ACTS 14:19–22 – But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
How about a question on today’s nugget theme? What is supposed to be hard? Life. All of life. Including the Christian life. The Apostle Paul tells the believers in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch that “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus would also arm us with this truth. He does so in His Sermon on the Mount – “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14).
In the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus would further inform us of the difficulties of living in a fallen world, and the double difficulty of doing so as a follower of Him – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
As we seek to obey the Great Commission, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20), we must do so ensuring would-be disciples know of the dangers and difficulties of following Jesus. We present a false view of discipleship if the demands of discipleship are not presented. But it is not just new believers who need this reminder. The ministry of encouragement to “seasoned Christians” includes the reminder “we are not home yet” which equates to telling each other this life is hard and it is supposed to be.
A fit conclusion to today’s nugget is this quote from the 17th century giant of the faith, Jonathan Edwards, “God has appointed this whole of life to be all as a race or a battle; the state of rest, wherein we shall be so out of danger as to have no need for watching and fighting, is for another world.”
PRAYER: “Lord, forgive me when I complain about the difficulties in my short life on earth.”
QUOTE: “The Christian life is not only hard, but impossible, and that is why we need constant grace.”