(r)Usher
- swhelan88
- Mar 6, 2024
- 4 min read
The half-time show of the Super Bowl this year featured Usher, an R&B sensation. One of the most popular images on the internet short after was him sweating profusely during his performance.
For some reason this had me thinking about the Apostle Paul.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)
When I imagine someone finishing a race, I imagine them trying to catch their breath, heart-pounding, hands on their hips, bent over, exhausted, and dripping in sweat. For some reason, the way Usher looked on stage made think, "I wonder if that's the amount of energy and passion Paul was putting into following Jesus."
When I wake up every day, I'm not always thinking about how I will passionately burn calories for Jesus that day. Instead, I end up rushing to work. I'm usually trying to squeeze in a quick shower, quick meal, speed to the coffee shop, all just to reach my desk and be as productive as I can that day. I know I'm not the only Christian living this way. In general, we treat our careers with more vigor and passion than we do fulfilling God's chief commandments. But that's not what I see modeled in the Bible.
The truth is, all of Jesus' early disciples, probably felt the same way as Paul about discipleship being a race. To them, following Jesus was not comfortable or easy. It took effort and training. They ran towards eternity by traversing harsh landscapes on foot, going from city to city, spreading the Gospel, and putting themselves in danger. If they were staying true to Jesus' first commission, they may not have had much with them at all other than the clothes on their back.
And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. (Luke 9:3)
They were not asked by their local church to visit these neighborhoods. They took it upon themselves to leave the comfort of their homes and get the word out that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to die on a Cross for the sins of mankind. They were intent on loving the world by making sure people had a chance to repent, have their sins forgiven, and follow Him.
When I compare myself to the early disciples, I become so convicted. I feel like I don't measure up and I couldn't possibly do the same. But these thoughts are merely excuses the enemy, Satan, has fed me. Satan, our adversary and a liar, will do anything to distract us or convince us that we don't have to behave like Paul, Peter, John, James, and the early church. No, Satan wants us to follow Jesus by staying home, studying the Bible, and using it as a manual for making ourselves feel better and more comfortable. He doesn't want us to break a sweat. That's not what is in the scriptures and it's not fulfilling God's will.
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16)
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Jesus commands us to go into the world, a world full of risk, and be His ambassadors, shamelessly professing that He is the Messiah, He is God, He is coming soon, and forgiveness of sins can only be found in Him. His Father's will is that no one should perish, but He needs workers to help Him reach the lost.
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38)
If you belong to a church organization, does the leadership encourage you to go out and break a sweat? Are you being encouraged to rush the world and make disciples? Are they equipping the people to do so? Here's how you can tell: If you were to bring Jesus into your work and social life, with the intention of leading others to Christ, would you feel inadequately prepared to share your faith? It's OK to feel uncomfortable the first few times or if you have only just became a new believer, but if you have been following Jesus for a few months now and you're still uncomfortable with the idea of sharing your faith, that might be something to think about. If you would rather not say anything about your faith, or you would rather proselytize by inviting a friend to a church service, leaning on the pastors alone, then no, your church is NOT equipping you.
I'm not trying to guilt you, but you may need to find a place where you can be equipped properly. This is grace but also truth, my friend - following Jesus is fulfilling this commandment to go and make disciples. That is how we love God and others - we love God by glorifying His Son and caring about others' salvation. And likewise, we love others by caring about their salvation! I won't pretend that it's easy to make disciples but it's not something you can ignore or choose to leave out of your walk with Christ. If you feel that Jesus would rather you keep your faith to yourself and leave the evangelism to the experts, think again...
“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. (Matthew 25:26)
You can read that full parable here.
Ultimately, the more I think about following Jesus, the more I feel the need to train harder. Like Paul, I want to run the race well, looking back at my life confident that I was faithful to Jesus' commandments. I want to show up at the gates of Heaven, dripping in sweat like Usher, awaiting for my LORD to whisper to me...
Well done, good and faithful servant... (Matthew 25:23)
If you would like to know more about Jesus' gospel and salvation please follow this link:
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