The Way to Growth
The two men grew upset with the actions of a village of the
Samaritans. The Samaritans did not receive the Christ and this caused James and
John to grow angry. “And when his disciples James and John saw this,
they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and
consume them, even as Elias did?” (Luke 9:54). They referenced back to 2 Kings 1:9-12. The two men thought
destroying this group of people would the best way to handle the situation. As
one studies about these two men something wonderful happens. There is a discernible
change in these brothers.
Remember what Christ said concerning something James and
John would do? “But Jesus said unto
them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be
baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We
can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink
of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized” (Mark 10:38-39). Christ is referring to
His future sufferings. The disciples were going to experience those exact same
difficulties and trials that He faced during His time on earth. They would be
persecuted. “And to him they agreed: and when they had
called the apostles, and beaten them,
they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go” (Acts
5:40). James died because of that persecution. “Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he
killed James the brother of John with the sword” (Acts 12:1). John is later referred to as “pillar” of the church. “And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to
be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and
Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should
go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision” (Galatians 2:9). These men had grown so
much spiritually. What brought about such a change?
“Now
when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were
unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them,
that they had been with Jesus”
(Acts 4:13). These men had the opportunity to spend
time with Christ. Three years were spent listening to His teachings, seeing the
example that He left for them on many instances, and being witness to a Being
who was willing to give His life for all mankind. That’s enough to change someone for the
better. We, too, can change if we spend an ample amount of time with Jesus.
Now, one may ask, “How can I spend time with Christ if He is no longer on this
earth?” That is a good question. Man cannot spend time with Christ in the same
manner that the apostles did. How can a man spend time with the Christ? All one
has to do is spend time in His word.
“Wherefore
laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all
evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so
be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:1-3).
That was one of the great blessings I experienced while attending the Memphis
School of Preaching. I had the opportunity to see a group of men from different
parts of the world with differing personalities. We all grew as we studied and
spent time in God’s Word. Whereas in the beginning there were slight rifts
within the classroom, those problems began to fade as grew “…in grace, and in
the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever” (2 Peter 3:18).
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