This morning I really needed to hear a word from God, from His Word... There are times in life when we are just not doing the things that we know that we ought to be doing, when our focus isn't raptured by the magnificent truths of God's word and the reality of our personal and corporate mission, and when decisions are made that seem to be natural but end up being categorized as "unwise" once we take an honest look at the circumstances. For those of us that truly desire to follow after Christ as His disciples there are times when we do not find ourselves with the clearly focused, intensely driven, and passionate ambition for God's call upon our lives in this world. God really helped me see something from His Word that really moved me in the depths of my heart...
When Jesus made this statement He wasn't talking about being baptized again, He was talking about the consecration and fulfillment of His mission on earth, in the flesh; we know this to be the case because He makes similar statements to James and John in Matthew 20:22 and Mark 10:38. What really moved me was the fact that from John 13:15 and 1Peter 2:21 we know that Christ was our example, that we should follow in His footsteps. In fact, we were even commanded by Christ to go and teach all peoples all things that He commanded. Therefore it is very clear that we are to follow in Christ's footsteps, be like Him in word and deed, and teach everyone the things that He commanded the disciples; we are to be just like Christ in this world.
With this in mind I find it very valuable to think of verses like Luke 12:50 as something that we should follow after in Christ's footsteps. According to this verse we find Jesus consecrated to His mission and driven to see it through to its fulfillment. Jesus is "straightened till it be accomplished!" How often do we find ourselves like Jesus, "straightened till it be accomplished" in our own life? To be straightened means not crooked, not able to be bent in another direction, cannot be moved, cannot be swayed towards anything else, not distracted, cannot be adjusted, not diluted, not impure, and completely and totally faithful in all things that will advance His mission and discarding anything that will keep His mission from progressing. I am convinced that we (I included, most definitely!) do not remain faithful to this aspect of Christ example that we should be following each day. We allow the things of this world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1John 2:15-17) to get in the way of our mission and slow us down from completing it. We fall prey to the lie that convinces us that as long as we are making progress towards the end goal of our mission that we are doing alright, rather than realizing that we need to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and...run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1b-2)." This is also why Hebrews goes on to say, "For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." Jesus' baptism was to endure the cross, pay the penalty for the sin of all mankind, provide a way of eternal salvation and restoration with the Father to all who would believe, and see it through till the end. To this mission He was "straightened till it be accomplished!" ...Amen.
May we be fixed, focused, passionate, driven, ambitious, unwaivering, and "straightened" until our mission be accomplished in this world.
"But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!" -- Luke 12:50
When Jesus made this statement He wasn't talking about being baptized again, He was talking about the consecration and fulfillment of His mission on earth, in the flesh; we know this to be the case because He makes similar statements to James and John in Matthew 20:22 and Mark 10:38. What really moved me was the fact that from John 13:15 and 1Peter 2:21 we know that Christ was our example, that we should follow in His footsteps. In fact, we were even commanded by Christ to go and teach all peoples all things that He commanded. Therefore it is very clear that we are to follow in Christ's footsteps, be like Him in word and deed, and teach everyone the things that He commanded the disciples; we are to be just like Christ in this world.
With this in mind I find it very valuable to think of verses like Luke 12:50 as something that we should follow after in Christ's footsteps. According to this verse we find Jesus consecrated to His mission and driven to see it through to its fulfillment. Jesus is "straightened till it be accomplished!" How often do we find ourselves like Jesus, "straightened till it be accomplished" in our own life? To be straightened means not crooked, not able to be bent in another direction, cannot be moved, cannot be swayed towards anything else, not distracted, cannot be adjusted, not diluted, not impure, and completely and totally faithful in all things that will advance His mission and discarding anything that will keep His mission from progressing. I am convinced that we (I included, most definitely!) do not remain faithful to this aspect of Christ example that we should be following each day. We allow the things of this world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1John 2:15-17) to get in the way of our mission and slow us down from completing it. We fall prey to the lie that convinces us that as long as we are making progress towards the end goal of our mission that we are doing alright, rather than realizing that we need to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and...run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1b-2)." This is also why Hebrews goes on to say, "For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." Jesus' baptism was to endure the cross, pay the penalty for the sin of all mankind, provide a way of eternal salvation and restoration with the Father to all who would believe, and see it through till the end. To this mission He was "straightened till it be accomplished!" ...Amen.
May we be fixed, focused, passionate, driven, ambitious, unwaivering, and "straightened" until our mission be accomplished in this world.
