MATHETES

By Rick Mathes

Acts 11:26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

What in the world is “Mathetes?” Is it one of my relatives or a Greek root of my name “Mathes?” I wish it was but no it means “disciple.” It is also the title of the oldest recorded sermon. It is a must read.

In the meantime, back to the verse we are studying. You must be a believer as they were back then and not polluted by the carnality of the now. You can’t walk through a coal mine for 2,000 years in a white suit and not get soiled. So let’s go to a spiritual laundry room and take a closer look at what a joy there is in awaiting and preparing for the King to return. It is only in a steadfast faith will we ever step into the original faith beyond our grasp.

When we have the earnestness of those primitive followers we have an industry of assuredness that all we touch is blessed and in His will. We know we know that if we consecrate our bodies as Solomon anointed the Temple, the Shekinah glory shines once again and it shines in us.

Believers, true to Christ, have a special tact and confidence that leaves all other claims of religions from other gods in the dust. In short; He is alive! His death on the cross was the ultimate self-sacrifice and example for all Christians to follow. He says we must pick up our cross and follow Him or else! (My paraphrase) And when we do, our old self die and the Holy Spirit abides in us and gives us life as we have never had it before.

What response can a Christian have but faithfulness to the source of faith. Faith, by the way, is all that is beyond your grasp. If it was within reach and you accomplished it, you would take credit for it no matter how hard you tried to mask it in religious humility.

The true test is when the going gets tough. But the real test is endurance. The P in TULIP is perseverance. Real Christians don’t quit they pressed on. It is truly a matter of patience. We must do things in His time not necessarily ours. We accomplish His purposes as Christians in His perfect permissive will but rest assured it is perfect. When we breathe our last and glance back, we will be astonished at the genius of His plan and shaping of our lives for His glory.

Now we are back to where it begins: God’s love for us as disciples. Father God is the lover, Jesus is the loved and the Holy Spirit is the love between them. All of that is wrapped up in the privilege of being a Christian mathetes.