The Disciple - Part 2 (Temptation of the Disciple)

Bubba is filled with the Holy Spirit and wants to share it with the world. He’s on fire for Jesus and wants to praise his God for freeing him and loving him. So his natural instincts tell him that he should tell everyone he knows about this new found secret and take them to worship where they can all join in and give their joyous praise together.

His first step is to tell everyone at the fire house where he works about Jesus and what this Savior has done for him. But when he starts sharing about his experience, he gets a mixed reaction. Some listen but eventually get bored, while others are, shall we say, less than enthusiastic. There are a few there that listen and long for the time that they felt that way, but that soon subsides as well. And complacency again takes over

After a while he realizes that the people he works with…his friends…are getting tired of all this Jesus stuff. He’s being left out of some of the conversations and not being asked to go out as much. And he’s beginning to get the feeling that he’s becoming the butt of many of the guys’ jokes.

There’s the temptation to conform at work. That would make his life much easier. And he would be more popular. Maybe the answer would be in just toning it down at work and being a “true Christian” in all the other places. That way he can have the best of both worlds.

Bubba still has his new church home that he can be his new self. Of course there is always the fact that he feels absolutely filled and sold out to Jesus and wants to shout it to the mountaintops. He loves the sermons and wants to say a hearty “Amen” to almost everything Parson says. He wants to sing out and tearfully receive God’s grace through the prayers. He’s about to burst at times.

BUT…. He also doesn’t want to be labeled as “different” or “fake”.

The congregation that he’s become a part of is a very loving, welcoming bunch. But they’re also more conservative and reverent…almost stoic. So Bubba is afraid of being perceived as an outcast if (right up there with those misbehaving children) if he shows his true excitement during church. The temptation is to be less enthusiastic about praising God so that he will fit in on Sunday mornings.

Bubba wants to get more and more involved. He joins the Men’s group, volunteers for everything available and even gets together with a small group of friends after Sunday evening service at the local Dairy Queen for a regular Sunday banana split and fellowship.

It’s here that he wants to glean from the more mature Christians. He’s like a sponge wanting to soak up all their wisdom.

It’s also here during these times that he learns all that’s wrong with different people in the church. He hears how one person shouldn’t be chair of this committee because 5 years ago she had a baby out of wedlock. He hears how it’s never been proven…but the group thinks this one kid may have homosexual tendencies. He hears how the pastor doesn’t preach on sin enough. And so on.

This group is good to him and to each other. They also help out in many of the church functions. So maybe it’s ok to gossip and judge others. Maybe it’s for the betterment of the church as a whole to talk about some of these things. And the temptation is to fall right in. That would be much easier than rocking the boat. And he was the newcomer to the faith.

Bubba is beginning to realize that these temptations are coming from outside and even inside the church. And with each temptation the devil speaks to him softly and tells him everything will be alright because at least he’s going to church now, and he’s better than he was before.

And so our new disciple is beginning to get confused because he thought once he became a Christian everything would be different.
Bubba decides to go to his new pastor and friend for guidance. He shares how he can relate to Parson’s preaching about how Jesus is to abide in him. And he feels that the Holy Spirit has taken up residence there. He’s excited about this…but at the same time confused.

He tells Parson about all the temptations to conform to other people and how it would be so much easier. And that’s when Parson shares with Bubba about the road less traveled. He tells him that the easy path is wide. But it leads to destruction. The narrow path that leads to eternal life is harder because less people travel it.

Bubba learned that the devil wasn’t worried about him before he accepted Christ into his life. But now…well…the devil is scared he’s lost another soul. That’s why he’s working overtime. But with maturity, Parson felt, Bubba would learn how to fend off the devil and his ways.

When asked how to receive this Christian maturity, Parson tells him to pray and read his Bible constantly. He said that the Word of God would help him to transform to God instead of conforming to this world.

He also taught Bubba to be who God wanted him to be…no matter what…not what others wanted him to be. The latter would bring him misery. The first would lead to joy.

Bubba knew that God had brought Parson into his life to help him change. And so he took Parson’s advice. He loved God and he showed that love for God…wherever he was.

And before he knew it people respected him for it. And his joy grew day by day as he was filled more and more with God’s Holy Spirit.