Following at a Distance

 FOLLOWING AT A DISTANCE Daniel Lange December 3, 2017 They came to our Lord with swords and clubs in the garden of Gethsemane. Mat. 26:47 There in the garden our Lord had cried out with vehement cries and tears that He might be saved from this death. Heb. 5:7 There in the garden He had said, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.” Mat. 26:39 But there in the garden our Lord prayed again and said, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Mat. 26:42 There in the garden our Lord was betrayed with a kiss. Mat. 26:49 There in the garden our Lord’s disciples rose up to fight a physical war, but He rebuked them and said, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” Mat. 26:52 There in the garden our Lord delivered Himself to the enemy and wholly entrusted Himself to the will of God. Many early Christians following soon after the days of Jesus Christ looked back upon those days in the garden and saw what they viewed as that which was analogous or a parallel to that of the days in the garden of Eden. In the garden of Eden, we see the first man Adam, whose will succumbs to the temptation of sin, and ultimately is overcome by the evils of the wicked one. In the garden of Gethsemane, however, we see the second man Adam accomplish that which the first man Adam could not, whose will succumbs to the righteousness of God, and ultimately overcomes the deeds of the wicked one. But where we see a contrast, I believe we also see a comparison. Just as it was in those days when Adam stood in the garden and failed to fulfill the will of God, man was standing once again in the garden alongside the Lord in Gethsemane, and there once again, he would fail to fulfill the will of God. The Disciples Forsake Jesus The Scriptures tell us in Matthew 26:56, “Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” Just like the prophecies foretold, “Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” Zec. 13:7 Mark’s account even tells us of a certain young man following Jesus that night, wearing a linen cloth around his naked body, and when certain young men finally laid hold of him, he left the linen cloth and fled away naked! Nakedness might be a common thing these days, but it wasn’t a common thing those days. What desperation man demonstrated once again in the garden to protect and secure his own life through his own selfish will, and not God’s will. But perhaps most disappointing of all was not that young man, or those disciples who fled, but a certain man whom we know as Peter. Surely, if there were anyone who would stand strong by our Lord’s side, it would be none other than Simon Peter, whose name when translated means, “Rock.” Surely it would be that rock that would stand by Jesus unmoved. Who even said unto our Lord that very same night at the supper table, “Lord… I will lay down my life for your sake.” John 13:37 Common Peter! You can do it! You can be our champion on behalf of man. Our representative, our shining example. Yet, as we press forth into the six trials of Jesus, we are sorely disappointed once again. Peter cannot deliver. Peter cannot save. Rather, Peter is found following our Lord only “at a distance” we are told. Mat. 26:54 Following Jesus at a Distance There are many audiences I could speak to today. I could speak to atheists, I could speak to agnostics, I could speak to Muslims, and I could speak to Catholics and Protestants. I could even speak to the ult-left and the ult-right who have and do err in our Lord’s church today. And perhaps some will find their way into our assemblies to hear this word preached, perhaps some will listen to an audio version online and hear this gospel message, but admittedly the ones I speak to primarily, and those who will hear this word preached, are none of those audiences I just mentioned, but rather those who walk in the way of Peter, walking and striving in the way of God to the best of their ability. And so it is to you that I primarily address my message to Sunday after Sunday. It is to you I prepare these messages Sunday after Sunday. It is you who have opened your hearts and opened your minds to receive the teachings of Jesus Christ, to soak them in, and apply them to your walk with Jesus. It is to you I primarily preach this word, and to you I primarily craft these messages. And so the message I deliver unto you today is one that I believe you can understand and relate to, even when everyone else doesn’t. And that message is a simple one today, one that I hope, and one that I trust you will understand, “Do not follow Jesus at a distance.” Make no mistake about it beloved, our Lord and Savior has not left us here as orphans. The Lord Jesus Christ continues to march forward in our world today in Spirit. For since the days that He has left this world, He has not ceased from His labor. Peter Himself said some ten days later after His ascension that this same Jesus who was crucified God has raised up and exalted to the right hand of God, and it is He who has now “poured out this which you now see and hear,” that is the revealing and preaching of the good news through the power of the Holy Spirit. And when men and women obeyed that good news, again it was attributed to Him by whom they were “added to the church.” Acts 2:47 And on we could go until even the days when we come to the apostle John decades after the ascension of Jesus Christ, and there we behold once again, the Savior of the world standing in the midst of the seven churches, representative of the entire church across the world, and He is active, He is busy, and He has not ceased at all in His conquering over sin and injustice. But even then, some were only following at a distance. Some were near Him in doctrine, but their hearts were far away. Rev. 2:1-7 Some were near Jesus in spirit, but their doctrine was slipping far away from Him. Rev. 2:12-17 Some were near Jesus both in spirit and in teaching, but the time was near when their faithfulness would be tested. Hold on! Do not fear! “Be faithful,” said the Lord! Rev. 2:10 Don’t leave Me! Don’t forsake Me! Don’t fall behind at a distance! Stay near! Hold fast! “Behold, I am coming quickly.” Rev. 3:11 Let all the faithful say, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Rev. 22:20 “My soul follows close behind You.” Psa. 63:8 Where Our Lord Is Going Alone There are too many places where our Lord is going alone today. Seemingly our Lord is going out all alone when He seeks to reach the far places. When our Lord rose up He said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” but like those early disciples, too many saints continue to sit in the Christian headquarters of Jerusalem. Maybe they need a little persecution to kindle the fire under the cushion and go out to the outer parts. And I’m not simply talking about physical peoples who are in countries far away, I’m talking about anyone who is outside of our Lord’s body. Anyone who is “outside,” as Paul describes them in Col. 4:5. Very few of us will find opportunity to travel the world and preach the gospel, but understand that the world is just as much here in your neighborhood, and across your streets, as it is overseas and in lands abroad. And Jesus is seeking to draw near to them. Are you following at a distance, or are you walking with Him, near the steps, and to the door? Again, it is the apostle Paul who says, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.” 2 Tim. 4:2 Or does the Holy Spirit speak to the evangelist only? Was it not again the Holy Spirit who spoke through Paul to the churches and said, “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one”? Col. 4:5 Are you following the Lord close behind in preaching the word to sinners, or are you only following at a distance? Another place our Lord seems to be going out all alone to is that mount of worship and exaltation. Beloved the Savior enters in to the throne room of God, are you there? Every first day of the week, He goes there, and in the midst of the assembly He sings praise. Heb. 2:12 Are you there close behind Him, or are you following at a distance? Maybe you’re there in body, but not in heart. Maybe your lips are near Him, but your heart is far from Him. Mat. 15:8 You sing the words, but you don’t really hear them. You hear the word preached, but your mind is on something else or someone else. You close your eyes in prayer, but you’re just falling asleep! You eat the supper in remembrance, that time of remembrance is spent more on your to-do list for the week. Or maybe, your just not there at all most of the time. You show up every once in a while, but other times your far-far away. Remember that Jesus said, “The Father is seeking such to worship Him.” John 4:23 And it is Jesus who blazed a trail for us, who entered behind the veil of the most holy place, spilling His own precious blood, so that finally, we too could now enter by this new and living way, whether Jew or Gentile, and draw near unto God with a full assurance of faith, that having our hearts sprinkled with the cleansing blood of Jesus, and our bodies washed with the pure water of Jesus, our living fountain of hope, we can enter in boldly, and approach the throne of grace. Therefore, do not “forsake[ing] the assembling of ourselves together,” says the inspired messenger. Heb. 10:24 Let men “pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands.” 1 Tim. 2:8 Are you following Jesus close behind into the throne room, or are you following at a distance? So many places our Lord seemingly goes alone, but of one last place where we so often seem to see Him standing alone, is that place where truth and righteousness dwells. No doubt, as Jesus went and stood before His adversaries in the trials, it was there they tested our Lord concerning His Messiahship. “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Mk. 14:61 Jesus said, “I am.” In fact, He actually said according to the Greek language, “I, I am.” And these words of course echoed with the crackling of the burning bush, “I AM.” Exo. 3:14 Jesus indeed declared Himself to be God incarnate. While the gravity of this claim may not cause men today to follow at a distance as did Peter, there are other claims made in the gospel of Jesus Christ that certainly might cause people like you and I today to follow at a distance. When you and I proclaim the gospel’s message about the necessity of being immersed in water for the salvation of our sins, Acts 2:38, we’re following Jesus into a place where few will go, because of the traditions of men. When you and I proclaim the gospel’s message about the roles of men and women, both in the church, and in the home, 1 Timothy chapters three, four, and five, we’re following Jesus into a place where few will go, because of the secular philosophies and movements of men today. When you and I proclaim the gospel’s message about the singularity of the Lord’s church and its undenominational character, Ephesians 4:4, which so often of course leads us into controversies about knowing truth and interpreting Scripture, we’re following Jesus into a place where few will actually go. Are you willing to follow Jesus close behind, or will you just stand afar off at a distance? When the preacher stands up and preaches about the Catholics, and Methodists, and Baptists, and Presbyterians, and Muslims, and Jews, and Community Churches, and says, “You must be a member of the church of Christ to be saved, the Lord’s church,” and you have at your side a friend or a family member who is not, do you shrink back in your chair, and tell the preacher later, “I wished you wouldn’t have preached that. I wish you wouldn’t said that. Now you’ve driven them away.” Or do you come and hug and embrace the neck of that preacher and say, “Thank you! Thank you for preaching the truth! Thank you for standing with Jesus, and following Him all the way.” Are you following Jesus close behind, or are you following Him at a distance? Jesus Suffered, and So Will You I’m going to tell you something that you all should know, but I’m going to tell it to you anyway, because we all need to be reminded of this: Jesus suffered, and so will you.” Before Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus suffered at least seven different varieties of torture and persecution. A harmony of the gospels reveals to us that He was: 1). Spit upon 2). Beat 3). Struck with hands 4). Blindfolded 5). Mocked 6). Scourged 7). Fitted with a crown of thorns on His head. And this He knew would come soon after His Galilean ministry, for He told them that the Son of Man would “suffer many things… and be killed.” Mat. 16:21 Yet, none of these things moved Jesus. His soul followed close behind God, and trusted in Him. He had made an oath to God, “O’ My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” You and I also made an oath to God to suffer and to drink of this cup when we decided to follow Jesus. For Jesus Himself had said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23 That was your oath, that was your allegiance, that was your expectation that you were going to suffer when you chose to follow Jesus. If not, then my friend, I must ask, what gospel plan of salvation have you been following? Because it’s not Jesus! Jesus plan of salvation requires bearing a cross. “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” 2 Tim. 3:12 Jesus suffered, and so will you. Are you following Jesus close behind, or are you following Him at a distance? Blessings Will Follow Those Who Are Persecuted for Jesus Sake Blessings will follow those who follow Jesus close behind and are persecuted for His sake. Only God knows what kind of path would have unfolded if Peter had followed Jesus close behind, and confessed His name rather than denying it. Perhaps both paths would’ve ended in tears, but those tears would not have been the same, that is for certain. Those tears of denial were bitter for Peter, according to the Scriptures. Mat. 26:75 “Pikros,” in the Greek, like something that picks, something sharp, something agonizing. Peter had avoided an external pain, but soon he felt an inner pain, a sharp pain, a piercing of his heart, and O’ how it hurt, how badly it hurt to have forsaken the Lord like that. One way or another we will suffer, the only question is, “Will we suffer on account of sin, or will we suffer on account of Jesus?” “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Mat. 5:11-12 Invitation So pick up your cross today soldier of Jesus Christ. Follow closely behind the captain of your salvation. Preach the gospel. Stand in His truth. Walk in His footsteps. And run to obey His word. Jesus says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mk. 16:16 Those are the words of the Commander Himself. And if that’s what He required then, that’s what He requires now. Obey His word. Believe it. Be baptized.