Failures for Christ: New Testament Champions

We have seen how Jesus Christ stretched himself out in prayer and love. He studied the Old Testament to see that God wrought deliverance when  His people seemed to be failures. He knew that his heavenly Father would give him the victory, despite the worldly opinions of men.

If Jesus Christ was considered the greatest failure of all times, so are his followers (Matthew 10:25; John 15:18-20; I John 3:13). Those born again since the day of Pentecost have “Christ in” them. The New Testament shows the church’s greatest leaders in situations that the world would call failure. Yet from our heavenly Father’s point of view, they were victorious.

Stephen

Stephen was one of the seven chosen to help the twelve apostles handle the physical needs that developed in the church at Jerusalem. He was “a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost,” a man who had great believing and powerfully manifested the gift of holy spirit.

Acts 6:8:
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

After certain in the synagogue disputed with Stephen but could not resist the spiritual wisdom with which he spoke, they brought him before the high priest and the Sanhedrin (the council of religious leaders). Stephen gave a brilliant summary of Israel’s unbelief throughout the Old Testament, and then pointed out their own unbelief in killing God’s Messiah, Jesus Christ. Things turned violent.

Acts 7:54-60:
When they [the high priest and the council] heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him [Stephen] with their teeth.
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen appeared to be a great failure. His listeners stopped their ears, ran upon him, threw him outside the city gates, and killed him. But Stephen stretched out himself in prayer and love unto the end. He was rewarded with a vision of his lord and savior standing up for him at the right hand of God! Like his brother Jesus Christ, Stephen prayed for forgiveness for these deluded religious leaders. To a young man named Saul, this man Stephen appeared to have failed. Yet later, when he was born again, Saul remembered this moment of spiritual victory (Acts 22:20).

Paul

This young man Saul became the Apostle Paul. At times, Paul seemed to have great success in preaching and heralding the good news of Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:18,19:
For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Acts 19:9,10:
But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he [Paul] departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia [Asia Minor] heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

All those in Asia Minor (most of modern Turkey) heard the word of the Lord Jesus.  Three of Paul’s great epistles are written to these churches in Asia Minor: Galatians, Ephesians, and Colossians. Yet by the time he wrote the second epistle to Timothy, he was soon to die, and it looked like his work had been in vain.

II Timothy 1:15:
This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia [Asia Minor] be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

II Timothy 4:6,9-16:
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.
The cloke [case for writings] that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
At my first answer [before Caesar] no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

Look at Paul’s record of “success.” All Asia Minor had turned away from him. He knew that the time of his “departure” was at hand and wanted Timothy to come to him while there was still time. Demas forsook Paul; Crescens and Titus had moved out, only leaving Luke. No one stood with Paul when he faced the legal might of Rome. All men forsook him.

Yet, like his Lord Jesus Christ, and Stephen who fell asleep in Christ before him, Paul prayed that the sin and unfaithfulness of these men would not be laid to their account.

His final request to Timothy was to bring the books and parchments that contained the Word of God that he had received by revelation. The Syriac word for “cloak” in verse 13 refers to a case for documents. Paul wanted the truth of the grace of God contained in his epistles to live on in the body of Christ. In the midst of apparent defeat, the light of victory shone ahead for Paul.

He knew that his lord stood with him and that despite how things looked from a worldly viewpoint, he could preach God’s Word. He was fully persuaded that the nations would hear the truth, and that he would continue to be delivered from every harassingly evil work.

II Timothy 4:17,18:
Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known [to be fully persuaded], and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Peter

Peter wrote his second epistle shortly before his death. It is filled with exhortation and instruction regarding the hope of Christ’s future return. This Galilean fisherman turned minister wanted to fully wake up his brothers and sisters in the Lord while still alive. Then when he was gone, they would still remember the truth.

II Peter 1:13-15:
Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.

The times and situations around him did not help Peter to feel like a success. As in our time, scoffers resisted the truth and mocked the promised return of Christ. They said that it was “business as usual” since the creation. Why shouldn’t they live for themselves?

II Peter 3:3,4:
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

Peter knew that God turned failure into victory. His final exhortation in writing is that believers should live the Word of God found in the epistles written by Paul to the church. He wanted the truths in Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians to bring salvation, according to the wisdom that Paul had received by revelation. Peter considered these epistles to be “scripture,” God’s Word in written form.

II Peter 3:14-16:
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Peter warned them before his death to live the truths of this age of grace found in Paul’s writings. Those writings would help them to grow, grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ! Then they could glorify Jesus Christ in their lives.

II Peter 3:17,18:
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

For further understanding, see:

Failures for Christ: Stretching Out in Prayer and Love

Failures for Christ: Jesus Learning from the Old Testament

Failures for Christ: From Failure to Victory!