Jesus is the great liberator of women. Women are recognized, honored, and protected by Jesus. They are Jesus’ support crew. Jesus is the liberator of women. I believe, ever more, he brought freedom and purpose to men!
Today’s churches are mostly composed of women. Jesus’ early followers were mostly men. There are reasons for this. One of them is the message of Jesus has been modified to paint Jesus as a soft and gentle, compassionate, but powerless person. Jesus’ manly bravery and costly heroic mission are rarely portrayed.
Contrasts the Biblical portrait of the Man with purpose and backbone, the prophet with cutting, caustic insight, the demon-busting liberator, the visionary contending for a disruptive, radically renewed earth, transforming our planet with the download of the Heaven’s substance.
Jesus led the most striking men’s group the world has known. Young men in their late teens and early twenties gravitated to him like young warriors to a great general. They were like David’s discontents and debtors who were transformed into mighty men.
Simeon prophesied of infant Jesus; “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel” (Luke 2:34-35). This was vividly realized. Religious and political leaders crashed and burned because of Jesus. Fishermen, tax collectors, and former assassins became mighty cultural leaders, flipping the tables!
WHAT WAS JESUS’ MEN’S MINISTRY LIKE?
Jesus came as a B-24 liberator bomber. His words and actions were explosive!
He was more joyful, carefree, broken-hearted, and deadly serious than any man they had known. His words were harsher and more tender than any ever spoken. Jesus was both Lion and Lamb. He was not confined to one role. No one could be more hard-hitting than the Lord, and no one could be more tender.
IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE KINGDOM COMING TO EARTH
Jesus was confrontative with liars and play actors who manipulated and enslaved others! He challenged everyone’s thinking. He brought Heaven’s perspectives, challenging scrambled, worldly thinking.
Jesus would expose sin and scathingly preach, “Unless you repent, you will all perish.” “Unless you believe I am He, you will die in your sins.” This won him lots of enemies and death threats. Jesus said to his brothers, “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its deeds are evil” (John 7:7).
He spoke comfortingly, “Fear not, little flock; it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” He told them not to waste their energy on worrying because their Father loved them and would provide for them. He kissed and blessed the babies, not for the photo-op but because he really loved them.
Jesus could fully love the sinner while fully rejecting their sin. He could do this because he was willing to die for them.
His words were more Solomonic than Solomon! “The common people heard him gladly.” Those sent to arrest him had to say, “No man has ever spoken the way this man does!”
Jesus’ compassion is proverbial. Those in Jesus’ Men’s Group had never seen such genuine expressions of loving care. His was not a flimsy, sentimental love but manifest in powerful expressions— feeding multitudes, quieting storms, healing every bodily ailment! Jesus is so exceptionally different!
Jesus was not just a dreamer but an architect and master builder. His men’s group acted out the pieces to the plan.
Concentric circles of men followed him. The thousands on the edges had respect and interest. The hundreds closer to the center had great admiration and desire to learn.
Jesus would fish out of that crowd those he wanted close to him, those he would train and empower to upend the world. He knew what he was looking for when it came to finding the raw materials to shape a man. Sometimes those materials were very raw.
They would burn miles of shoe leather, sleep on the roadside, and endure scandal and threats. This was different than the bowling team or model train club.
He would purge them from both pride and insecurity. He would tame their rivalries and uncover concealed sin.
He revealed things never known before. He uncovered secrets hidden in the Scriptures. He even showed them the future, leading them into all kinds of liberating truth! Jesus knew who He was and showed men what they could become. He forged His men’s group into Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers.
THE DISCIPLINED ONES
Those who Jesus admitted into his circle were called “disciplined ones.” The disciplines were rigorous! But their coach was not the fat, overweight type calling from the sidelines. He embodied the disciplines He sought to impart!
Jesus’ powers of discipline were grained through love. Like a lover laboring to make every effort to impress and win a woman. Like a Son who dearly loves his father and does all he can to please him!
Christ’s Mission was called the Kingdom of God. The disciples didn’t quite know what it was about, although they sensed it was very, very big! Jesus would tell story after story to help them get it. They knew somehow there was going to be a great shaking and a huge penetration of the earth. Somehow God himself was going to come, take charge, and get His will and plan done for our entire globe.
Some clubs and groups have no expectations. Not Jesus’ men’s group. The signup requirements were stiff. He would tolerate no slackers. Unless you deny yourself and pick up your cross, you can’t be in my movement; you can’t be with Me. There were rigorous expectations, but the great prize, the pearl of great value, was to possess fellowship with Christ Himself!
CONSIDER THE DISCIPLINES IN JESUS’ MEN’S GROUP
Elite athletes and soldiers undergo discipline. What disciplines did Jesus’ young men have to embrace to be part of His Mission?
Jesus wasn’t a professor, Doctor So and So. He didn’t have His disciplined ones sitting in a classroom pondering deep truths. Jesus was a Rabbi, a teacher, but hardly like the ordinary teachers.
His teachings packed a punch! They delighted and enraged. They divided people like a sword. Some said, “He’s a good man.” Others, “No, on the contrary, he leads the people astray.”
His disciplines were practical and action-oriented,
Like leaving friends and family and familiar things, giving up lesser activities and ambitions for the privilege of being Jesus’ companion and part of His colossal vision.
Leg exercises. Capernaum was Jesus’ home base in North Galilee. Jerusalem was 79 miles away. They made the trek many times.
A trip to Sidon was 50 miles, two light days of 25 miles.
Nazareth would be an easy 20-mile hike, except for the hilly terrain.
They were sent in pairs to various towns as forerunners before Jesus. They trumpeted the same message John formerly proclaimed, “Get ready, get your head in the game, straighten out your behavior because God is coming to take charge! Jesus of Nazareth is coming to your town!”
They submitted to the discipline of obedience. Go there! Preach this! Get a donkey for me to ride. Prepare the Passover meal. Love one another!
There were hazing exercises, but not from inside Jesus’ group. They all came from outside, from snarly people who wanted them dead.
There was the discipline of trusting God with their needs. On one homework assignment, Jesus said, “Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no extra sandals, and greet no one on the road“ (Luke 10:4). They were to trust God for provision.
How about the discipline of casting out demons and healing diseases?
Every time a demon was ejected, a healing was effected, or an obedience was made to God, the Kingdom of Heaven was prevailing. Yeshua said, “If I cast out demons by the finger of God, know the Kingdom of God has come to you!” Jesus was ruthless with demons in order to show compassion to harassed captives.
There was the discipline of receiving rebuke. Jesus’ approach was not quite like a Marine drill sergeant, but He could give harsh rebukes! They had to be humble to accept His corrections.
When some of them failed to cast out a demon, Jesus rebuked them.
When Peter said, “ No way, Lord. You’re not going to a cross. There was rebuke.
When James and John thought it was a good idea to call down fire on a city which did not receive them, they got rebuked.
But still, they knew they were loved. In fact, they reached levels of friendship they could never have imagined.
Consider the disciplines! Jesus, in essence, said:
Let Me show you the face of your heavenly Father!
Let’s let you feel what it is like to be loved!
Let’s confront the things in your life which hang you up.
Let’s expose your religious bigotry and racial pride.
Let’s give you courage and teach you to confront evil.
Let’s teach you to stand your ground before death threats.
Let’s teach you how to work with those different than you.
Let’s teach you how to pray and see miracles!
Let’s teach you to even love your enemies.
LOVE WAS THE GREATEST DISCIPLINE! It was the greatest command. Jesus taught them to love one another when personalities grated and they could not see eye to eye. In spite of differences, they grew to love and mesh with one another!
I’m certain they were staggered to get Jesus’ final exam— “A new commandment I give to you. Love one another as I have loved you!” They had to think, “How in the world are we going to do that? No one in the world has loved the way You do!” But Jesus would give them power to love, to forgive, rebuke, and comfort by His Spirit!
GAINING THE PRIZE
Relationship with Jesus Himself was the prize – to be in companionship with Him and part of this Kingdom of God Mystery!
Those men would go through Jesus’ wash and rinse cycle many times before they were ready to be His ambassadors. He modeled for them, equipped them, and empowered them to replicate His life and message.
Many in Jesus’ circles bagged out, rang the bell, and were gone. Those who stuck it out experienced disruptive love, wisdom, power, and vision. Jesus was packing spiritual heat!
The disciples were abhorred by Jesus’ crucifixion, astonished by his resurrection, and flabbergasted by his ascension to heaven. They then waited and received the Holy Spirit, power from on high. The more they experienced of God, the more they changed, making them powerful change agents!
They preached and shared everything Jesus did and taught. They raised up other disciplined ones.
MEN RECEIVE IDENTITY AND PURPOSE IN JESUS’ MEN’S GROUP!
Fishermen become fishers for men!
Tax collectors gather heavenly treasure!
Builders in stone and wood become edifiers of people!
The whole men’s group adopted Jesus’ values, His seek and save orientation, and the mission to prepare others for this great, mysterious Kingdom.
I’ve known guys in Jesus’ men’s group. They have been mentors!
Don taught me to testify.
David taught me to weep.
Frank taught me to laugh when confronting evil.
Jeff taught me to think deeply and thoroughly.
Ed taught me to pray tenaciously.
John taught me to wait on the Spirit.
Mike taught me to expect God’s voice.
Harold taught me to make a bold impact.
Geoff taught me to be creative.
Steve – to always remind others of Jesus’ cross.
How much poorer would I be if I had not known guys in Jesus’ men’s group!!! Charlie Kirk was in Jesus’ Men’s group. I suspect you are as well.
Millions are living absolutely horrid stories, without hope and without God in the world. How can their crushing grief be measured? Jesus came to seek and save the lost, those trapped in darkness.
The oppressed and hopeless need those who have been with Jesus, men able to bring liberation for captives, men teaching The Way to eternal life, communicating both the sober warnings of accountability, and the glorious hope of, “Get ready, the Kingdom of Heaven is crashing down on us!”
There are still men today willing to pay prices to get into Jesus’ men’s group, even willing to go so far as to die for Him. I look for fellowship with men like that, men seasoned and equipped to meet the overwhelming challenges of our day, because they have spent time with Jesus.
Steven C. Johnson
Landing Strip Enterprises