We must teach young disciples by word and example that staying holy in an increasingly unholy world requires rigorous spiritual discipline...
“But watch yourselves
lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of
this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come
upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times,
praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to
take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” And every day he was teaching
in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. And
early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him (Luke 21:34-38).
Jesus continued preparing His disciples for
life in the last days. We’ve learned that the last days began
with His ascension and will end with His return… “And while they were
gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus,
who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him
go into heaven’” (Acts 1:10-11). Our lord gave much revelation about
the conditions and signs of the last days, promising that with
increasing intensity the unbelieving world would become more perplexed while
we, His disciples should become more prepared for His return. He also gave us a
set of spiritual exercises to keep us set apart for kingdom building work
through to the end of these last days and today we are challenged to engage
wholeheartedly in the discipline that keeps us holy.
Maturing disciples must strengthen ourselves.
A true disciple is always growing. Like healthy physical growth, healthy spiritual
growth and vitality requires a proper diet. The right nourishment for growing
disciples is the truth found in God’s Word… “Man does not live by bread
alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy
8:3). Jesus acknowledged this truth (see Luke 4:4), and the Holy Spirit
affirmed it through the letter to the Hebrews… “For though by this time
you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic
principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food” (Hebrews
5:12). To stay strong in the faith, make sure you’re feeding your hungry
spirit the faith building truth of God’s Word every day!
Diligent disciples must stay awake. A
true disciple has increasing discernment. One primary characteristic of the last
days will be a proliferation of false teachers… “Now the Spirit
expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting
themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1).
In today’s text Jesus reveals a connection between strong spiritual discernment
and prayer. He affirmed this relationship in a warning to His disciples… “Watch
and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). To grow strong in the spirit,
spend quality time with Jesus Christ in prayer every day.
Faithful disciples must stand up for
Christ. A true disciple will provoke opposition. We are living according to a
never-changing truth in an ever-changing world and as we are abiding and
immersed in the truth of God’s word our increasingly holy lives will convict
and stir up the rebellion and wickedness that enslaves the hearts of
unbelievers… “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its
own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19). The Spirit affirms this
truth through Paul’s letter to Timothy… “Indeed, all who desire to live a
godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus
knows how lonely we sometimes feel as family, friends, and others find it
easier to abandon us than to hang out with us to get to know the Christ who has
captured our hearts and lives within us. That’s why He promises us that we will
never be alone if we live for Him… “Behold, I am with you always, to the
end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). He also revealed that when we stand up
for Him in this unrighteous world we will be blessed just as the prophets who
stood up for God in every generation… “Blessed are you when others revile
you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my
account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they
persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12). Don’t
miss the prophetic blessings of standing up for Jesus today!
As we grow up into Christ, we become more available and prepared
disciples as we follow…
The Discipline that Keeps Us Holy.
