These and many other passages bring us to one inescapable conclusion: Jesus Christ is the greatest "peace officer" and servant-warrior/servant-leader of all time, who, out of radical love for you and I:
-- came to "protect and serve" (Matthew 20:28)
-- is our Good Shepherd who came to protect and ultimately lay His life down for us (
Psalm 23; John 10:1-18);
-- covers both our point and serves as our rear guard while also taking the "bullet" Satan intended to take us out with (
Isaiah 52:12; 53; 58:8);
-- is the quintessential "peacemaker" (Zechariah 9:10)
-- stands in the gap against history's most infamous criminal - the devil (
Matthew 4:1-11).
RADICAL!
But wasn't Jesus "meek and mild"? While the "mild" part is a complete fabrication, the definition of "meekness" is "strength under control," not weakness!
Jesus, by the world's standard is and was a
radical
as evidenced by the following (a very brief list):
(1) He modeled the radical concept of servant-leadership when He radically took a towel and washed his disciples' feet (no king would ever do such a thing).
(2) He clearly stated,
"I am the way, the truth and the life" in John 14:6. The meaning of course is that He is the ONLY way (no "other" way) we can be saved, and to claim that He is the ONLY way to eternal life has always been considered "radical."
(3) He was tortured and went to the cross for you and I - RADICAL!
(4) He proclaims in
Matthew 10:34, "
Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." RADICAL!
But what does the word "RADICAL" really mean? What the media portrays it as? Webster defines "radical" as, "of or relating to the origin; fundamental" and "forming a basis or foundation." It is also derived from the word "root." The very foundation of Christianity is Jesus Christ and His root injunction is to love one another as He loves us (
John 13:34).
What does it mean biblically? Calvary Chapel pastor Fernando Ortiz biblically opens his daily radio program on
GraceFM with this:
"A radical by definition is someone who gets back to the root of their belief, someone who is not satisfied with the status quo. As Christians we are to be as counter-cultural to our culture as Jesus was to His. We are to get back to the root of who we are and what we believe, and Jesus is calling us to be radical followers of Him." He goes on to rightfully challenge us to be:
-- Radical in our walk
-- Radical in commitment
-- Radical in our faithfulness
-- Radical in our prayer life
-- Radical in our devotion
-- Radical in our service
-- Radical in our living.
-- Radical in loving others to the cross
Pastor Fern concludes with, "Will you be that? Will you be a Christian that is not satisfied with the status quo? Will you be a radical follower of Jesus?" Well will you?
Jesus is calling ALL of us to
RISE up as radical Christians and by radical Christians I mean
real Christianity!
Again, TRUE Christianity is based on radical love and radical service. True, radical
Christianity is also dangerous and will result in persecution (just look at Tim Tebow, Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran, Navy Chaplain Wes Modder, myself and many others) and even death: millions of Christians have been and are being martyred for their faith.
Radical (real) Christianity is also fearless and confident. Now understand that I'm not talking about what we do as cops. As sheepdogs we have no problem running to the sound of gunfire and chaos. But sharing Christ (life-saving backup) with our own? Truly living our faith? Being the husbands and fathers God has called us to be? That leaves far too many of us shaking in our boots!
God tells us in His word to "fear not" at least 365 times. God won't leave me; God won't forsake me; Christ is my helper; to live is Christ and to die is gain. I will not fear. I will love my family and my church. I will love strangers. I will minister [serve] to those in need. I will stand fast in my marriage. I will faithfully obey God. I will live a radical Christian life versus the lukewarm mess of Revelation 3).
On this, noted British evangelist Howard Guinness wrote the following in 1936 as his country faced the Nazi threat: "
Where are the young men and women of this generation who will hold their lives cheap, and be faithful even unto death, who will lose their lives for Christ's, flinging them away for love of him? Where are those who will live dangerously, and be reckless in this service? Where are the men of prayer? Where are the men who count God's Word of more importance to them than their daily food? Where are the men who, like Moses of old, commune with God face to face as a man speaks with his friend? Where are God's men in this day of God's power?" Radical? You bet!
"
Not a Fan" author and pastor Kyle Idleman wrote, "Jesus is NOT looking for fans. He's looking for radical followers. Followers who understand that...
- There is no forgiveness without repentance.
- There is no salvation without surrender.
- There is no life without death.
- There is no believing without following.
Twenty times in the New Testament, Jesus Christ issued the invitation, "Follow Me." Jesus is not interested in mere fans. He doesn't want enthusiastic admirers." He wants RADICAL followers!
The conclusion should be abundantly clear:
simply being a true follower of Christ - a true "Christian" -- makes you a radical!
(NOTE: I'm not talking about a false "name it and claim it" prosperity "gospel"... but rather about radically living our faith and sharing Christ with others via His narrow way).
Need another example? He would truly detest me saying this but Marine, ministry leader and police chaplain Jim Bontrager is a radical we should all emulate. This brother biblically fasted for Police Week while the rest of us fed our faces and he was single-minded in his resolve to get us a space in Tent City as a base to effectively share Christ with our own. For the last 22 years he has also put together an amazingly RADICAL officer appreciation day (see the announcement section above) that is 100% FREE to officers and their families. Finally, I watched this brother get down on all fours to allow a young man to step on his back in order to get high enough to trace his slain uncle's name on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in DC last year! Radical love and radical service! Now imagine a whole army of radical cops and radical Christians likewise RISING UP to radically love and serve others in these dangerous times! "Lord God Almighty, give us the courage to radically RISE up in your service!"
Folks, the time is short and the need is Code 3
urgent. May we prayerfully seek to allow God to make us all into radical, Caleb-esque servant-warriors who are "all in" for Him. May He raise up an army of radical servant-warriors/leaders like Jim who are not satisfied with our typical, mediocre, lukewarm Christian lives!
Let's pray
for cops who are radical, government officials who are radical, churches that are radical, pastors who are radical, Sunday School teachers who are radical, athletes who are radical, retirees who are radical, parents who are radical and kids who are radically obedient followers of Jesus Christ! Amen?
In closing, turn with me to
Joshua 1:7-9.
In the Hebrew, the essence of this and related passages are the expressions,
"Rak Chazak!" ("rock cra-zock") and "Chazak Amats." Together they form an ancient battle cry summarized wonderfully by Eric Ludy in a 6 min. video that I encourage you all to check out (The Ancient War Cry). It should serve to inspire us all to RISE up and lay hold of our calling to be God's "radical" servant-warriors and servant-leaders.
Do you have this spiritually? We should and -- with the Holy Spirit's help -- we can!
Radical? You bet! Are you out to die to self for the glory of Jesus Christ?
"Even if we die, we win." (
Matthew 19:29
)
"RAK CHAZAK!" CHAZAK AMATS!"
RISE up, men of God Almighty!
Brethren, our spouses, our families and our law enforcement brothers and sisters are desperate for this kind of radical "cover" in these tough and dangerous times. W
e are ALL called by God to radically live and share the Gospel. We are called to minister [serve] to those who don't have an understanding of what we have been given. We are to live and faithfully carry out our Matthew 28:19-20 Great Commission MANDATE (it is not "The Great Suggestion").
Let me be clear: the vast majority of our fellow law enforcement officers do NOT have a saving faith and are r
unning straight to hell under a false belief that our "good works" as cops will save us or that we can "earn" or otherwise "badge" our way into heaven because we've supposedly "done our time in hell" (end of a dangerous poem by an unknown author).
Moreover, there are many so-called "Christians" who are choosing mediocrity. They have chosen to accept the free gift of salvation and but refuse to do anything with it. They don't speak up, they don't live for Christ, and it's apparent in their lukewarm lifestyle. They simply are content to call themselves "Christian", but completely ignore the action involved in radically following Jesus Christ (we are not saved by works but we ARE saved FOR works).
This is our radical calling, our war cry, and our purpose. We obey - God wins! So I ask again: Will you
RISE up to be the radical, sold-out, all-in servant-warriors/servant-leaders God has called you to be? That's my loving challenge to you all in this desperate hour. What say you?
