The fourteenth chapter of the gospel according to Matthew is dominated by the two main figures of the first half of Matthew John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. One thing that can definitely be said about both men is that they were willing to live by the courage of their convictions.
John Pays The Ultimate Cost
For John the Baptist it cost him his life. Here you have a man crying out in the wilderness daring to challenge the status quo both of the religious rulers of the day and even the political leaders of the day. Although there’s room for issues of mercy, forgiveness and grace, that does not quieten the prophetic responsibility of those called by God to highlight when people are just plain wrong.
John’s willingness to speak out against Herod’s ‘highly disputed’ relationship with his brother’s wife was evidently uncomfortable for Herod, but also his uncompromising nature of declaring what God tells him to makes him someone to be feared even by the ruler of the day. Yet for the courage of his convictions he is incarcerated. For the courage of his convictions he offends not just the husband, but the wife and sets in the motion the events that will lead to his demise.
So I look in the mirror and ask myself am I able to live off the courage of my Kingdom convictions in this day and age? The debate over gay marriage. The issue of multi-culturalism and its opportunity to feed xenophobic extremist elements. The potential effects of the Big Society agenda on charitable causes. The threatened cuts of much needed services for the vulnerable. The neglected underclass of those unemployed and unemployable, the homeless and deprived, those who don’t have the educational, social, financial and physical wherewithal to make it in this society. The hypocrisy of those in the West telling those in elsewhere around the world to adopt democratic values while they remain critically unjust to the needs of their own people.
That’s just the top of the iceberg – what about the church’s abject failure in some places to be shouting out for the needs of the poor and downtrodden, the abject failure of the church in some places to stop quibbling over doctrinal issues and address how they remain faithful to the call of Christ in pursuing His Kingdom on this earth through peacemaking efforts, raising the call and example of righteousness and the unity in love of those who follow Jesus Christ.
I look in the mirror and wonder, for the sake of the call am I willing to live by the courage of my convictions? Am I willing to do what it takes, no matter the cost?
Jesus Pays The Cost Of Convenience For The Sake Of The Kingdom
The second man who exemplifies living by the courage of your convictions is of course the King Himself. The acts that take place for the remainder of chapter 14 is done in the light of Jesus’ reaction to hearing the death of not just one of the greats, but his dear cousin. Jesus spends some time to be in a desolate place. Jesus wants to reflect and ponder things with God. How His own ministry will likewise have a tragic demise, how it is a part of the cost of discipleship to expect persecution, rejection and brutal ill-treatment for the sake of the Kingdom.
Yet despite Jesus’ desire to spend time alone, the crowds just won’t let up. I would understand if Jesus sent the crowds away and told them He needed time off. Yet living on the courage of Kingdom convictions is sacrificing yourself in the compassionate response to the needs of the people.
Jesus does this in teaching and healing despite the circumstances and typifies that in the feeding of the crowd. Not that the people will understand this at the time, or ever look to do so, but the grace of God is not dependent on whether we deserve or not or whether we will understand it at the time. What it is about is the conviction that Kingdom calls us to compassion regardless of whether the person ‘deserves’ it or not. Also even at the cost to our own physical and emotional wellbeing in some cases.
So both in the challenge of speaking out for Kingdom values and in responding to the compassionate Kingdom concerns the question remains,
Will you and I pay the cost of living by the courage of the Kingdom convictions?
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
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