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Hundredfold Discipleship in 1 Corinthians 13—Part 3

September 25, 2006

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Dear Friends

We look at the last two qualities in 1 Corinthians 13—“the love chapter”—concerning attributes of a Hundredfold Disciple.

Quality

6: “Does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy

in the truth.” (NJB) The Hundredfold Disciple gets their enjoyment from the things of God. They do not find joy or entertainment in sin. Sin repulses them.

During the days when Paul wrote this passage, Rome was the entertainment capital of the world. They would fill the Colosseum in Rome with 50,000 frenzied fans to see the murder of man and animal alike in the “games.” They would visit the Circus Maximus where, like today’s auto racing, men waited in anticipation for the next crash of the chariots. Sex and violence for the sake of entertainment are not the creation of our generation. Cicero said “The wild beast hunts, two a day for five days, are magnificent. There is no denying it. But what pleasure is there in seeing a puny human mangled by a powerful beast or a splendid animal killed with a hunting spear.” (1) Petronius said in 60 AD what sounds like a modern day commercial:

Don’t forget, there’s a big gladiator show coming up the day after tomorrow. Not the same old fighters either. They’ve got a fresh shipment in. There’s not a slave in that batch. Just wait. There’ll be cold steel for the crowd, no quarter and the amphitheatre will end up looking like a slaughterhouse. There’s even a girl who fights from a chariot. (ibid)

Perhaps even closer to home, the Hundredfold Disciple will not rejoice in the misdeeds that happen in the household of God. He will not wink at them or make excuses for them. He will not dismiss them with a “that’s not my problem” or “oh, that’s just they way they are.” He will not stand idly by while people are bullied, slandered or otherwise mistreated. He will turn his eyes from gross and unrepentant immorality in hopes that someone else will rise to the occasion. The Hundredfold Disciple will echo the words of the Apostle John when he said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3Jo 1:4)

Quality #7: “Ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes.” The words that come to mind when this is read is resiliency and flexibility. The Hundredfold Disciple will make the best of a bad situation. They will help those who find themselves in bad situations with humility, compassion and self-sacrifice.

Of course the Apostle himself was the poster child for both resiliency and flexibility.

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

As we have made comment before but it bears repeating, not everyone will be a Hundredfold Disciple. Don’t be discouraged because you are not yet at this level of service to God. We can still Thirtyfold Disciples or Sixtyfold Disciples. We will still be in God’s Kingdom by producing less fruit (but we must be in some fashion fruit producers).

By the way, in case anyone is wondering and should get the wrong impression, I would not consider myself to be a Hundredfold Disciple. However, this is something that we should all aspire to become. There is nothing in this world more worthy of our time, effort and personal resources that serving our Heavenly Father and producing fruit in His service.

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. (Jas 5:7)

Have a great week,