Did Jesus Fail?
Good Morning Friends,
As best I can see. Success is built on previous failures. That is why it is so important not to quit. That is why it is so important to keep going. The degreaser and rust protection solvent WD-40 got its name because it was the 40th attempt after 39 fails. Bubble Wrap was a total failure as textured wall paper and as an insulation until it became the packaging of choice for computers. And Pacemakers were once the size of small refrigerators until a mistake led to its miniaturization as an implantable device. Most agree that success is a lousy teacher and that Jesus was a great teacher. So my friends, what about Jesus? Now before you take issue with my logic, consider if you are linking sin and failure. Oh they may seem to both be missing the mark but in reality they are very different. So today we rethink this reality of life as we contemplate the humanness of Jesus, even as we ask: Did Jesus Fail?
Scripture: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.
Luke 2:52 (NRSV)
When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place. He came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and in their own house.” And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.
Matthew 13:53-58 (NRSV)
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15 (NRSV)
Message: One of the saddest things today is that some people are downright wicked and willful in their unbelief. It is sad because it shouts out the failure of Jesus. Now some may think this is sacrilegious but there
are some lessons that only failure can teach. If you want to mature, you need to fail. And I say this to not be controversial but, Jesus failed. He did not have an easy ministry so it was not a sin and his failure was used in a miraculous way. But he failed in every way the world counts failure. But know this, when I analysis his work, I come to the conclusion, and I hope you do too, that the world would not then nor in the future ever get better without people not only willing to fail but failing.
We are to fail as Jesus failed, so that we can experience the redemption of overcoming failure. But moreover we are to fail so that our failures can be the foundation for an ultimate success. So yes, in a very large sense, in a very particular way, we can say that Jesus failed because he died. He failed because people did not believe in him and thought he was crazy and a threat. But this does not mean he was any less a great man or a wonderful teacher or the Son of God. So I am asking us all this morning to grapple with this idea of failure as a way of meditating on the reality of Jesus’ humanness and divinity. Friends, we live in a success and result oriented society that measures what we produce now. But that is not God’s way. His way sometimes takes time…a long time. And yes someone will always be there to tell us that it is not good enough. That is what happened to Jesus and it is what we are to suffer as well if we follow the Way. As Christians we are to fail so others might learn. We are to step out in our imperfection with a faith that risks it all as Jesus stepped out in a surprising perfection to fail in every way humans fail. Think about it, there were times that Jesus was unable to do miracles. He preach a sermon and it so incensed the congregation that they tried to push him off a cliff. But friends, Jesus is the great restorer of failures. So risk. Know that success is not guaranteed. And know that even if God calls us to do something sometimes it just does not work out. Still in time God knows what is happening and has a way of taking our mistakes and using them for good. So have faith that you can learn from mistakes something you could never learn from a success. Know that God can use our mistakes for his glory in ways we never could on your own. Friends, sometimes it takes a lifetime…sometimes longer. But know this, what you do in love is never lost. Know that failure is not final.
Pray that we understand that God’s love persists in the presence of our failures. Pray our faith is proven not just in our successes but in our failures as well. Pray with thanksgiving for a God who loves us unconditionally. Pray we realize that failure is not a sin but that disobedience is.
Pray we do our best. Pray we serve God. Pray we serve Jesus. Pray we not fail by not trying. Pray we not fail by not serving.
Pray we never give up. Pray if we want it done right we take personal responsibility to do our part. Pray if we are looking for perfection we look to Jesus. Pray we realize that our mistakes can be used as a foundation for a miracle.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 