I know, its become a cliche. But seriously, its something to consider as we face decisions in life. I'll try to portray some possible circumstances to get your mind running, and see if we can answer that question.
Its the middle of the school year, and you've just found out that this guy, who bullied you for the last six years, broke his leg in practice. Since he can't come to school for a week, his math teacher asks if you would take all his tests and assignments home to him. But since his neighborhood is less than safe, your mother has forbidden you to go there. So what would Jesus do? Would He tell your teacher about your mother's rule, or would He take the assignments to him anyways?
I guess there's two issues here: 1) Whether your bully even deserves for you to do him a favor, and 2) If its okay to go against a parent's wishes if it means doing good for someone else. The first one can simply be answered with this:
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. -Jesus in Matthew 5:44-45
Jesus would certainly do good for someone who never did good for Him. But would He do it against His parent's wishes? In Matthew 15:4-6 Jesus reiterates the Old Testament law to honor your father and mother. In a case like this, I believe Jesus would let his teacher know of His mother's rule. If it were something more serious, then it could be justified. Jesus gave us good indication that pleasing our parents is not the highest priority. In Matthew 12:47-48 it seems that Jesus ignores His mother, and in Luke 12:52 Jesus gives us the indication that we must be willing to leave our family for the kingdom of God.
Now you've graduated from High School. Your parents want you to go to college. A profitable company has offered you a job with starting pay at $15 an hour. But in your heart you feel inclined to start a ministry. So what would Jesus do?
Its a matter of pleasing your parents, getting an education and possibly having fun at college, or making lots of money with the potential for more, or working to further the kingdom of God on earth. The Sunday School answer is obvious, but putting it into practice is difficult
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. -Jesus in Matthew 6:33
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? -Jesus in Mark 8:36
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. -Jesus in Luke 14:27
You're trying to serve the Lord, but you've noticed that many other ministers in various churches are living a double life. You've come to realize that the religious leaders, some of whom you work with, are doing a very poor job of leading, are hypocritical, or are not preaching a biblical message. So what would Jesus do? Would He gently tell them to change their ways, or would He overturn tables in righteous indignation, or would He ignore them altogether?
You can tell in the gospels that the way Jesus responds to people depends mostly on who He is responding to and what the circumstances are. Its very clear that Jesus showed some righteous indignation, and He was not always kind to certain people. Read Matthew 23 and consider the temple-cleansing episode. But sometimes He responded with gentleness and kindness, like with the adulteress woman in John 8. It would be hard to miss the fact that Jesus' righteous indignation was always directed at the religious leaders of His day. They were corrupt, and He let them know it (John 8:44). So if there are corrupt leaders in the church, and these are leading others astray, I would have to say that Jesus would display some righteous indignation. This might even mean stepping on the toes of a friend. But if any of these ministers are of God, they will take a rebuke graciously. If they respond with anger and rejection, then it shows that they are as corrupt as the Jews who would not believe Jesus, and you wouldn't want them as friends. Whether you get to that point or not will depend largely on how they respond to a polite gentle rebuke.
Its the middle of the school year, and you've just found out that this guy, who bullied you for the last six years, broke his leg in practice. Since he can't come to school for a week, his math teacher asks if you would take all his tests and assignments home to him. But since his neighborhood is less than safe, your mother has forbidden you to go there. So what would Jesus do? Would He tell your teacher about your mother's rule, or would He take the assignments to him anyways?
I guess there's two issues here: 1) Whether your bully even deserves for you to do him a favor, and 2) If its okay to go against a parent's wishes if it means doing good for someone else. The first one can simply be answered with this:
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. -Jesus in Matthew 5:44-45
Jesus would certainly do good for someone who never did good for Him. But would He do it against His parent's wishes? In Matthew 15:4-6 Jesus reiterates the Old Testament law to honor your father and mother. In a case like this, I believe Jesus would let his teacher know of His mother's rule. If it were something more serious, then it could be justified. Jesus gave us good indication that pleasing our parents is not the highest priority. In Matthew 12:47-48 it seems that Jesus ignores His mother, and in Luke 12:52 Jesus gives us the indication that we must be willing to leave our family for the kingdom of God.
Now you've graduated from High School. Your parents want you to go to college. A profitable company has offered you a job with starting pay at $15 an hour. But in your heart you feel inclined to start a ministry. So what would Jesus do?
Its a matter of pleasing your parents, getting an education and possibly having fun at college, or making lots of money with the potential for more, or working to further the kingdom of God on earth. The Sunday School answer is obvious, but putting it into practice is difficult
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. -Jesus in Matthew 6:33
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? -Jesus in Mark 8:36
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. -Jesus in Luke 14:27
You're trying to serve the Lord, but you've noticed that many other ministers in various churches are living a double life. You've come to realize that the religious leaders, some of whom you work with, are doing a very poor job of leading, are hypocritical, or are not preaching a biblical message. So what would Jesus do? Would He gently tell them to change their ways, or would He overturn tables in righteous indignation, or would He ignore them altogether?
You can tell in the gospels that the way Jesus responds to people depends mostly on who He is responding to and what the circumstances are. Its very clear that Jesus showed some righteous indignation, and He was not always kind to certain people. Read Matthew 23 and consider the temple-cleansing episode. But sometimes He responded with gentleness and kindness, like with the adulteress woman in John 8. It would be hard to miss the fact that Jesus' righteous indignation was always directed at the religious leaders of His day. They were corrupt, and He let them know it (John 8:44). So if there are corrupt leaders in the church, and these are leading others astray, I would have to say that Jesus would display some righteous indignation. This might even mean stepping on the toes of a friend. But if any of these ministers are of God, they will take a rebuke graciously. If they respond with anger and rejection, then it shows that they are as corrupt as the Jews who would not believe Jesus, and you wouldn't want them as friends. Whether you get to that point or not will depend largely on how they respond to a polite gentle rebuke.
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