Like a lot of you, I’m for simple living in the New Covenant inaugurated by Jesus. This is living in his kingdom, after his ways. He called it the abundant life (John 10:10).

I talk about living like Jesus, but I subconsciously qualify it to imply a certain kind of living that keeps me safely sheltered from his experiences. He had nothing; I have everything. Frankly, to a great extent, I live nothing like him.

While I’m in this transparency mode, I might as well confess…I don’t really think like him either. He genuinely loved his enemies. I’m just trying to survive by ignoring mine. At the core is the fact that there is really a void in me at this moment. My love’s too shallow; his spans the dimensions (Ephesians 3:18); I need his love, not mine!

The chasm between my love and his, my life and his, evidenced itself last week. On Sunday, though, in mid-sermon, I experienced its immense weight. While studying and reviewing for Sunday something registered that, for whatever reason, had before been overlooked.

In Philippians 3:8-11, Paul states,

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. ESV.

Paul’s living after the way of Christ was much more genuine than mine. I know this because of the nature of his living versus mine. With this comes a certain measure of guilt. But to add insult to injury, he slaps me upside the face with his desire to “share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible (emphasis mine) I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

His desire was to “share” in Christ’s suffering, not be sheltered from them. His desire was to become like him “in his death,” not evade it. His passion was, “by any means possible,” to cross the bar. If I understand him correctly, he actively pursued a course that would not insulate him from harm, but instead would thrust him possibly into the middle of it.

All of my life, I’ve heard prayers uttered, both in and out of the assembly, that center around “being free from harm and molestation,” “having the freedom to worship without fear of persecution,” and etc. Yet Paul’s Christ-likeness was so strong, that he pursued a course that would ultimately cost him his life. That’s simply not how I think. Nor is it how, most, if not all, Christians I know think. We yearn for insulation, but such thinking is clearly not in step with Jesus or Paul.

I’m not suggesting that we begin to pursue courses that should kill us. But before I pat myself on the back for the similarities I might have with the first century church, I’d better accept the fact that I’m nowhere near where they were.

So, where does this leave us? How true to form to the ways of the early church do we really want to be? I’ve got some serious thinking to do, especially, if I mean what I say. I’m not so certain that Jesus intends for his disciples to attach all sorts of caveats to living in the way, just so we can accommodate living in our world. Apparently, my thinking has a long way to go.

Today, it’s commonplace to hear aspirations of taking cities for God and taking the country back for God. Sure, I guess its great to aim high, but sometimes in our lofty pursuits of greatness veil our vision of seeing opportunities to pour cups of water. You might think that giving a person a cup of water or feeding the impoverished is silliness, but what you’ll actually find is that such a mindset is actually out of step with Jesus. Take a moment and read Matthew 25:31-46. If you don’t have a Bible in hand, I’ll supply it for you.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

To Jesus, a cup of water in his name was significant. He doesn’t expect us to take cities or countries for God. That’s not within our power anyway. We are seed sowers (Matt. 13) who commit ourselves to the service of others. As unprofitable servants, such is our “duty” (Luke 17:10).

We live out the Truth of Jesus in His Way (John 14:6). We serve. No strings attached. That’s anything but silliness.

“Inquiring minds want to know.” It’s The National Inquirer’s basis for existence. So they say. To a degree there’s truth to it. If not so, it would have folded long ago.

There seems to be an insatiable interest for sordid details into people’s lives. I can’t help but wonder if some aren’t obsessed with such. Look at the kinds of things covered on shows like Entertainment Tonight. Why would ET cover the stories they do if this wasn’t so? Apparently, there’s great desire for the succulent scoop on Hollywood’s elite. There’s a longing to know about the secret weddings and tawdry affairs of the stars. Would it, as a television show, endure if it weren’t the case?

I could be wrong, but I’m inclined to think that not all the stars care for the constant probing into their private lives. Jennifer Lopez’s secretive wedding wouldn’t have been covertly planned had she wanted photos of it to be slapped all over television sets. I think stars deserve some freedom from disturbance and a break from the paparazzi. I don’t think fame warrants the surrendering of all rights of privacy. Quite frankly, I lean towards the thought that overly obsessed people that feed off of this kind of information, themselves, have serious issues.

I appreciate that Jesus didn’t value meddling. At the close of John’s gospel,  he tells us how Peter inquired of Jesus as to who would betray him (John 21:20). It’s an interesting question. Peter had already denied Jesus. Judas had already betrayed Jesus into the hands of those who crucified him. Apparently, Peter had conditioned himself to believe that there was more betrayal to come. Given the preceding verses (vv. 18-19), Peter could be thinking just about anything. I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t, itself, just another rumor. We simply don’t know. Anything was possible.

John reveals, from the third person vantage point, how he had been following Jesus and Peter (v. 20). That Peter is thinking suspiciously of John for doing so is evident (v. 21). I suppose the real question is…Was his suspicion warranted? I don’t believe so. Jesus knows what Peter is doing. But it’s not implausible for Peter to be thinking that John would betray the Lord, and as a result give Peter over to die. This is reasonable, especially, if the thoughts of vv. 18-19 are lingering in his mind.

Nevertheless, Jesus responds: “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (v. 22). One might conclude that Jesus, himself, had an inherent suspicion of another impending betrayal because of his response. After all, he doesn’t explicitly deny the suggestion. Why Jesus answered this way we’ll never know on this side of eternity. Regardless, whether Peter is on to something or not, it was none of his business. The most important thing was for Peter to follow Jesus, and not let himself get swept away into another denial himself. He needed to tend to his own matters. Soon his faith would really be put to the test!

Unfortunately, Peter couldn’t do that just yet, nor could he keep his mouth shut. “So the saying was spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?’” (v. 23). Peter didn’t listen very well to Jesus’ advice. He instead gossiped about his inferences from Christ’s words. All he did was increase speculation and make matters worse.

Some things simply aren’t my business. Some things aren’t your business either. Peter shows us that curiosity can get the best of us, leaving us with egg on our faces. I’m inclined to think Peter learned his lesson (1 Peter 4:15).

There’s a fairly new show on A&E entitled Hoarders that captures life as a lot of people know it. Each show documents the lives of generally two people who cannot let go of things. They hoard all kinds of things, and they are suffering as a result. Their families often are trapped as well. Homes fall under decay. Cities threaten to levy fines and/or condemn houses altogether because of the health hazards that are created by the sickness of hoarding.

On the show, counselors work to help those entrapped in their hoarding ways through psychology, as well as through the clean-up process. It’s painful to watch people anguishing over getting rid of what to most of us is junk. People desperately cling to what seems to be insignificant. Oftentimes, people even hoard trash and rotten food. It’s saddening to watch, but what’s even worse is to see how so many see themselves as not having any problem.

We can become obsessed with things and not even be hoarders. Jesus spoke of such people (Luke 12:15). But life doesn’t consist of the things we collect. Life is about much more important things- God, community, love, family, friends, and etc. The things that we cling to are things that endure.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5, HCSB.

We cling, by faith, to something that isn’t subject to destruction, cannot be tainted, is resistant to decay, and his heavenly in its constitution. What God gives as his inheritance endures. It lasts.

Instead of desperately clinging to things that do not endure, may we remember the things that do!