alive in the world. If the church reaches out to 180,000 people per day, then there are 65,700,000 people saved every year. This means that it will take 111.111 years to make the 7.3 billion people in the world to become a Christian. This will be in 2127.

Jesus said, “the harvest is plentiful.”

The problem is that by 2127, world population will not remain as 7.3 billion. In fact, by 2127, the projected world population, according to the UN, is about 19 billion. This means that if we want the people of the whole world to be Christians by 2127, we need to reach out to 171,000,171 people every year during the next 111 years. This means reaching out to 468,493 people per day for the next 111 years. If we are reaching out to 180,000 people per day, then there are an estimated 288,493 who are lost per day for the next 111 years.

Jesus said, “the harvest is plentiful.” 

Let us assume, again, that there are 180,000 people saved every day in the world. Currently, there are approximately 360,000 babies born per day. This means that one half of each baby born in the world everyday will not be saved.

Jesus said, “the harvest is plentiful.”

Let us assume, again, that there are 180,000 people saved every day in the world. Currently, there are approximately 151,600 people who die every day. If there are only 31% of Christians (including 50% Roman Catholics) in the world, it means that among the 151,600 who die every day, only 46,996 are saved. The rest—104,604 people—are destined to go to hell. Imagine that: there are 104,604 people who are destined to go to hell every day!

Jesus said, “the harvest is plentiful.”

Of the 7.3 billion people in the world, 2,173,180,000 are Christians, which is basically 31% of the total world population (50% are Catholic, 37% Protestant, 12% Orthodox, and 1% other). If there are 180,000 people reached out every day, it means that it takes 12,073.22 Christians to reach out to one non-believer per day; or that there is only one in every 12,073.22 Christians around the world who bear witness to Christ to one person per day.

Jesus said, “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”

The Church: Body of the Risen Lord

Jesus died, but He also rose from the dead. He was persecuted, but He was triumphant. He was rejected, but was also received by many. He suffered pain, yet He was given incorruptible body. He experienced shame, yet He is now glorified. He died a lowly death in the cross, yet He is now exalted in the heavenly realms. The church is the body of the risen Lord. What does this entail for the church?

A look at what happened to the disciples when Jesus died will give a good contrast. When Jesus died, the disciples were like “Oh man! We chose the wrong side!” The Jewish leaders were like “Hihihihihi! We have won!” The disciples were absolutely devastated. They have invested three years of their lives following the rabbi called Jesus, fully trusting that He is the Messiah the whole nation of Israel has been waiting for. They have left their businesses and occupation. They left their families. And now that Jesus is dead, there was nothing waiting for them but the same shame and treatment that Jesus received.

Of course they were completely distraught. Here are some of the things that happened to them:

1. The disciples were scattered. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, the only disciple mentioned to be nearby was John (John 19:16). This is because when Jesus was being arrested at the Garden of Gethsemane, “everyone deserted him and fled,” including a disciple who ran naked, leaving his garments behind (Mark 14:50-52).
2. The disciples went to hiding: “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders” (John 20:19). They were hiding their identity. If Peter denied Jesus Christ three times, the rest of the disciples were now making sure that nobody recognized them. They were so afraid of the religious leaders. Of course, why would they want to be identified with a convicted criminal who was merciless tortured and crucified? This is true about the church today. We act as if Christ is still dead and defeated. We do not want to be identified as a Christian to others because of fear. We wear our t-shirts with godly inscriptions only when we go to church and church-related gatherings. Like the disciples, we meet together and gather in order to hide from the world. We hide our Christian identity within the confines of our homes and the sanctuary. We gather in order to strengthen each other while being afraid of the authorities of the world that challenge our faith.
3. The disciples became idle. In John 21:2-3, at least they already stepped out of the upper room. Seven disciples were together once again, doing nothing. The fact that they were doing nothing is significant, because we must remember that even before Jesus died, they were commissioned to visit villages to minister to the people’s needs (Matt 10:1). In fact, they were so busy that at one point, “they did not even have a chance to eat” (Mark 6:31). But when Jesus died, they abandoned their mission and started to do nothing. Not only this, but Peter seemed to want to go back to his old profession as fisherman and the others followed his lead (John 21:3), when they should be fishing for men (Matt 4:19). They have forgotten their mission.

Like the disciples, the church sometimes is sometimes acting as if Jesus Christ is still in the tomb. We are afraid. We are idle. We gather only to go back to our old patterns of living. No wonder why the world is witnessing a lot of churches closing down, declining in membership, or are just barely surviving.

The church is not meant to be the body of the buried Christ.

There is a parody of the hymn “Onward Christian Soldiers,” and I like this parody because this is the national anthem of many churches today:

Backward Christian soldiers, fleeing from the fight, 
With the cross of Jesus, nearly out of sight. 
Christ our rightful master stands against the foe 
Onward into battle, we seem afraid to go.

Like a mighty turtle moves the church of God. 
Brothers we are treading, where we’ve often trod. 
We are much divided, many bodies we, 
Having different doctrines, but not much charity.

Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane, 
But the cross of Jesus hidden does remain. 
Gates of hell should never ‘gainst the Church prevail, 
We have Christ’s own promise, but we think it might fail.

Sit here then ye people, join our sleeping throng. 
Blend with ours, your voices in a feeble song. 
Blessings, ease and comfort - ask from Christ the King, 
With our modern thinking, we won’t do a thing.

This hymn is the hymn of the body of the buried Christ. But Christ is no longer buried. He is risen from the dead. He is alive.

The resurrection changed the lives of the disciples. They were no longer afraid of death because they know that life awaits at the end. They have found the true meaning of life. They became bold, aggressive, and full of joy. The finest illustration would be Peter. He denied Jesus to a lowly girl, but after the resurrection, he stood in the temple courts defying those who were responsible for Jesus’ death (Acts 4:20). In Acts 2:22-32, Peter preached about the resurrection in the same city where Jesus died. Many were even eye-witnesses of his death. And such a tragic tale was just two months ago, and for sure, the discussions have not died out yet. Peter was addressing people who were very interested about it. In the crowds were probably the same people who shouted “Crucify!” and religious leaders who were responsible in the death of Christ. Yet Peter stood up.

What happened to Peter? The resurrection of Jesus Christ gave him lots of courage. Here are the things he said in his sermon to the Jerusalem crowd:

1. “God raised him from the dead… It was impossible for death to keep its hold on him” (2:24). Basically, he was saying that because God is involved, no human activity can ever triumph over him. It does not matter what humans invent or seem to achieve. Human plans and schemes do not work on Him. Human situations are irrelevant. Humanity’s greatest weapon to threaten other humans—death—does not work. Paul wrote, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31).
2. David prophesied about it happening, and once it is said, it will happen (Acts 2:25-28). God is faithful to accomplish what He said He would do. The people knew that once a prophet has spoken, it is as good as done. God’s promises will be fulfilled. This was affirmed by the Israelites: “Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses” (1 Kings 8:56).
3. Jesus is “the author of life” (Acts 3:14-15). John said that “in Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). Jesus affirmed the same (John 5:26-29; 11:25; 14:6). There is power in the resurrection. There is power in life.

Here is the good news: “If we have been united with Jesus in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Rom 6:5). Just as we share in the suffering and death of Christ, we will also share in the victory of his resurrection. The Church is the body of the crucified Christ, but it is also the body of the risen and victorious Christ. The church is not only a suffering church; it is also the church of the risen and triumphant Lord! Our participation as a church in the death and resurrection of Christ is revealed in the words of Paul: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Phil 3:10).

But what is “the power of the resurrection?”  

It is interesting that the Greek word used for “power” in Philippians 3:10 is the same word used in the promise of Jesus to the disciples in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power (dunamin) when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” It seems that the coming of the Spirit is crucial in receiving the power of the resurrection. And this is just proper, for it is through the Spirit that Jesus Himself was raised from the dead: “He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit” (1 Pet 3:18).

The Spirit who gave life to a lifeless lump of clay will also give the church life. The Spirit who made an army out of dry bones will also empower the church for its mission. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead (1 Peter 3:18) will also raise the church from its slumber. The church is not a tomb. Christians are not meant to lie and rot in a tomb. Just as Christ rose from the dead, the church is called to rise from its death and slumber. The church is the body of the risen Christ!

The Church: Body of the Crucified Christ

If I were to look at the life of Christ, I would not want to be in His shoes. John summarized His life pretty well: “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him” (John 1:9-10). From his birth to his resurrection, he experienced rejection:

• He was denied a decent place to be born in Bethlehem by inn keepers (Luke 2:17)
• He was intended to be killed by the ruler King Herod (Matt 2:16)
• He was belittled by reflective thinkers like Nathaniel (John 1:45-46)
• He was rejected by His religious leaders (Mark 11:27-12:17)
• He was disowned by His own town mates (Luke 14:14-30)
• He was the subject of suspicion by the masses (Mark 5:17)
• He was deserted by His other disciples (John 6:66)
• He was denied by His closest friend Peter (John 18:15-27)
• He was doubted by His own disciple (John 20:24-29)
• He was the subject of conspiracy by the chief priests (Matt 28:11-15)

Worst of all, He was so hated by many that he ended by being murdered.

The Persecuted Church

The night before he died, he had a serious conversation with His disciples, and some are these words:

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹ They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.²³ Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ (John 15:18-25).

These are not very encouraging words. They are extremely gloomy words. But the fact is clearly stated by Jesus: His followers will be rejected and persecuted, just as He experienced the same. In other words, if the church is the body of Christ, then just as the head experienced suffering at the hands of the world, so should the body expect the same. This is what it means for the church to be the body of the crucified Christ. John said, “Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you” (1 John 3:13).

Truly, just as Jesus said, the church has always been under persecution. The beginning of radical persecution that even led to brutal murders started in AD 40, during the reign of Emperor Nero. Historians report that during his reign, Christians were used as human torches to light Rome. Christians were fed to wild animals. They were burned alive. They were beheaded, if they were Roman citizens. They became entertainment at the arena. They were stripped naked and displayed for the world to see and mock. They suffered shame and death, just like Jesus did. Some of the disciples died brutally. Peter was crucified upside-down in AD67/68. James son of Zebedee was put to death by Herod Agrippa in AD44. John brother of James died at Patmos as an exile between AD89-120. Andrew is reported to have been crucified at Achaia.

Up until today, the church still suffers at the hands of the world. Rejection, persecution, and mockery come from religious communities (e.g. Islam), from atheists (e.g. Dawkins, etc.), and from immorals (e.g. LGBT community). And just like Jesus Christ and the Christians of the early church, Christians today suffer shame and death.

For the Sake of Others

We have all decided to follow Jesus, and hopefully there is no turning back from such a commitment. Jesus Christ did not turn back from His commitment to us, although it has cost Him everything. Christ embraced the cross for the sake of others and the world. Such is also the challenge for us. We endure pain and shame not because we are masochists, but because we are thinking of others. But in particular, we are thinking of Jesus Christ.

Jesus did not flee from the cross, but accepted it. The church must be the same. Just as Christ was crucified for the world, the church is also called to take up the cross for the world. Just as the suffering of Christ leads to the salvation of humanity, our sacrificial suffering can lead others to Christ. The paradox of the Christian experience is that even our suffering can be used by God as a testimony to Him. Luke writes:  “They will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me” (Luke 21:12-13). 

In fact, suffering for Christ is an integral part of our being witnesses. This is particularly highlighted in Acts 1:8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The Greek word used for “witnesses” is martyrion, where we get the English word “martyr” today. So, literally, Jesus is saying: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my martyrs in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Two things are important here: First, our witness involves being martyrs. Being a martyr might mean different for us today, but in the NT era, this meant being killed publicly. Our witness as Christians is tied to our willingness to accept suffering, pain, and shame. Secondly, we need the Holy Spirit to empower us. On our own, we are incapable of rising above ourselves and our instinct to steer away from pain and humiliation. We are creatures of self-preservation, and apart from God’s empowerment, we will always be “me-people.” It is only when we are able to look beyond ourselves, our own needs, our comfort, even our lives that we are able to truly accept our calling as witnesses of Christ.

It is probably just coincidence, but it seems that being witnesses/martyrs of Christ really involve persecution. The call of Acts 1:8 is to be martyrs in Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth; Acts 8:1 later says, “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1).

I am not saying that we must be persecuted in order to become witnesses. But a wholehearted acceptance of possible persecution and suffering is what’s important. According to John Piper, “comfort and ease and affluence and prosperity and safety and freedom often cause a tremendous inertia in the church.” The church must be careful in investing a lot of its efforts and resources for the sake of providing comfortable and relaxing worship experience, because it might produce Christians who are self-centered, apathetic, and pre-occupied with security and comfort. In the parable of the sower, Jesus said that “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). John Piper once said: “Persecution can have harmful effects on the church. But prosperity, it seems, is even more devastating to the mission to which God calls us.”

There is power in suffering. In fact, we are saved precisely by the suffering of another human being for us. The forgiveness of our sins is grounded in the sacrificial suffering of Christ. That is the power of the cross. Paul writes: “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

The church is the body of the crucified Christ. It is through the cross that we are forgiven. It is also through carrying our crosses that other people are saved. Jesus did not shy away from the cross in order to save humanity. The church must not shy away from its cross in order to be the means of saving others.