Jesus courage

“Though you never saw him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet you exercise faith in him.”​—1 PET. 1:8.

• What can help you to stay on course on your journey to salvation?

• How can you imitate Jesus in showing courage?

• How can you imitate Jesus in showing discernment?

1, 2. (a) How can we come in line for salvation? (b) What can help us to stay on course on our journey to salvation?

WHEN we become disciples of Christ, we embark on a journey. That journey can lead us to life, whether in heaven or on earth. Jesus said: “The one who has endured to the end will be saved.” (Matt. 24:13) Yes, if we stick to a life course of faithfulness, we can come in line for salvation. Along the way, however, we must be careful not to get distracted or lost. (1 John 2:15-17) How can we stay on course on our journey?

Our Exemplar, Jesus, led the way. His journey was recorded in the Bible. By studying that record, we learn what Jesus is like. We can come to love him and exercise faith in him. (Read 1 Peter 1:8, 9.) Recall that the apostle Peter said that Jesus left us a model for us to follow his steps closely. (1 Pet. 2:21) If we carefully follow his steps, we will reach “the goal” of our faith​—salvation.* In the preceding article, we discussed how we can imitate Jesus’ example in being humble and tender. Let us now examine how we can follow his steps in showing courage and discernment.

JESUS IS COURAGEOUS

3. What is courage, and how do we get it?

Courage is a kind of confidence that can strengthen and sustain us. Being courageous has been described as “persevering in the face of adversity,” “standing up for what is right,” and “facing suffering with dignity or faith.” Courage goes hand in hand with fear, hope, and love. How so? Godly fear gives us the courage to rise above fear of man. (1 Sam. 11:7; Prov. 29:25) Genuine hope helps us to see beyond present trials and to face the future with confidence. (Ps. 27:14) Self-sacrificing love impels us to show courage even at great personal risk. (John 15:13) We get courage by trusting in God and following the steps of his Son.​—Ps. 28:7.

4. How did Jesus show courage “in the midst of the teachers” in the temple? (See opening image.)

Even as a 12-year-old boy, Jesus courageously stood up for what was right. Note what happened when young Jesus was “in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers.” (Read Luke 2:41-47.) Those teachers were well-versed not only in the Mosaic Law but also in the man-made traditions that undermined it. But Jesus was not intimidated into keeping quiet; he was “asking them questions.” Surely he was not asking the typical questions of a curious boy. We can imagine Jesus asking thought-provoking questions that made those learned teachers sit up and take notice. And if the teachers tried to trip Jesus up by asking him controversial questions, they failed. Why, everyone listening​—including the teachers—​were in “amazement at his understanding and his answers”​—answers that no doubt upheld the truth of God’s Word!

5. In what ways did Jesus show courage during his ministry?

During his ministry, Jesus showed courage in various ways. He boldly exposed the religious leaders for misleading the people with false teachings. (Matt. 23:13-36) He stood firm against the world’s contaminating influence. (John 16:33) He continued to preach despite pressure from opposers. (John 5:15-18; 7:14) Twice, he fearlessly cleansed the temple, driving out those who were defiling the worship there.​—Matt. 21:12, 13; John 2:14-17.

6. How did Jesus show courage on the final day of his earthly life?

It is faith-strengthening to trace Jesus’ courageous steps in the face of suffering. Consider the courage he showed on the final day of his earthly life. He knew the chain of events that would be set in motion by his betrayer. Yet, at the Passover meal, Jesus told Judas: “What you are doing, do it more quickly.” (John 13:21-27) In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus fearlessly identified himself to the soldiers who came to arrest him. Although his own life was in danger, he spoke up to protect his disciples. (John 18:1-8) When questioned before the Sanhedrin, he boldly affirmed that he was both the Christ and the Son of God, even though he knew that the high priest was looking for an excuse to have him killed. (Mark 14:60-65) Jesus steadfastly kept his integrity down to death on an execution stake. About to take his last agonizing breath, he called out in triumph: “It has been accomplished!”​—John 19:28-30.

IMITATE JESUS’ COURAGE

7. Young ones, how do you feel about bearing Jehovah’s name, and how can you prove yourselves courageous?

How can we imitate Jesus in showing courage? At school. Young ones, you prove yourselves courageous when you readily identify yourselves as Witnesses of Jehovah, even if doing so means being teased by classmates or others. You thereby show that you are proud to bear Jehovah’s name. (Read Psalm 86:12.) You may face pressure to accept evolution as a fact. But you have sound reasons to be confident of your Bible-based belief in creation. You can use the brochure The Origin of Life​—Five Questions Worth Asking to give a convincing answer to those who want to know “a reason for the hope you have.” (1 Pet. 3:15) Then you will find satisfaction in knowing that you have upheld the truth of God’s Word.

8. We have what reasons to preach with boldness?

8 In our ministry. As true Christians, we need to keep “speaking with boldness by the authority of Jehovah.” (Acts 14:3) What reasons do we have to preach with boldness, or courage? We know that what we preach is the truth because it is based on the Bible. (John 17:17) We recognize that “we are God’s fellow workers” and that we have the backing of holy spirit. (1 Cor. 3:9; Acts 4:31) We understand that by witnessing zealously, we demonstrate our devotion to Jehovah and our love for our neighbor. (Matt. 22:37-39) Imbued with courage, we will not be silenced. On the contrary, we are determined to expose the religious lies that blind people to the truth. (2 Cor. 4:4) And we will persevere in preaching the good news despite apathy, ridicule, or opposition.​—1 Thess. 2:1, 2.

9. How can we show courage in the face of suffering?

9 In the face of suffering. Trusting in God gives us the faith and courage to face adversities. If a loved one dies, we grieve, but we do not lose hope. We confidently look to “the God of all comfort” for strength. (2 Cor. 1:3, 4; 1 Thess. 4:13) If we face serious illness or injury, we may suffer pain, but we do not compromise. We refuse any treatment that conflicts with Bible principles. (Acts 15:28, 29) If we become depressed, “our hearts may condemn us,” but because we trust in the God who “is close to the brokenhearted,” we do not give up.*​—1 John 3:19, 20; Ps. 34:18.

JESUS IS DISCERNING

10. What is discernment, and how does a discerning worshipper of Jehovah speak and act?

Discernment is good judgment​—the ability to tell right from wrong and then choose the wise course. (Heb. 5:14) It has been defined as “the ability to make sound judgements in spiritual matters.” A discerning worshipper speaks and acts in ways that please God. Such a person chooses words that help others rather than hurt them. (Prov. 11:12, 13) He is “slow to anger.” (Prov. 14:29) He “walks straight ahead,” sticking to the right course on his journey through life. (Prov. 15:21) How can we acquire discernment? We must study God’s Word and apply what we learn. (Prov. 2:1-5, 10, 11) It is especially helpful to consider the example of Jesus, the most discerning man who ever lived.

11. How did Jesus show discernment in his speech?

Jesus showed discernment in all he said and did. In his speech. He used good judgment when he preached the good news, choosing “gracious words” that amazed his listeners. (Luke 4:22; Matt. 7:28) He often let God’s Word speak for him​—reading, quoting, or referring to just the right scriptures to make his point. (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10; 12:1-5; Luke 4:16-21) Jesus also explained the Scriptures, doing so in ways that moved the hearts of his listeners. After his resurrection, when speaking to two disciples on their way to Emmaus, he “interpreted to them things pertaining to himself in all the Scriptures.” The disciples later said: “Were not our hearts burning within us . . . as he was fully opening up the Scriptures to us?”​—Luke 24:27, 32.

12, 13. What examples show that Jesus was slow to anger and reasonable?

12 In his spirit and attitude. Discernment helped Jesus to control his spirit, making him “slow to anger.” (Prov. 16:32) He was “mild-tempered.” (Matt. 11:29) He was always patient with his disciples despite their failings. (Mark 14:34-38; Luke 22:24-27) He remained calm even when he was treated unjustly.​—1 Pet. 2:23.

Discernment also enabled Jesus to be reasonable. He saw beyond the letter of the Mosaic Law; he perceived the spirit behind that Law and acted accordingly. For example, consider the account at Mark 5:25-34. (Read.) A woman with a flow of blood made her way through a crowd, touched Jesus’ garment, and was healed. She was unclean under the Law, so she should not have touched anyone. (Lev. 15:25-27) But Jesus​—who discerned that “the weightier matters of the Law” included “mercy and faithfulness”—​did not chastise her for touching his garment. (Matt. 23:23) Instead, he kindly said: “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed from your grievous sickness.” How touching that Jesus’ discernment moved him to show such kindness!

14. Jesus chose to do what, and how did he stay on course?

14 In pursuing his life course. Jesus showed discernment in choosing the right course and then sticking to it. He devoted himself to the preaching of the good news, making it his lifework. (Luke 4:43) Jesus also stayed on course, making decisions that enabled him to remain focused on the work and to see it through to a successful completion. He wisely chose to keep his life simple so that he could devote his time and energy to the ministry. (Luke 9:58) He discerned the need to train others to carry on the work after his death. (Luke 10:1-12; John 14:12) He promised his followers that he would remain involved in this work “until the conclusion of the system of things.”​—Matt. 28:19, 20.

IMITATE JESUS’ DISCERNMENT

Discern the interests of people, and choose your words according to their needs (See paragraph 15)

15. How can we show discernment in our speech?

Consider another way that we can imitate Jesus. In our speech. In conversations with fellow believers, we use words that build up rather than tear down. (Eph. 4:29) When we talk to others about God’s Kingdom, we season our words “with salt.” (Col. 4:6) We try to discern the needs and interests of householders and then choose our words accordingly. We remember that gracious words may open doors​—and hearts. In addition, when explaining our beliefs, we try to let the Bible speak for us. Hence, we cite it as an authority and read from it whenever possible. We recognize that the Bible’s message is far more powerful than anything we could possibly say on our own authority.​—Heb. 4:12.

16, 17. (a) How can we show that we are slow to anger and reasonable? (b) How can we stay focused on our ministry?

16 In our spirit and attitude. Discernment enables us to control our spirit, making us “slow to anger.” (Jas. 1:19) When others offend us, we try to discern what is behind their words or actions. Such insight can melt anger and help us to “overlook an offense.” (Prov. 19:11) Discernment also helps us to be reasonable. We thus try to be realistic in what we expect of our fellow believers, remembering that they may be facing challenges that we do not fully understand. We are willing to listen to their opinions and when appropriate yield to their viewpoint.​—Phil. 4:5.

17 In our course of life. As followers of Jesus, we discern that we could have no higher privilege than that of sharing in the work of preaching the good news. We keep on track by making decisions that enable us to stay focused on our ministry. We choose to keep spiritual things in first place and maintain a simple life so that we can devote ourselves to the all-important preaching work before the end comes.​—Matt. 6:33; 24:14.

18. How can we stay on course on our journey to salvation, and what is your determination?

Has it not been delightful to reflect on some of Jesus’ appealing qualities? Imagine how rewarding it would be to make a study of his other qualities and learn how we can be more like him. Let us, then, be determined to follow his steps closely. By so doing, we will stay on course on our journey to salvation and we will draw closer to Jehovah, the One whom Jesus perfectly imitated.

wol.jw.org

What is Biblical Courage?

Original Word: τολμάω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: tolmaó
Phonetic Spelling: (tol-mah’-o)

tolmáō (from tolma, “bold courage”) – properly, to show daring courage
necessary for a valid risk (“putting it all on the line”); courageously venture
forward by putting fear behind and embracing the fruit that lies ahead for taking
a necessary risk.

COURAGE, n. L., the heart. Bravery; intrepidity; that quality of mind which enables men to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear or depression of spirits; valor; boldness; resolution. It is a constituent part of fortitude; but fortitude implies patience to bear continued suffering

Antonym: cowardice, fear, shrink back, irresolution, faintheartedness, etc
Then everyone deserted him and fled.(the disciples)- Mark 14:50 (Peter’s rebuke)

How do We See Jesus’ Courage?

1. Spiritual Courage to stand against Satan (Matthew 4-11, 10)
2. Mental Courage to stand and endure injustice (Matt. 26:57-68)
3. Verbal Courage to speak to the good news to hostile crowds (Luke 12:1)

Biblical Passages that show Jesus’ Courage

Mark 10:32-34
Mark 11:15-18
John 8:58-59
Matthew 26:50-53

Courage of the Apostles

1. The courage to preach despised truths!
2. The courage to preach the whole counsel of God
3. The courage to stand in the midst of persecution

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When Christ is formed in us, people see that we have been with Jesus.

Christ Formed In Us

Discussion Point: If Christ’s Courage was completely formed in you, when stepped out of bed tomorrow morning, what would you notice different about your day and your interactions? (family, wife, kids, church, co-workers, neighbors, strangers, etc)

What hinders you from having Christ’s courage formed completely in you?

Pray that Christ’s Courage is Formed In You

Caution: As you pray to have Jesus’ courage formed in you, God will put you in situations that require you to have Christ’s courage. If there are times that you shrink back, do not lose heart. Pray and embrace the next opportunity with determination.

roanokevalleychurch.org

“Though you never saw him, you love him. Though you do not
see him now, yet you exercise faith in him.” – 1 Peter 1:8 NWT

In this week’s study, there is a footnote for paragraph 2 that reads,

“First Peter 1:8, 9 was written to Christians with the heavenly hope. In principle, however, those words also apply to individuals who have the earthly hope.”

We readily admit that these words were written only to those with a heavenly hope.

This raises the question, “Why didn’t Peter also include those with an earthly hope?” Surely he was aware of an earthly hope. Surely Jesus preached an earthly hope.   In fact, he did not, and our admission that these words can only apply “in principle” demonstrates we are aware of this omission of an earthly hope from the scriptural record. True, millions—even billions—will be resurrected to earth as part of the resurrection of the unrighteous. (Acts 24:15) However, they get there without ‘exercising faith’ in Jesus. That is hardly a ‘goal of their faith’.

Having no scriptural basis to apply 1 Peter 1:8, 9 to the millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses the Governing Body has convinced to hope for imperfect life on earth, they must fall back on the latest iteration of the hackneyed “by extension” ploy.

Jesus Is Courageous/Imitate Jesus’ Courage

Under the first of these two subheadings (pars. 3 thru 6) we learn how Jesus boldly defended the truth and stood up to the religious authorities of his day who were invalidating God’s word by their traditions, lording it over the flock of God and abusing their authority. Under the second subheading (pars. 7 thru 9) we’re given examples of how we can imitate Jesus’ courage.

Young ones are encouraged to identify themselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses in school in a display of courage. All of us are encouraged to speak “with boldness by the authority of Jehovah” in our ministry in imitation of Paul and his companions in Iconium.

We should pause here to correct a mistake in paragraph 8. It wasn’t by the authority of Jehovah that Paul and his companions mustered up boldness. The original Greek reads literally, “they stayed speaking boldly for the Lord”. That the conjectural emendation used to justify the insertion of Jehovah here is misguided can be demonstrated by the context. It speaks of the signs and wonders they were granted to perform by “the word of the grace of him” . It was in the name of Jesus, not Jehovah, that the apostles performed signs of healing. (Acts 3:6) We can also be assured that the phrase “the authority of the Lord” refers to Jesus, not Jehovah. Jehovah gave Jesus “all authority…in heaven and on the earth.” (Mt 28:18) Paul was not about to shift the focus of authority back to God, when God himself had set the focus on the Lord. Sadly, we fail to imitate Paul in this, seeming to never miss an opportunity in our publications of late to pull the limelight off Jesus.

Paragraph 9 speaks of showing courage “in the face of suffering”. Application is made for the need to imitate Jesus’ courage when someone we love dies; when we are suffering serious illness or injury; when we are depressed; when we are persecuted.

Our brothers in Korea are suffering persecution for their courageous stand of neutrality. However, for the millions of us living elsewhere, we have rarely if ever known persecution from without. Nevertheless, a small but growing number of true Christians in the Organization are beginning to experience the same type of persecution Jesus suffered. What can be learned from Jesus’ courageous example?

Being faithful to the truth will put you at odds with the religious authority of our Organization. Speaking up to overturn strongly entrenched false doctrines using the power of God’s word will cause those who feel their authority is being undermined to attack, just as the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day did. Make no mistake, we are at war. (2Co 10:3-6; He 4:12, 13; Eph 6:10-20)

There are many in the Organization who have allowed their love of truth to be dulled by fear of man. To excuse their inaction, they fall back on faulty reasoning and scriptural misapplication, spouting clichés like, “We must wait on Jehovah” or “We mustn’t run ahead”. They overlook the clear direction found at James 4:17:

“Therefore, if someone knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him.” – James 4:17.

It is all well and good to say that we should be courageous in standing up for truth, but how should we go about doing it? The second part of The Watchtower study will, ironically, provide the answer.

Jesus Is Discerning

Paragraph 10 opens with this statement:

Discernment is good judgment—the ability to tell right from wrong and then choose the wise course. (Heb. 5:14) It has been defined as “the ability to make sound judgments in spiritual matters.”

This statement, if applied fully, clashes with our teaching that the instruction we get from the Governing Body, in its assumed capacity as “The Faithful Slave”, must be obeyed without question. However, faithful Christians are not about to surrender their ability to discern right from wrong to a group of men. Such ones will continue to imitate the Christ in discernment and in all other things—including his love of truth.

Imitate Jesus’ Discernment

Paragraph 15 gives good counsel on imitating Jesus’ discernment in our speech. Often his words were up-building, but at times he chose to tear down, such as when he had to unmask the unrighteousness of the Pharisees. Even then he built up, for he helped others to see the religious leaders of his day as they truly were, not as they projected themselves to be.

When not denouncing hypocrisy, Jesus’ words were always ‘seasoned with salt’.  His desire was never to exalt himself and his own wisdom, but to win the hearts and minds of those who would listen. (Col 4:6)  It seems that our greatest preaching and teaching opportunities today are with our immediate JW brethren. Here we have a people who have already come so far.   They have rejected involvement in war. They refuse to become involved with the political affairs of this world. In this, they imitate their Lord. (Mt 4:8-10; John 18:36) They have rejected many of the false, god-dishonoring doctrines that the vast majority of Christians practice such as idol worship, the Trinity, hellfire, and the immortality of the human soul.

But we still fall short and lately it seems that we are going backwards. We have begun to idolize men. Additionally, though God has given us ample time (2Pe 3:9), we continue to adhere to traditions of men and teach them as doctrines of God.  (Mt 15:9; 15:3, 6) Traditions stem from men and are continually observed even where there is no sound basis for them. Despite the total lack of solid Scriptural support, we continue to believe and teach 1914 as significant, because that’s what we started with back 140 years ago and it distinguishes us from all other religions.  We teach that the other sheep are a secondary class of Christians denied the hope that Jesus offered to the world because, 80 years ago, our then-President offered it up as truth. Though we have recently disavowed his entire basis for this teaching (unfounded types and antitypes) we continue to practice this belief—the very definition of a tradition.

Let those of us who have been set free from the traditions of men imitate the discernment of Christ in knowing when to speak, when to remain silent, and what words to use—words ‘seasoned with salt’. Often, it is best to start with one point. Ask questions rather than make statements. Lead them to the conclusion so that they arrive there of their own accord. We can drag a horse to water, but we can’t make it drink. Likewise, we can lead a man to truth, but we can’t make him think.

If we find resistance, we’d best to act with caution. We have pearls of wisdom, but not all will appreciate them. (Mt 10:16; 7:6)

At the end of paragraph 16 we find the statement: “We are willing to listen to their opinions and when appropriate yield to their viewpoint.” If only our brothers held to this counsel when it came to scripturally-based challenges to the authority of the Governing Body.

Paragraph 18 states:

Has it not been delightful to reflect on some of Jesus’ appealing qualities? Imagine how rewarding it would be to make a study of his other qualities and learn how we can be more like him. Let us, then, be determined to follow his steps closely.

We could not agree more. How very sad that we do not do this. In magazine after magazine we focus on the organization and its accomplishments. In the monthly broadcasts on tv.jw.org, we focus on the organization and the Governing Body. Why not use these powerful teaching tools to do the very thing that paragraph 18 says would be most “delightful” and “rewarding”?

The “food at the proper time” which the Governing Body dispenses does not dwell much on Jesus Christ. But by imitating both the courage and discernment of Jesus rather than the earthly wisdom of sinful humans, we will use every opportunity given us to bear witness for him and to declare all the counsel of God, and we will not hold back. (Acts 20:25-27)

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I refer to the heavenly hope here in the context in which Jehovah’s Witnesses understand it. To do otherwise might derail the core theme of this post’s review of the article. However, I no longer believe that the heavenly hope means that all Jesus’ brothers fly off to heaven never to return. Exactly what it refers to and how the realization of that hope will unfold is something we can only guess at right now. They may be educated guesses, but the reality is bound to blow us away. (1Co 13:12, 13)

meletivivlon.com