Matthew 16:24-26, Acts 6 & 7

Jeff Cutts reflects on what true success looks like as a disciple

Jeff Cutts

'Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?"' Matthew 16:24-26

What do we dream of when we hope for success? Maybe A* success in our exams, a good paying job, beautiful spouse and obedient, respectful, intelligent children we can be proud of. Yes please!
Perhaps a nice house and car or two and a holiday abroad, a healthy bank balance with enough to really live and enough to give... lovely!

Since you are reading this I imagine you are much more spiritually minded than this, but what does success look like to someone as spiritual as you and me? Maybe it is to be someone well respected, full of the Spirit and wisdom? Perhaps it is to be someone full of faith and the Holy Spirit?

These are certainly most excellent characteristics and I would encourage us all to be people like this, but I wonder if it will lead to what we imagine. Here are some thoughts around a Christian guy called Stephen; we can read about him in Acts 6 & 7.

'"Brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word."... and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit)...' Acts 6:2-5

Stephen was a member of the early church, a man who was well respected, full of the Spirit and wisdom. He was someone full of faith however with all this spiritual gifting he was put on the team running the food-bank. Imagine sorting through the tins and packets and having to give out food to the poor and the widows when you were so full of faith and wisdom and the Holy Spirit. Wouldn't he have been more suited to a preaching ministry, or perhaps the worship team?

We don't read that Stephen ever grumbled about having to work in the food-bank, in fact I think he served much more than food to people. Being full of faith and the Holy Spirit God used him where he was and in what he was given to do. I am certain that Stephen served people as if he was serving Jesus Himself and I am sure that the wisdom and faith and empowering of the Holy Spirit flowed out of him to those he was serving.

Soon we read 'Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people'. Acts 6:8

Stephen was in just the right place to be meeting the sick and the needy and praying for them and healing them! God can work through you even if you think your job is insignificant.

He had conversations with people and a group of religious people started to debate with him; 'None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke'. Acts 6:10

Suddenly Steven is up before some important men and speaking with wisdom about the things of God; speaking about following Jesus and using the gift God has given him. Perhaps this is the real launch of Steven's ministry! Except, because this religious group cannot win in debate against him things start to turn for the worse.

'They persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, "We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God." This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. The lying witnesses said, "This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us."' Acts 6:11-14

At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel's. Then the high priest asked Stephen, "Are these accusations true?" Stephen could have said "no, they are lying about me". He could have saved his life. Instead he preached a challenging sermon, which infuriated the council. Did he get it wrong? At the end of Acts 7 we can read the following, 'Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." He fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that, he died.' Acts 7:57-60

Jesus said that if you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

As we think about this verse it is easy to think of losing our natural life like Stephen when he was stoned to death. Or we can think about it in terms of salvation, as we give our lives to Jesus and we try to live for him and we lose our life. Jesus was speaking to His disciples when he said, "If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it". As we look at Stephen's story I believe that he had given up his life for Jesus' sake long before he lost his life as a martyr.

As believers in Jesus we have a tendency to try to control the outcome of our walk with God and to try to control the outcome of our spiritual lives. We sometimes would rather try to accomplish "God's will" in our way, a way which is more comfortable and less costly than God's way may be.

I find this a great challenge, but I pray that we will be able to find our life in Christ by losing our life in Him.

Your will Lord, Your way. Amen.