Unlimited: When Jesus Seemed To Fail
Dec 3, 2018 1311
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief (Matthew15:38, NIV).
No sensible person wants to tell others about his or her failures. That would always make us feel discouraged, disappointed and disheartened.
It is good for us to know, however, that there were times in the life of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus when even He apparently failed. Perhaps it is because misery loves company, but I personally have failed so many times in my own life that I like to read about the times in the life and experience of our Master when He too seemed to be tossing His words against stone walls as far as results were concerned.
Of course you must remember that it all depends on what you mean by failure, and also what you mean by success. You know it is sometimes claimed that the Gospel was intended to straighten out the world, that the Gospel was intended to stop wars, that the Gospel was intended to solve social questions, that the Gospel was sent into the world to help the capitalist get right with the laboring man and the laboring man with the capitalist. If that is the purpose of the Gospel, then I say to you as certainly as my heart is beating that the Gospel has been an almost total failure.
On the other hand, if you take from the Word of God that the Gospel was intended to call out people for the Lord, then, bless the Lord, it certainly has been a great success. There have been millions upon untold millions who have looked to the Lord Jesus Christ for the pardon of their sins. – Hyman Appleman (adapted)
Eli’s Reflection: Has the Gospel really been an almost total failure? Was Christ’s ministry a failure? What does this tell you about how God redefines success and failure in his Kingdom? Are you using God’s definition in your life, or your own?
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