Christ Arouses Opposition

MEMORY VERSE: “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it.” —Matthew 10:39

MATTHEW 9:9-13; 10:17-25

MANY professed Christian teachers today urge the people to accept Christ and join a church because it will be good for them along material lines. Better health, greater influence in the community, and more friends are among the inducements offered as reasons for joining a church. But this is far removed from Jesus’ teaching and practice, as the title of this lesson indicates.

Jesus was not guided by worldly wisdom. If he had been, he would not have associated with publicans and sinners, as he did on occasions. This was a minority group in Israel which was held in disdain by the majority. But Jesus knew that among these were some who at heart had a longing for righteousness—not the hypocritical righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, but the true righteousness of God. Matthew was one of these, and Jesus called him to be an apostle.

When criticized for his association with publicans and sinners, Jesus explained that he had not come to call the righteous, but sinners unto repentance. In the true sense, there were none in Jesus’ day who were righteous, even as there have been none since the original sin of Adam. But the scribes and Pharisees claimed to be righteous. They were the ones who claimed to be “whole,” and not to need a “physician.” Jesus knew, therefore, that they were not in the right heart condition to receive his message. He knew also that among the publicans and sinners there were those who would respond because they recognized their need for the help which he could give them.

Jesus, of course, did not limit his ministry to the publicans, or to any single group in Israel. He was willing to help any of the scribes and Pharisees who were ready to be helped, but he did not hesitate to declare the truth no matter who his audience might be. Jesus was an exposer of popular error, and a proclaimer of unpopular truth. It was this that aroused so much opposition against him. He exposed the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees, and they, fearful of their own standing among the people, stirred up opposition against the Master, and finally succeeded in having him put to death.

And Jesus warned his disciples that they could not expect any better treatment from the world than he was receiving. The bitter persecutions outlined by the Master in the second part of the lesson came upon many of the disciples, not only in the days of the Early Church, but later also, and particularly throughout the Dark Ages. In recent years religious intolerance and persecution have largely subsided, although those who are faithful in proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom are not popular, nor, indeed, do they wish to be.

Faithful disciples of Christ now, even as has been true in every part of the age, are glad to lay down their lives following in his footsteps. They are not interested in gaining the favor of the world in order the more successfully to lay up treasures on earth. Their concern and effort is to lay up treasures in heaven, and they know that the only way to do this is to lay down their all, even life itself, in the Master’s service.

It is this that is emphasized in our Memory Verse. From the standpoint of worldly wisdom the idea of losing one’s life in order to find it seems illogical. Worldly wisdom dictates that one do all he can to “find” his life; that is, to promote one’s own best interests in life. But Jesus explained that this was the way for one to “lose” his life.

We need to recognize, however, that Jesus did not address this statement to the world at large, but rather to those who would become his disciples. These are invited to take up their cross and follow Jesus into death. (Matt. 16:24) Paul speaks of them as being planted together in the likeness of Jesus’ death. (Rom. 6:25) His was a sacrificial death, and his disciples have the privilege of suffering and dying with him, strengthened by the hope, that if faithful unto death they will live and reign with Christ. To these Jesus said, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”—Rev. 2:10

It is clear, then, that as disciples of Christ our hope of life is in the resurrection. It is then that we will attain glory and honor and immortality. (Rom. 2:7) But this hope will reach fruition only if we are faithful in laying down our lives now, or “losing” them. For the Christian the way to life is through sacrificial death.

QUESTIONS

Does the Bible hold out the prospect of material prosperity to those who follow Christ?

Why did Jesus devote a portion of his ministry to publicans and sinners?

Why was Jesus persecuted and killed?

Can Jesus’ faithful followers expect the approval of the world?

Explain how a Christian can find his life by losing it.

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