The early disciples were adventurers. They were tough men. Real men.
Paul was not content to pastor other people's church plants - he wanted to do the hard work himself:
"...I desire to preach where Christ has not been named, so as not to build on another person’s foundation" Rom. 15:20 (NET)That meant he had to go, search, find, travel, research and provide for himself.
Stephen was stoned because he didn't compromise.
John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey, lived in the desert and wore garments made of camel hair. He was beheaded because he took a Godly moral stand.
The man born blind whose sight was restored by Jesus was thrown out of the temple community because he witnessed strongly that Jesus was from God. John 9:33
I can't say it better than Paul said it himself:
"Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with a rod. Once I received a stoning. Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent adrift in the open sea. I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers, in hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing." 2 Cor. 11:24-27Josheb-Basshebeth was a mighty warrior who killed eight hundred men with his spear in one battle. Shammah single-handedly defended a field against the Philistine Army. Benaiah killed a lion. See Samuel chapter 23 for more warrior biographies.
Men want to be men. Men of God need to be Men of God!
In his book, "Why Men Hate Going to Church", David Morrow says, "... the church is no longer fishing for men. Instead, it's creating a comfortable aquarium for the saints."Jones says it this way in "Reaching the Unreached - Becoming Raiders of the Lost Art",
"We replace the power of an unpredictable God, wild to the core, with what is secure, manageable and predictable."Morrow again,
"You might say that the church is full of passivity activists whose greatest energies are devoted to fighting change."Sure, Jesus is a lamb. But he is also a lion.
He was the perfect, unblemished Lamb of God
"who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29But Jesus is also the Lion of Judah, fearful and awesome who will destroy His enemies.
Just like the famous Old Testament warriors but invincible, Jesus is the Commander of the Lord's Army. He appeared to Joshua armed with a sword. Josh. 5:13-15
Morrow says,
"Adventures with Christ change men in a way simple church attendance never could."Contrast mens spiritual health in the western church with Sufferfest, a secular athlete's coaching program. Take an abridged tour of Sufferlandria (remember this is a serious commercial product marketing to athletes):
On the shores of the great inland Lactic Acid Sea lies the proud, tortured nation of Sufferlandria. We are a country that knows no borders, only lactate thresholds. Most of our citizens have only recently discovered their Sufferlandrian lineage, and were washed onto our shores by waves of sweat and the tears of their vanquished competitors. Forget those other countries. No one does Suffering like we do. We live it. We breathe it. We chop it into sharp, bite-sized pieces and eat it for breakfast.
Make your next vacation a paincation. We warmly welcome tourists. Our landscape, like our populace, is rugged and varied. From the fiery caldera and lava snows of Mount Sufferlandria to the vast, rolling expanses of the Amber Waves of Pain; from the sparsely-populated Whine Country to the brutal beauty of the Valley of Nine Hammers.
Sufferlandria: Like fun, without the fun parts.
So why does this appeal to men? I think it's simply because men need to be challenged, pushed to their limits, and they want to experience their adventurous DNA.
Yet there is none who has suffered like Jesus. He suffered so much anguish before making His once-for-all perfect sacrifice for all of humanity that his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
Jesus died on the cross so that our relationship with God could be restored. And on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead and, right now, He is alive at the right hand of God. Following His resurrection, Jesus appeared to many, including His disciples, and gave them direction:
In Matthew 28:18, Jesus stated His level of authority. ALL. All authority.
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus gave a command. GO. MAKE DISCIPLES.
In Matthew 28:20, Jesus reminded His disciples: I AM WITH YOU.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit, and in Acts 2:4, the Holy Spirit filled believers.
If Jesus made us and equipped us to get out of our comfort zones to do a job, if Jesus is with us, and if Jesus has all authority, why do we avoid it?
The world knows what appeals to men: suffering, adventure, challenges, results. These are exactly the things that matter to Jesus, and (should matter) to men in the church, but we avoid it. But here's the difference:
The world is striving to achieve in its own strength. Each individual bloke is relying on himself to achieve his personal objectives. We worship a spiritual God. Our life is a spiritual one. Christians have the power of the Holy Spirit and Jesus' personal presence - the very same Jesus who has all authority in heaven and on earth.
Step out in the power of the Holy Spirit, trusting Jesus who is with you. Be a man.
Be the man God called you to be.
Credits:
Jones, Peyton, Reaching the Unreached - Becoming Raiders of the Lost Art (e-book), 2017, Harper Collins, Grand Rapids
Morrow, David, Why Men Hate Going to Church (e-book), 2011, Thomas Nelson, Tennessee
Sufferfest: https://thesufferfest.com/pages/visit-sufferlandria (05/01/2019)
Image 1:https://me.me/i/when-the-church-becamea-night-club-and-the-pulpit-became-297b6beeb8134c2a9fe3c93b1774be95
Image 2: https://thesufferfest.com/pages/visit-sufferlandria (05/01/2019)