The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. Acts 1:1-2 (NASB)i
Read the verse above again. "... after He [Jesus] had given orders ..." Did you feel it? I did. A little twinge way down deep. A tiny reaction that responded, "Nobody orders me around!" Yeah, what Paul called "the flesh."
The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Romans 8:7
How important it is for me to identify it. How important it is to be aware of and on the lookout for it so it can be crucified.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:24
If we don't, and we allow it free reign in our lives, we are likely to turn Christ's orders for us into sterile suggestions.
The word translated "given orders" is entellomai (ἐντέλλομαι). It means "to enjoin, to charge, command 'emphasizing the end-objective, i.e. reaching the purpose (consummation, end result) of an order – i.e. as envisioning how or where it ends up.'"ii
Yes! Jesus' orders are not for the sake of ordering us around but have an end objective. Jesus stated his own end objective here:
... but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. John 14:31 (ESV)
Jesus was going to his death and he said that it was so that the world may know that I love the Father. That is surprising to me. Not, so the world may know that the Father loves the world (which He does!), but so that the world may know that I love the Father.
... he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. Philippians 2:8 (NLT)
Even to the end of his life, Jesus was demonstrating by his actions how his followers should live – and die. In obedience to God. For the love of God. Under orders. Jesus didn't want us to end up like the people described here:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7:21-24
Lord, Lord, did we not ...? Didn't we do all these good things for you, they asked? But deep down in their hearts they had never crucified the flesh, the natural man who said, "Nobody orders me around! I am going to do things my way. I'm going to remain in control of my life. I'm going to decide what's good."
I guess the reply from the Lord was, "Did I ask you to do those things? Were those my orders for you? No, you never took the time to know me. We were never intimate. You never longed for that for which the Father longs. You never listened for my voice and sought out my specific orders that were just for you and obeyed them so that my purposes could be advanced through your life and death."
Jesus gave the "rich young ruler" a specific order. The man told Jesus, "Teacher, I have kept all these things [the commandments] from my youth." But when Jesus gave him a specific order, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me," the man "went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property."
Ah, Lord, this is a hard word. It is so much easier to trust in my own "good deeds." To make excuses for not doing what I know deep down you want me to do. To "keep the commandments" - not murder, not steal, go to church, even tithe – but find it hard to go over and speak to that lonely person, make that phone call, clean that dirty toilet, admit I was wrong, humble myself, crucify the "flesh." Lord, give me grace to follow orders!
With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God. Mark 10:27
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" Acts 13:47
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. 2 John 1:6a
Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35
Photo by Marco Verch https://flic.kr/p/2kQVpTx
i Thank you to Beholding Him Ministries for blogging this verse. https://beholdinghimministries.org/2024/01/07/this-same-jesus/
ii HELPS Word-studies, The Discovery Bible
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