Being a true disciple of Jesus Christ means you’re risking your life for God.

Did you know that?

You may not feel it that way because you live in the United States. But, this would be a different story if you were living in China, some places in India, or a few areas in Nigeria, for example.

In these places, Christians are persecuted. In spite of the suffering they endure because of their faith, they don’t stop witnessing about Jesus Christ. 

True discipleship means risk-taking!

I think you should know that Jesus, Himself, was very clear that becoming His disciple was risk-taking.

Beginning with the first mark of true discipleship, true disciples follow Jesus Christ, Jesus was clear that following Him meant that:

• You should deny yourself, and
• you should pick up your cross in order to follow Him. (Matthew 16: 24)

There are two primary reasons why following Jesus as His disciples can make the process risk-taking.

First, Jesus challenged the status-quo

Jesus did not come to challenge the truths in the Bible (Old Testament or the Jewish Bible). He came to embody them. But, what He had a problem with was the practice of these truths. So, His primary role was to show how to live as a child of God.

Doing so was a problem to the eyes of the religious leaders during His days.

In a lot of ways, Jesus stirred the cultural pot. He defied the status-quo, which eventually threatened the people in power and leadership: Pharisees and Sadducees.

His life, as recorded in the Bible, was characterized by the following:

• Healings;
• Authoritative teaching; and
• Miracles and Signs.

Religious living, during Jesus’ days, was about sacrifices and an observation of a moral code, mostly from the Old Testament.  But, Jesus came, however, to stress the need for God, which should be about repentance. This is a complete transformation of the heart, and not just a set a rules to follow in order to earn righteousness.

Sacrifices do not make us holy. God does it through Jesus Christ, and only through a personal relationship with Father. 

In addition, Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. In many instances, He even called God (Yahweh) His Father.

Jesus truly challenged the status-quo in those days.

Another example of challenging the status-quo was Jesus’ understanding of worship. For instance, He told the Samaritan woman that worship can take place anywhere. (John 4: 20-24)

In other words, worship does not have always to happen in a synagogue or the temple in Jerusalem, but anywhere where people choose to worship God in spirit and truth.

Another practice Jesus challenged was giving. According to Him, giving should not be done out of abundance, but out of obedience and faithfulness to God. This can be seen in the story of the woman with two pennies. (Mark 12: 41-44)

Second, Jesus obeyed God rather than humans

Jesus came to do God’s will. “For I have come from heaven to do, not my will, but the will of the One who has sent me. (John 6: 38)

Giving up everything in order to fulfill God’s mission meant, to Jesus, “not to accumulate treasures on earth, but in heaven.” (Matthew 6: 19-21). The reasons is that where your treasure is there will your heart be also. Therefore, Jesus gave up all that in order to do God’s will, which was: death on the cross. 

What does this mean to you and I today?

First, what risking our lives for Christ does not mean:

Risking your life does not mean intentionally inviting trouble in your life by breaking the law in the community.

Nor does it mean breaking relationships with people for the sake of what you think is true.

Also, keep in mind that God’s revelation is fulfilled in the context of community. You may hear God’s voice on your own through prayer, a dream, vision, or through some other means (Scripture, etc.), but all is fulfilled in community.

Being a Christian does not mean you have to defy the established system in your community.

Second, what risking our lives for Christ means:

Obey God no matter what — it is a risk because you’re dealing with forces that fight against God: spiritual and physical forces.

Because it is a spiritual warfare, you have to do the following: 

• Offer yourself as a living Sacrifice to God — Romans 12: 2
• Put on the whole armor of the Spirit — Ephesians 6: 13-20, which consisted of: 
  • Truth — Integrity, honesty
  • Righteousness — your way of life that is pleasing to God
  • Readiness (preparedness)
  • Faith — Belief in the Father and Jesus Christ
  • Assurance of salvation — Are you born again of the Spirit and Water?
  • Word of God — Knowledge of Scripture
  • Prayer — A lifestyle and not just a task.

There will always be resistance to what’s right in God’s eyes

Jesus, in His prayers, prayed for Peter as well as His disciples (then, now and in the future) asking God to protect them from the evil one. — John 17: 15,

Paul tells the Church that resistance is from spiritual forces and powers of darkness. That is what we are up against  Ephesians 6: 10-12

Two things you have to do:

Challenge the status quo

This is and will always be a risk because you’re going against what’s become a part of the current culture. 

• This has to do with our mindset — Romans 12: 2
  • To know what is good, acceptable and perfect
  • Choose never to conform to what goes around you
  • But let your mind be renewed
• There is more that you can still accomplish.
• There is a possibility that you can grow as a person: spiritually, emotionally and intellectually.
• Expect and wait for something new and different on a daily basis
  • God has one more thing in store for you
  • God wants to take you to one more place in your life. This could be one more person you can pray for, help, etc. This could also be one more person who can pray for you, help you, etc.

Obey God at any cost

 What this means is you don’t have to conform to anything rather than God’s word in your life! Don’t get me wrong here. What I am saying is your core values don’t have to change. But, it is how you live them out, which can change.

This post was a reflection on the sermon, “True Disciples Risk their Lives for God,” delivered at the United Methodist Church in Harris and Lake Park.

Click below to listen the full audio sermon.