The Courage of Jesus

When you where in high school what did you dream about doing for a living? Seriously think about what was your biggest dream. What was the dream you had for your life if there were no obstacles and endless possibilities? Maybe you are one of the few who have seen your dreams become a reality. Maybe they changed a little, but you were able to obtain all you wanted or you can see that your goals are truly possible and that you will achieve them. Or you may be the average person and faced some obstacles that changed your direction. Your dreams did not become reality and instead you have settled for a different career or hopefully found a much better path where you feel content. Or, you look at your life and see your failures and have given up on those big dreams. Maybe you had big dreams but as you got older you just knew that there was no way you were ever going to achieve those dreams.

Sometimes we have dreams that were truly never meant to be a reality, and that is okay. However, our goals and heart felt desires can be windows into who we are and lead us to be who we are meant to be. Having big goals and dreams are a good thing. With discernment, prayerful conversations with God, we can achieve dreams and not be fearful of setting hard goals. What we need to achieve those dreams and goals is Christ-like courage.

Pray and read Matthew 6:19-34

Matthew 6:19–34 NRSV

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Four Truths

Jesus gives us four simple yet life changing truths in this passage today. Actually this passage is a part of the Sermon on the Mount. Here in Luke, it is condensed to one chapter. In Matthew’s Gospel it is three chapters. Today we are only going to focus on this smaller portion or four lessons. The first is striving for the wealth and security in this life, does nothing to help you in next or for all eternity. The second lesson is this, your eyes are indeed the gateway to your soul. This is not just about physical health. Yes, when we are sick, we look sick. People will tell me, “You look tired” because of the dark circles around my eyes. But your eyes tell a bigger story. Not only about your physical health, but also in regards to your mental health and even your spiritual health. If you are filled with joy, you see joy and others can see joy in you. Same thing for peace. Your eyes reflect light, and they are also dim if their is darkness present. You can not serve two masters, it is either you serve God and His purpose for your life, or you serve yourself. If you are consumed with fear, worry, and doubt, you cannot fully serve God because your eyes are polluted by this world. In other words, you are so consumed with these negative feelings and thoughts that positivity and the Fruit of the Holy Spirit has no room in your heart and mind. This is where you need courage. This world will tell you that you need courage to do everything your heart desires and to make your life perfect. But that kind of courage is fleeting and never-ending. You will find yourself more exhausted and troubled if you rely on your own strength and knowledge. So what is true courage?

Courage

It takes courage to make any decision in life. For some, it takes courage to get out of the bed in the morning. For others, it takes all they have to walk back into their place of employment or into that school building each morning. For many, it takes courage to say what needs to be said or do what is godly in the face of enemies. For many feel like their courageous strength is almost spent. Many just look forward to a time when all is right and comfortable as it should be.

If our goal is to just be wealthy and comfortable in this world, then we will never be happy with what we have achieved. We will always want more. Many are only looking for that next promotion, the higher degree, the greater recognition, the bigger house, or better car, or just to have total optimal health. To want these things because it simply would make our life easier and to be truly called to set these goals are two different things. The difference is in our wants verses in our purpose. Some will always have wants with no peace in what they already have. Some will find peace in what they have and a higher purpose in what God is calling them towards.

Real courage is not just being able to step out of your comfort zone but to be content with the goals and the calling from God on your life. Being happy with where you are in your life right now opens up your mind and heart to hear God tell you what is next. Prosperity Gospel is wrong because they will tell you that courage is living your best life right now and that you can do everything you want to do because God loves you and therefore you deserve it. If I am the first the first to tell you this then so be it, but none of us deserve anything more than the blessings that God has already given us, and our God does not have to give us anything. It takes courage to recognize our blessings and to recognize our failings. Then courage is shown when we are able to rise above our shortcomings and failures to share our blessings with others.

Never think that you are not good enough for God or for God’s purpose. God does love you right now, where you are. However, there is grace that builds on your next steps. The more you follow in the footprints of Jesus in you life and look away from your temptations to follow other paths, the more blessings of peace, joy, eternal success you will see yourself reflect. You cannot serve two masters, it is either Jesus or self. You can desire more out of this life until you die or worry that you will never accomplish anything, but neither of these will bring you happiness.

Here is the bottom line. It took Jesus every ounce of courage His human body could muster to die for you. He sweat drops of blood right before He was arrested. That is a medical condition brought on by intense anxiety-ridden stress. Don’t you think that this same Savior can give you the courage to walk in the purpose God has for you. Don’t you think that Jesus can help you be the best version of yourself so that you don’t need anything from this world? Do you you have to courage to die to your wants and worries so that you can life the abundant life that Jesus has promised? Jesus had the courage to die the worse death imaginable so that you can have life in abundance. Have courage that He is with you in everything you do and in everything you face in this life.

In the name of God that Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.