The Real Battle
" Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified." (Matthew 27:11-26, NIV) [1]
The greatest threat to the church has always been and remains to this day it’s internal threat.
More damage is done to new converts by those that they rub shoulders with who are “church folk” than those who exist without. In the world they face temptation and the process of struggling with this battle produces strength and endurance and spiritual vitality. It is no surprise to anyone who comes to Christ that if they return to their former patterns they will ultimately fall. There have to be protective measures taken.
“The ship’s place is in the sea, but God pity the ship when the sea gets into it. The Christian’s place is in the world but God pity the Christian if the world gets into him.”
Even so, most of us can remember the learning curve that comes to the second born. We walk, we fall, we get up. God’s grace quickly comes to us to lift us from our faltering mistakes and deliberate disobedience.
It is often a mortal wound that comes to Christians new and old when the church delivers abuse rather than acceptance and love. We are most deeply wounded when other people of faith drive the dagger into our hearts. This is when the church faces it’s most difficult battles.
It is when people who call themselves Christians ascend to places of spiritual leadership and then fail to exercise that leadership either by virtue of their lifestyle, their demeanor or their attitude toward others.
There is a greater expectation that we have as people become more visible in the local church. And, I think, rightly so.
Rope a Dope - a boxing tactic: pretending to be trapped against the ropes while your opponnet wears himself out throwing punches. In 1974, Muhammed Ali fought heavily-favored George Foreman in Zaire in "The Rumble in the Jungle". Though Foreman was considered the hardest puncher in heavyweight history, Ali won. How?
Ali covered himself up against the ropes and let Foreman punch until tiring himself out. Ali called this his "rope-a-dope" technique.
We are most vulnerable to those we trust.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12, KJV) [2]
Jesus only advocate was a pagan Roman governor who clearly saw his guiltlessness. Jesus was a “friend of sinners”. It was an accusatory remark but in reality one of the highest compliments that a person could pay a passionate disciple of Christ.
"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.”’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions.”" (Matthew 11:18-19, NIV) [3]
It was those who occupied “high places” who orchestrated his trial and his execution. Wicked leadership influenced those who might have been neutral to go along with their plans.
"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." (Colossians 2:13-23, NIV) [4]
THE DISCIPLE
He that hath a gospel,
To loose upon mankind,
Though he serve it utterly---
Body, soul and mind---
Though he go to Calvary
Daily for it's gain---
It is his disciple
Shall make his labor vain.
He that hath a Gospel,
For all earth to own---
Though he etch it on the steel,
Or carve it on the stone---
Not to be misdoubted
Through the after-days---
It is His Disciple
Shall read it many ways.
It is His Disciple
(Ere those bones are dust)
Who shall change the Charter
Who split the trust---
Amplify distinctions,
Rationalise the Claim,
Preaching that the Master
Would have done the same.
It is His Disciple
Who shall tell us how
Much the Master would have scrapped
Had he lived till now---
What he would have modified
Of what he said before---
It is His Disciple
Shall do this and more ......
He that hath a Gospel
Whereby heaven is won
(Carpenter or Cameleer,
Or Maya's dreaming son),
Many swords shall pierce Him,
Mingling blood with gall;
But His Own Disciple
Shall wound Him worst of all!
Thoreau
THE SELF-proclaimed "Greatest of All Time," Ali had a pretty good idea of what he was talking about. He became the first man to win the heavyweight title three times and revolutionized the sport by introducing a style that went against many of the game's sacred teachings.
As Cassius Clay, he won a light heavyweight gold medal at the 1960 Olympics and began his ascent to the heavyweight crown. On the way up he beat Billy Daniels, Archie Moore, Doug Jones and Henry Cooper.
In 1964, he challenged the seemingly indomitable Sonny Liston for the heavyweight title. A significant underdog, Clay indeed "Shocked the World" by forcing Liston to retire on his stool after the sixth round. After the fight Clay announced that he accepted the teachings of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
Ali was both arrogant and charismatic and generated a wide range of emotions from those who loved him and hated him. He often predicted the round in which he would win and wrote poetry describing how he would defeat opponents. So talented and so fast was Ali, that he was able to box while holding his left hand by his side and often pulled straight back to avoid punches, two of the game's cardinal sins. Nonetheless, he employed the best jab in boxing and had handspeed comparable to a welterweight.
Then in 1967, Ali, citing his religous beliefs, refused induction into the U.S. Army. He was arrested, had his boxing license suspended and stripped of the heavyweight title. He was inactive from March 22, 1967 to October 26, 1970, which many feel were his peak years.
With Ali gone, Joe Frazier tore through the division and earned the title of heavyweight champion. Ali returned in 1970 with wins over Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena, setting up a showdown between Ali and Frazier.
Both men were unbeaten and while Frazier earned his heavyweight title in the ring, Ali proclaimed himself the peoples' champion and that Frazier must beat him to become undisptuted king of the division. He did just that. In what is still called "The Fight of the Century," Frazier dropped Ali in the 15th round and won a unanimous decision.
Ali regained the heavyweight crown in 1974 much the way he initially captured the title, by slaying a giant. George Foreman was considered invincible and the 32-year-old Ali was given little chance to beat him. The fight was held in Kinsasha, Zaire and Ali employed the now famous Rope-A-Dope to tire Foreman out before stopping him in the eighth round.
Ali successfully defended the title against a host of contenders, including the final fights of his trilogies with Frazier and Ken Norton. Finally, in 1978, Olympic gold medalist Leon Spinks, participating in just his eighth pro fight, upset Ali to win the title. However, Ali made history six months later when he defeated Spinks in a rematch to capture the crown a third time.
Far past his prime, Ali had two more fights and both ended in defeat. He was stopped by Larry Holmes, a former sparring partner and then the WBC heavyweight champion, in 1980 and lost a 10-round decision to future champ Trevor Berbick in 1981.
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[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[2] The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[3] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[4] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.