In Acts 12 the Apostle Peter was arrested and kept in prison, but it wasn’t the first time he’d ever felt incarcerated.

Earlier in John 6, after “many of Christ’s disciples” had absconded the ministry community (v.66), Jesus gave the same opportunity to Peter. Yet the old fisherman found himself unable to leave. “Where would I go?” he said, “You have the words of eternal life”.

In essence, Peter was captive; and Jesus Christ held the keys. No shackles, no chains; yet completely immobilized by God’s will for his life. No matter how badly he might’ve wanted to get away, Peter was going nowhere.

Paul, too, knew what it was like to be a prisoner. He’d been following Jesus for decades as a free man when the Holy Spirit began showing him that the liberty he enjoyed was only temporary (Acts 20:23). Rather than fleeing as others might’ve done, he, like Peter, stayed the course. He was completely immobilized by God’s will for his life, yet Paul humbly embraced the shackles & chains that awaited him.

Staying put can be a real challenge for some people. Especially when God forces the issue. It’s one thing to do exactly what you’re told. It’s quite another to stay right where you are. 

SLAVES VERSUS PRISONERS

Many of us are well acquainted with the concept of ‘bond-slavery’ in the Bible. It’s the term “doulos”, often translated “servant” or “slave”. Being used over 125 times, it seems to be a favorite self-designation among New Testament writers. In the church it refers to someone who serves Jesus with a level of loyalty & obedience that parallels that of a traditional slave. The prefix ‘bond’ indicates our willingness to live like that. In other words, “doulos” is a servitude that’s chosen for oneself, not forced.  

It’s one thing to do exactly what you’re told. It’s quite another to stay right where you are. 

Unlike bond-slavery, however, imprisonment happens against one’s own will. A bondslave gets to choose whether they’ll let themselves be owned, while imprisonment, almost always, is somebody else’s choice. Whether they like it or not, they find themselves detained by someone with greater authority.

Another striking difference is that slavery is defined by a person doing what they would rather not do; while imprisonment is when somebody stays where they would rather not be. From John the Baptist to John the Apostle, countless Christians have known what it was like to be stuck in a spot they didn’t go looking for. Whether it was the saints we’ve read about in Scripture, or the ones we’ve never even heard of, many faithful believers have felt the cold chill of a dungeon they were forced into.

FAITH VERSUS FREEDOM

Some disciples of Christ make better slaves than prisoners. They’ll do anything for Jesus so long as they retain the freedom to move about as they please. But once they feel the restraint upon their life, their good character starts to dissolve. Others, I suppose, are opposite: they make better prisoners than slaves. They’ll gladly stay right where they are as long as nothing is expected of them. But as we’ve seen in recent months in our journey together through the book of Acts, the Apostle Paul was exemplary on both accounts.  

Not all of God’s servants will experience actual imprisonment in this life, but no one should assume that they’re exempt from its effect. So, before you congratulate yourself for serving Jesus by choice, you might ask whether you’ll still do it with a glad heart when, like Peter, you’ve got nowhere else to go. You’re willing to serve Jesus in the open air, but will you let Him put you behind bars?

It hardly matters in the end, whether you liken yourself to a ‘slave’ or to that of a ‘prisoner’. The important thing is whether you’re ready to keep doing what you’re told, right where you are, regardless of your situation.

I certainly hope so. The church could always use more faithful men (and women) whose love for Christ surpasses their love for freedom.

October 3^rd, 1992 marks one of the more controversial episodes of Saturday Night Live. At the height of her career, musical guest Sinead O’Connor was scheduled to perform in front of a live television audience. She gladly took the opportunity to express her regard for the sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. Her latent hatred for the entire scandal, and the figurehead of it, was about to boil over. As planned, she sang her song that night, held a picture of the Pope in front of the camera, and with all the fervor of an Old Testament prophet, tore it into pieces, threw it on the floor, and boldly petitioned America to “fight the real enemy”.

The nationwide outrage that ensued made it obvious that her message was heard loud and clear. The NBC network received thousands of phone calls criticizing her actions in the days to follow, while the New York Daily News called her performance a “HOLY TERROR”. Considering the reaction she got, you would’ve thought Ms. O’Connor had actually tried to murder the Pope, but she didn’t. She just tore up an old picture of him that used to hang in her mother’s bedroom.

As assassination of the Pontiff was out of the question for Sinead, she did the next best thing to express the depth of her hatred: She destroyed his picture. And by doing so, there was no mistaking the point: When you hate someone, but aren’t allowed to kill him, you can placate your loathing by vandalizing the thing that bears his image. …Sound familiar?

WE’VE SEEN IT ALL BEFORE

A performance like this is nothing new. Satan’s been expressing his disdain for The Creator in a similar way ever since the beginning. He abhors God and would kill Him if he could, but he can’t, so he does the next best thing: He harasses, attacks, & destroys His image-bearers. It all started with Eve, but that same sad episode has been re-run billions of times over in one long season of sin and death. Anything that resembles God is a visible reminder of the One Satan hates, which is why he relentlessly attacks mankind…Christians in particular.

There are dozens of ways to desecrate a photograph: You can rip it, shred it, or tear it to bits. You can flush it, bury it, or light it on fire. You can deface it, erase it, or stain it beyond recognition, and the devil’s tried it all. In fact, the only thing he won’t do, is ignore it, and the better the quality of the picture, the more desperate he is to get rid of it. His method is hardly the point, he just wants the job done. He’s ruthless, relentless, and manic. It’s who he is and what he does. He is Apollyon, the Destroyer.

But too much talk of the devil and you’ll begin to think he’s everywhere when he’s not. And yet, too little and you’ll forget that he’s around at all. Interesting how he’s both easy to overlook and impossible to ignore at the same time. Like a small plastic ball under only one of three shells, he’s never everywhere, but always somewhere. So, we ought to be on our guard.

When you hate someone, but aren’t allowed to kill him, you can placate your loathing by vandalizing the thing that bears his image

WE’LL SEE IT HAPPEN AGAIN

Satan is conscious of all that’s happening at our church, and it irritates him to say the least. If we’re feeling the heat lately, let’s remember that it’s because we bear God’s image. It’s no wonder then, that Satan would be so adamant about destroying us. He’s been strolling through world history leaving massive piles of torn photographs behind him, and now he’s looking at us. He’s opened up our page of the photo album, and he doesn’t like what he sees. We keep reminding him of the God he hates. 

Sinead O’Connor’s disgust for sexual sin is understandable, commendable, and just. No one should be too upset about what she did. What we should be upset with is what Satan is doing. He’s waging a war against His Creator by destroying His creation; He’s mocking the Father by torturing His children. He’s showing his spite for a righteous God by spitting at His picture. If we’re to be outraged when someone attacks the Pope, how much more so when it’s God? People aren’t the real enemy, Satan is.

One day his controversial attack on the human race will be nothing more than a memory…something of the past. But until then, it’s a reality. Our reality. So, hold it together. Be sober. Be vigilant.

In 1808 Sir Walter Scott penned a line that would become more popular than he likely realized at the time: “Oh, what a tangled web we weave” he wrote into an act called “Marmion”, “when first we practice to deceive”.

LESSONS FROM HISTORY

More of a keen observation than a fictional quip, the fact that sin makes our life a knotted mess isn’t hard to see. Read the script of Israel’s second king and you’ll know what I mean.

Called by God and anointed by the Spirit, yes, but David was no angel. He would eventually transgress again and again. Lust followed by adultery, and then after that, solicitation for murder. A series of sinister decisions turned everything into a tangled clutter. His sin, not surprisingly, would end in death (II Sam.12:18).

Judas was similar. Greed followed by theft, and then after that, conspiracy to murder. Like his Jewish forbear, Judas’ sin jumbled up his entire life, and likewise ended in death (Mt.27:5).  

CONTRASTING LEGACIES

David & Judas: The King of Israel had a penchant for women; the Disciple of Christ had a thing for money, and both accounts ended with a funeral. Different vice, same result. What started in the heart, culminated in the grave. Oh, what a tangled web we weave…

The lasting reputation of these two men, however, are polar opposite: Judas is forever labelled as the “son of perdition”, while David is remembered as “a man after God’s own heart”. Putting these accounts side by side makes you wonder how David was able to escape the snare, while Judas wasn’t so fortunate. What was the difference between them both that resulted in such contrasting legacies?

PARABLE OR PROPHECY?

There’s a story told of woman who worked long ago at a textile mill. With an occupation like hers, it was inevitable that there would be occasional tangles in the thread. This being the case for all who worked in the mill, a sign was hung on the factory floor that read: “When your thread gets tangled, call on the foreman”. To no one’s surprise but her own, the woman’s work eventually got snarled.

Embarrassed of herself and concerned for her position, she tried to ignore the sign. “Calling for help might get me in trouble” she thought, “I’ll just straighten this out myself”. She tried and she tried to untangle that thread, but she only made her situation worse. Finally, she called the foreman and said, “I did the best I could”. To which the cunning foreman replied, “No, you didn’t. The best thing you could have done was to call on me”.

Everybody at the mill gets their threads tangled.

When David became entangled in sin, he called upon God. It was the best thing he could’ve done. As promised, the Heavenly Foreman rescued him from distress (see Psalm 32). When Judas became entwined, however, he tried and tried to untangle that thread, but he only made his situation worse. The foreman wasn’t called upon, and Judas lost his position.

Therein lies the difference between the two men. David called upon God, whereas Judas tried to fix the problem on his own.

What would you do? After all, everybody at the mill gets their threads tangled, but only some will call upon the foreman.

UNTANGLED FINALLY

Sir Walter Scott wasn’t the first to realize that characters like us have a knack for weaving ourselves into an awfully tangled web. Every player in human history knows that’s true. But are you enmeshed in your sin? Are you trapped in a web of deceit that you’ve woven yourself?

There’s no need to lose your position over it. Call on the Foreman. It’s the best thing you could do. He alone knows how to resolve the issue and untangle your life once again. He’s done it for others, He can do it for you.  

“FINALLY…I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone! Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there’s still time, so they don’t drown in judgment” – Psalm 32

Doing God’s will is never easy for anyone, not even Jesus. He too was once faced with a decision to either fulfill God’s desires or to satisfy His own. And it was a choice that nearly killed Him on the spot (Mt.26:38). Well before the whips ever touched His back or the thorns even pierced His brow, Jesus was already bleeding (Lk.22:44). His condition was critical, even though His execution was still hours away. 

A Horrible Fate

Lest we wrongly assume that Jesus Christ was never reluctant to follow God’s plan, the Scriptures reveal otherwise. The Gospel writers give us a glimpse into His prayer-life at the time. “If it’s possible” He prayed, “let this cup pass from me”. It was Jesus’ way of saying “I don’t want to do what you’re asking of me. Is there any way around it?” Our Lord knew the plans God had for Him. They were plans to harm and to destroy. Plans for a dismal future.

A Resolute Mind

In spite of His apprehension, however, Jesus was determined to let His Father have the final word. “Nevertheless” He said, “not as I will, but as you will”. Three times He prayed, and “let your will be done” was the refrain. Jesus clearly made His own wishes known, but, in the end, He subjected them to God’s requirements. He wouldn’t back down from His Father’s ultimate plan & purpose, but was determined to do the will of God, even if it killed Him.

A beautiful life is just within your reach…

Jesus was willing to suffer incalculable loss in order to fulfill God’s unique design for His life. And knowing the end of the story, we’d all agree that it was the right decision. Never before, nor since, has there been a life more beautifully lived than the one that Jesus did.

A Personal Call

The Apostle Peter made mention of this in his first letter. Writing to people like you and me, he says, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example…that you should follow in His steps” (2:21). By choosing God’s will over His own, our Lord Jesus Christ became the perfect source of inspiration for anyone facing the soul-rending task of choosing between God’s will, and their own.

We’ve all been supplied with the same free-will that Jesus had. What you do with it, however, is for you to decide. Will you follow in His steps, or blaze your own trail? Will you choose to do God’s will, and so prove to have the mind of Christ? Or will you live as you please, and so prove to have a mind of your own? A beautiful life is just within your reach, but guarding it too closely is bound to make it ugly.

A Beautiful Life

Doing God’s will is a difficult decision for everyone, including Jesus, but anybody can do it, even you. The next time you find yourself having to choose between fulfilling God’s desires or satisfying your own, remember Jesus, “the author and finisher of your faith, who…endured the cross, disregarding its shame. And now He’s seated in the place of honor…beside God’s throne”.

This dark world could always use a little more beauty in it.

You can help.

Imagine being stabbed in the arm with a penknife. Not so much as to kill you, but enough to make you bleed. It was unexpected, unprovoked, and whether it was intentional or not, you aren’t certain, but one thing is clear: It hurts. Really bad.

Imagine then going to the doctor. You tell him everything: How deep it the wound is, how awful it makes you feel, and how you did nothing to deserve it. Yet the doctor isn’t half as concerned as you are. He tells you that he’s seen far worse. But, like a good physician, he does his job. He stops the bleeding, sews you up, and councils you on how to dress the wound for yourself. You leave the clinic feeling no better than when you arrived.

Now imagine coming home. With plenty of time to think, you recall every last detail of the incident to make sure that you’re not the guilty party. You play the episode over and over in your mind like a bad re-run. You even go so far as to remove the gauze so you can see once more, just how much of a victim you really are. They say “bitterness has such a sharp memory, because bitterness has good study habits: Review, review, review” [i], and you’ve become quite the scholar. It’s a trauma you can’t let yourself soon forget, so you pick at the stitches. It hurts and bleeds all over again, but it’s the only way to keep the memory fresh.

Insult to Injury   

This goes on for days, weeks, even months, until it finally gets infected. The care-sheet from your unsympathetic doctor went out with the trash long ago. And there’s no way you’re going back to the clinic now. Not in a million years. They’ll just minimize the pain again. You don’t want their help anyway, because once the wound heals, there’ll be no more proof of how guilty your enemy is! So you pick, pull, rip, and tear. The infection keeps spreading, and you don’t really care anymore. It’s destroying you, but you tell yourself, “That’s what they get!”

“In this life, you’re bound to get poked, pricked, and even stabbed”

After a year or more, your arm finally falls off. You weren’t responsible for the wound, but it was yours to keep clean, and you failed. You refused to dress it, you rejected the doctor’s advice, and you wouldn’t let it rest. Now it’s gone, and all you can think is “I still can’t believe they stabbed me!” Sure, they may have stabbed you, but they aren’t the reason you lost your arm. You are. And now you’ll spend the rest of your life blaming somebody else for the loss of a limb, even though it’s all in your imagination.

Time Doesn’t Heal All Wounds

The scenario above is a graphic illustration of unforgiveness. It’s the resultant injury we inflict upon ourselves by refusing to forgive the one who initially injured us. But it’s not beyond your imagination. It’s a painful reality for countless Christians.

“Picking at the stitches…is the only way to keep the memory fresh”

Unforgiveness is the wound that time doesn’t automatically heal. It’ll never go away on its own. The longer you wait, the worse it’ll get, and the more responsible you’ll be for the losses you suffer because of it.

Skin is Thin

The Apostle Peter had been “stabbed” once or twice, and wanted to know how many times he was required to forgive (Mt.18:21). In his mind, seven times would be more than enough. But Jesus informed him that the bandage might need to be changed hundreds of times. Whether “Seventy times seven” means we forgive 490 individual sins, or just one single sin 490 times, we aren’t sure. But Christ’s point is clear: Keep the wound clean, Peter.

Human skin is between 1 and 4 mm thin. In this life, you’re bound to get poked, pricked, and even stabbed. Words can be sharp (Pr.12:18), and the sinful behavior of a brother can hurt (Gen.4:8). Some of those wounds will be intentional (Pr.27:17), while others will be inadvertent (Pr.27:6). But the real threat to your future isn’t always from the original injury…it’s in your response to it.

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” Colossians 3:13  

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[i] Doug Wilson, “How to be free from Bitterness“. Wilson is also to be credited for the illustration of unforgiveness as an unkempt stab wound.

Judas wasn’t the only betrayer in the group. Nor was Peter the only denier. Truth is, every disciple is predestined to become not only a denier, and a betrayer, but ultimately, a crucifier as well. Committing these particular acts, like it or not, is inevitable for anyone who truly follows Christ. The real issue, therefore, isn’t whether you’ll eventually do such things as these, but who will be on the receiving end of them.

It’s either you or Jesus…

DESTINED TO DENY

Denial is a dirty word in the Christian dialect, and it’s all Peter’s fault. On the night of Christ’s arrest, when Jesus needed him most, Peter denied knowing Him three times over. And this wasn’t Peter’s first bout with denial either. Just a few short hours earlier, Jesus told Peter that he was destined to deny. And in true form, Peter flat-out denied it! Thanks to him, denial has been associated with sin ever since.

It’s critical to remember, however, that not all denial is a sin. In our case, it’s required. One of the prerequisites of following Jesus is having a propensity for denial. In fact, if a person isn’t willing to deny, they won’t even be allowed to follow Christ at all. In Luke 9:23 Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves”. Whether it’s a dirty word or not, “denial” is a “must”.

Somebody in your Christian life is being denied.

It’s either you or Jesus…

BOUND TO BETRAY

When Judas Iscariot was chosen by Jesus, his fate was already decided. “Jesus knew from the beginning who it was that would betray Him” (John 6:64). His future was as fixed as the Word of God Itself. Judas was bound to betray.

But then again, so were the other eleven.

Betrayal is in the cards for all of Christ’s disciples. The word “betray” means to ‘hand over’ or ‘abandon’, and it carries with it a sense of close, personal involvement. Anyone can do it, and everyone will. We’re bound to it.

All who follow Christ are called to the abandonment, or ‘betrayal’ of self. Jesus encourages all of His disciples to “Give up your life for me, (then) you will find it” (Matthew 10:39). Some, however, will reject that kind of self-betrayal. To them, a second option is given: Abandon Christ instead. Just like Judas.

Somebody in your Christian life will get betrayed.

It’s either you or Jesus…

CALLED TO CRUCIFY

The Nicene Creed reminds us that Jesus was “crucified under Pontius Pilate”. But truth be told, crucifixion is an activity in which everybody takes part. From the High Priest to the Apostles, and the ancient Jew to the modern gentile, everyone is a crucifier. This, of course, includes me and you. We may not have held the mallet, or delivered the blows, but I assure you, it was our sins that got Him killed.

Rising from the dead, however, Jesus now calls us to become active participants in yet another crucifixion: Our own.

Jesus commands us to “pick up our cross” (Mark 8:34), and to “crucify our flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24). We’re commanded to “Put to death (crucify) whatever is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5).

Once more this leaves us with a choice: We can either crucify ourselves, or we can “crucify Christ all over again, putting Him to open shame”. There’s no way around it. We’ve been called to crucify.

Somebody in your Christian life is being put to death.

It’s either you or Jesus…

MAN ON A MISSION

By choosing Judas, Jesus was making the conscious decision to offer Himself up for betrayal. By choosing Peter, Jesus presented Himself to be denied. And by choosing God’s will, Jesus willingly offered Himself up for crucifixion.

Your Savior already knows what it’s like to be the victim of denial, betrayal, and crucifixion. Do you?

Your desire to be like Jesus is a single decision away from being fulfilled. Yield yourself to the only experiences that will truly unite you to Christ. You have been given the power & authority to deny, betray, and crucify.

Use that power wisely.