6
A Life of Victory
Question 1:
How would you describe a victory you’ve experienced recently?
THE POINT
In Christ, we have victory over anything the world throws at us.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
When he was in his 30s, Abraham Lincoln went through some dark days. Instead of the personal and professional success he had hoped for, he was facing financial struggles. According to some, he even broke off a romantic relationship because of those difficulties. On January 23, 1841, Lincoln wrote to a friend, “I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth. Whether I shall ever be better I can not tell; I awfully forebode I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better, it appears to me.”1
No doubt Lincoln would have said in 1841 that he had faced the hardest thing of his life, but within twenty years, he would confront the far more difficult days of leading a divided country at war.
We can look back to hard days we’ve experienced, but we don’t know what lies ahead. How do we know what suffering is coming our way? We don’t. But as we will see in this session, Jesus has already secured victory for us—no matter what we face.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
John 16:19-22
19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’? 20 Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.”
My wife has given birth twice, and I’d say witnessing a baby come into the world might be the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. Both births were near-death experiences for her. She screamed in pain. Her blood pressure dropped, causing alarms to go off and medical professionals sprinting in to keep her alive. And she cried. She cried because of her pain. She cried because of her fear. She cried because she wanted the baby to be here already. It was terrifying.
But then, there was our baby! Both times, the tears of fear and pain turned into tears of joy. So, yes, witnessing a baby come into the world might be the scariest thing I’ve ever seen—but it was also the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. The sadness, terror, and pain were replaced with the joy of new life.
Jesus painted a similar picture for His disciples. He had told them He was leaving. He had told them on multiple occasions that He would face death in Jerusalem, but they didn’t understand what it would entail or what it would accomplish. Jesus was clear on one thing: His death would be painful for them. “Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, . . . You will become sorrowful” (v. 20). His death would break their hearts.
Question 2:
When have you seen Jesus turn sorrow into joy?
For all of us, the death of Jesus must be sad. Not only was His death an awful, brutal injustice, but we are the ones to blame. “He was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds” (Isa. 53:5). For those who understand its weight, the cross represents sadness and pain.
Thankfully, however, the cross was not the end of the story. The cross also leads to new life. Jesus is God in the flesh. He has the power of creation. He has authority over life and death. So, with Jesus, resurrection follows crucifixion. Reunion follows separation. Joy follows sorrow. That was Jesus’ promise to His disciples. “Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you” (v. 22).
This is the gospel! Jesus’ joy was taken from Him so that our joy never can be taken from us. He was taken from His followers so His followers couldn’t be taken from Him. He did the painful work so that we could be born to new life—so that our sorrow could turn to joy.
John 16:27-30
27 “For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. 30 Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”
The apostle John began his Gospel with an incredible truth about Jesus: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1,14). Jesus now stated that truth very succinctly to His disciples: “I came from the Father and have come into the world.”
Christianity turns on the reality of those two truths: (1) Jesus is from God, and (2) Jesus is in the world. If Jesus isn’t God’s Son, then He has nothing to offer humanity, who needs to escape God’s judgment. If Jesus is not God’s Messiah, then He is no better than we are at trying to live the perfect life God demands and deserves. If Jesus isn’t the Rescuer from God, then He lacks the ability to die in our place or the power to rise from the dead. A Christ who isn’t from the Father has no business atoning for anyone and no ability to do anything about the curse of our sin. His death on the cross would have been tragic,
Engage
JESUS GIVES US VICTORY
Consider who Jesus is and what He has done. Place an X on the scale for where you are in regard to each statement.
(0= 0%, 5= 50%, 10= 100%)
I believe that Jesus came from the Father.
0----5----10
I understand the ways Jesus won victory for me.
0----5----10
I believe the Father loves me.
0----5----10
Jesus’ resurrection brings me real and deep joy.
0----5----10
I feel that my soul is at peace with God.
0----5----10
I believe that Jesus came from the Father.
0----5----10
I understand the ways Jesus won victory for me.
0----5----10
I believe the Father loves me.
0----5----10
Jesus’ resurrection brings me real and deep joy.
0----5----10
I feel that my soul is at peace with God.
0----5----10
Write a short prayer asking God to shore up any doubts you may be experiencing.If you don’t have any, offer a prayer of praise to Him.
nothing more. And the stone over the tomb would have remained in place. Jesus’ claim to be from the Father is no small thing.
Likewise, Jesus must be in the world. If Jesus is from the Father, but did not “come into the world,” He couldn’t help us. If Jesus had not put on flesh and dwelt among us, though He has the power to cancel our sin, it would never be canceled. If Jesus didn’t come to earth as both fully God and fully man, we can never turn from our sin, never escape God’s wrath, never experience His love, never hope for heaven, nor ever behold His glory. All our hope rests in these two truths.
Jesus isn’t through though. He continued: “Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” Jesus’ return to God the Father gives us comfort for a variety of reasons: the hope of heaven, the presence of the Holy Spirit, His intercession, and His rule and reign.
We needed Jesus to come to earth—and we needed Him to return to the Father. Everything about our victory and how we live it out is because Jesus is from the Father and has returned to Him.
Question 3:
When did the truth of the gospel become clear to you?
John 16:31-33
31 Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe? 32 Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
“I have conquered the world.” Jesus did not say “maybe” or “hopefully.” He spoke confidently as the Creator of the universe who knew it was impossible not to finish the job. Jesus is the Conqueror of the world. If you have a relationship with God through Christ, He’s YOUR conqueror.
I have no idea why you may need a conqueror at this specific moment, but I’m sure you do. We all do. Jesus said, “You will have suffering in this world.” You will lose jobs in this world. You will get cancer in this world. You will break bones, break promises, find new worries, and lose old friends.
Jesus Himself was not immune to suffering. Even as He spoke these words, He was moments away from taking on the role of the Suffering Servant for our sake. Jesus faced suffering. He was abandoned by His disciples—His closest friends—at the time of His arrest, but Jesus remained strong because the Father was with Him. We experience suffering, but we can have peace because we are not alone. He is with us.
Question 4:
When have you most needed to remember that Jesus has conquered the world?
In this world we face suffering. We will have problems too big for us. We face pain too great for us to endure. We fight battles we don’t know how to fight nor how to win. But Jesus knows. He knows exactly what to do. Jesus gives us His victory. Jesus can’t lose and He says to us, “You can have My work and victory. Here, My child, you can take My masterpiece. It’s yours because you are Mine.”
Jesus lived the perfect life and it has meaning for us. He died a saving death for us. Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death itself, and He says to us, “My victory is yours.” We are conquerors because He is. We can have peace and live with courage because our victory is in Christ.
Question 5:
How has our group helped inspire courage in your life?
LIVE IT OUT
In Christ, we have victory over anything the world throws at us. Choose one of the following applications:
Memorize. Set aside some time each day this week to memorize John 16:33.
Make a list. What difficulties are you facing? Make a list of the pains in your life and write a Bible verse next to each problem that speaks of what you have in Christ.
Encourage another. Who is suffering in your life right now? How can you help them have peace and courage? Give them a call or send them a message of encouragement based upon this session’s truths.
Like Abraham Lincoln, we can’t possibly know what dark days might be ahead of us. Suffering is a constant of the human condition. It’s said all the time, but anyone who isn’t suffering now likely will be soon. Thankfully, we know that Jesus understands suffering. He is acquainted with grief. Let’s remember: the pain is never as powerful as Jesus. Suffering can’t outlast everlasting life. In Jesus, there is always victory.
1 “Letter to John Stuart, Springfield, IL to Washington, DC,” January 23, 1841, Roy P. Basler, ed., Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln (8 vols.), (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1953), 1:229-230.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE SHADOWS
By Jeff Iorg
Shadow Christians are people who work in dimly lit margins, the shadows created by the spotlight shining on others. They are believers who serve quietly, often anonymously, doing the work that keeps churches, families, and communities functioning. Shadow Christians make an impact even when no one knows their names. They care for children, drive friends to the doctor, prepare meals for others to enjoy, give money to sustain ministries, and clean up after meetings. Shadow Christians are the unseen army—millions strong—who take their faith seriously, see themselves as role players in God’s grand plan, and seldom give any thought to being recognized for their service.
You are likely a shadow Christian. You do not have thousands of social media followers or influence anyone by writing a blog. In a celebrity-driven culture, where people are often famous for being famous, you may wonder if your service matters—to other people or even to God. The clear answer from the Bible is yes.
THE ANONYMOUS INSPIRERS
A few years ago, the story of some anonymous preachers in the Bible caught my attention. Their riveting story later motivated me to become a church planter. The Bible says, some “men from Cyprus and Cyrene” (Acts 11:20) arrived in Antioch and started preaching the gospel. The result was the founding of the church at Antioch, which many people consider the most consequential church in the New Testament. This church was so important because it was where the gospel was first preached widely among Gentiles. That was an important breakthrough and set the precedent for global gospel expansion reaching to our generation. Despite the significance of their work, the names of the Antioch founders were not recorded. This led me to a series of questions.
Why are some biblical people named and others not named? Why did Jesus call some by name and leave others in anonymity? Why are some singled out, by name, for relatively inconsequential contributions while others, not named, did things that changed the world?
Answering those questions led me to discover the importance of shadow Christians, believers who make a difference even when no one knows their names. Studying anonymous people in the Bible underscored two truths: God chooses and uses shadow Christians. More personally, this means your behind-the-scenes service matters to God.
AN UNNAMED NURTURER
One unnamed, middle-aged woman in the Bible illustrates this point. We meet her when she was bedridden with a high fever, too weak to greet Jesus when He arrived in her hometown. Her son-in-law, Peter, was one of Jesus’ followers, a rising leader in His kingdom movement, so Jesus stayed at Peter’s house. When Jesus arrived and found Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed, “he touched her hand, and the fever left her” (Matt. 8:15a). What a great moment that must have been! It deserved a big celebration or commemoration—but that’s not what happened.
Peter’s mother-in-law, known in history by her family title but not her name, “got up and began to serve him [Jesus]” (Matt. 8:15b). The details of her service are not included, but a phrase in the narrative hints at what it might have been. After staying at Peter’s house
throughout the day, “when evening came” (Matt. 8:16), Jesus continued His ministry by performing exorcisms and healings. The demands of His evening ministry suggest Peter’s mother-in-law served Jesus by providing meals and a place for rest during the day. Her hospitality helped prepare Him for a long night of demanding ministry encounters. This unnamed woman got up from her sick bed to serve Jesus. She made sure He had food to eat, something to drink, and a comfortable place to rest. After being healed, she didn’t go on the speaking circuit describing her miraculous recovery. She went to the kitchen.
A SILENT SERVER
Inez was in her 70s when she and her husband, Glenn, learned about a church being planted in their area. They were old-school Baptists—hymns and the King James Version were their staples. Yet they also had a Baptist heart for reaching people with the gospel. Inez told me, “We want to help build a church to reach young families.” They joined our contemporary church to serve, not to be served. During worship services, they stood silently when everyone else sang worship songs. They were not protesting; they just did not know the newer songs.
Inez had a skill set and passion, however, every generation appreciates. She knew how to cook, organize events, create a welcoming environment, and make sure everyone had a good time. For several years, until she could not physically do it any longer, she coordinated the hospitality ministry of our growing church. Younger women eventually took over her role, but only after learning from Inez’s example of the importance of hospitality.
Shadow Christians set up the tables, install the décor, prepare the food, serve the meals, wash the dishes, mop the floor, and haul out the trash. The rest of us enjoy the benefits of the hard work of these dedicated servants—like Peter’s mother-in-law and a shadow Christian named Inez.
AND WHOEVER YOU ARE
Beyond this example, you may serve behind the scenes in many other ways. Perhaps you help prepare baptismal candidates, create flower displays for your church sanctuary, care for children during the worship service, or drive the church van to pick up your friends. If the years have slowed your mobility, you still reach out by writing notes to hurting people or making phone calls to those who are homebound. Even though no one may notice your service, God does! He values people who serve in the shadows, making a difference in the lives of others.
Shadow Christians are the invisible army working behind the scenes to make every church and ministry organization successful. If you are in their number (and even if no one else seems to notice), continue to serve with the confidence that your contribution matters and God values your work highly. [LifeWay Adults (2020). (p. 53). Bible Studies for Life: Adult Personal Study Guide - CSB - Spring 2022. LifeWay Press. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]
A Life of Victory
Question 1:
How would you describe a victory you’ve experienced recently?
THE POINT
In Christ, we have victory over anything the world throws at us.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
When he was in his 30s, Abraham Lincoln went through some dark days. Instead of the personal and professional success he had hoped for, he was facing financial struggles. According to some, he even broke off a romantic relationship because of those difficulties. On January 23, 1841, Lincoln wrote to a friend, “I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth. Whether I shall ever be better I can not tell; I awfully forebode I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better, it appears to me.”1
No doubt Lincoln would have said in 1841 that he had faced the hardest thing of his life, but within twenty years, he would confront the far more difficult days of leading a divided country at war.
We can look back to hard days we’ve experienced, but we don’t know what lies ahead. How do we know what suffering is coming our way? We don’t. But as we will see in this session, Jesus has already secured victory for us—no matter what we face.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
John 16:19-22
19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’? 20 Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.”
My wife has given birth twice, and I’d say witnessing a baby come into the world might be the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. Both births were near-death experiences for her. She screamed in pain. Her blood pressure dropped, causing alarms to go off and medical professionals sprinting in to keep her alive. And she cried. She cried because of her pain. She cried because of her fear. She cried because she wanted the baby to be here already. It was terrifying.
But then, there was our baby! Both times, the tears of fear and pain turned into tears of joy. So, yes, witnessing a baby come into the world might be the scariest thing I’ve ever seen—but it was also the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. The sadness, terror, and pain were replaced with the joy of new life.
Jesus painted a similar picture for His disciples. He had told them He was leaving. He had told them on multiple occasions that He would face death in Jerusalem, but they didn’t understand what it would entail or what it would accomplish. Jesus was clear on one thing: His death would be painful for them. “Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, . . . You will become sorrowful” (v. 20). His death would break their hearts.
Question 2:
When have you seen Jesus turn sorrow into joy?
For all of us, the death of Jesus must be sad. Not only was His death an awful, brutal injustice, but we are the ones to blame. “He was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds” (Isa. 53:5). For those who understand its weight, the cross represents sadness and pain.
Thankfully, however, the cross was not the end of the story. The cross also leads to new life. Jesus is God in the flesh. He has the power of creation. He has authority over life and death. So, with Jesus, resurrection follows crucifixion. Reunion follows separation. Joy follows sorrow. That was Jesus’ promise to His disciples. “Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you” (v. 22).
This is the gospel! Jesus’ joy was taken from Him so that our joy never can be taken from us. He was taken from His followers so His followers couldn’t be taken from Him. He did the painful work so that we could be born to new life—so that our sorrow could turn to joy.
John 16:27-30
27 “For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. 30 Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”
The apostle John began his Gospel with an incredible truth about Jesus: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1,14). Jesus now stated that truth very succinctly to His disciples: “I came from the Father and have come into the world.”
Christianity turns on the reality of those two truths: (1) Jesus is from God, and (2) Jesus is in the world. If Jesus isn’t God’s Son, then He has nothing to offer humanity, who needs to escape God’s judgment. If Jesus is not God’s Messiah, then He is no better than we are at trying to live the perfect life God demands and deserves. If Jesus isn’t the Rescuer from God, then He lacks the ability to die in our place or the power to rise from the dead. A Christ who isn’t from the Father has no business atoning for anyone and no ability to do anything about the curse of our sin. His death on the cross would have been tragic,
Engage
JESUS GIVES US VICTORY
Consider who Jesus is and what He has done. Place an X on the scale for where you are in regard to each statement.
(0= 0%, 5= 50%, 10= 100%)
I believe that Jesus came from the Father.
0----5----10
I understand the ways Jesus won victory for me.
0----5----10
I believe the Father loves me.
0----5----10
Jesus’ resurrection brings me real and deep joy.
0----5----10
I feel that my soul is at peace with God.
0----5----10
I believe that Jesus came from the Father.
0----5----10
I understand the ways Jesus won victory for me.
0----5----10
I believe the Father loves me.
0----5----10
Jesus’ resurrection brings me real and deep joy.
0----5----10
I feel that my soul is at peace with God.
0----5----10
Write a short prayer asking God to shore up any doubts you may be experiencing.If you don’t have any, offer a prayer of praise to Him.
nothing more. And the stone over the tomb would have remained in place. Jesus’ claim to be from the Father is no small thing.
Likewise, Jesus must be in the world. If Jesus is from the Father, but did not “come into the world,” He couldn’t help us. If Jesus had not put on flesh and dwelt among us, though He has the power to cancel our sin, it would never be canceled. If Jesus didn’t come to earth as both fully God and fully man, we can never turn from our sin, never escape God’s wrath, never experience His love, never hope for heaven, nor ever behold His glory. All our hope rests in these two truths.
Jesus isn’t through though. He continued: “Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” Jesus’ return to God the Father gives us comfort for a variety of reasons: the hope of heaven, the presence of the Holy Spirit, His intercession, and His rule and reign.
We needed Jesus to come to earth—and we needed Him to return to the Father. Everything about our victory and how we live it out is because Jesus is from the Father and has returned to Him.
Question 3:
When did the truth of the gospel become clear to you?
John 16:31-33
31 Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe? 32 Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
“I have conquered the world.” Jesus did not say “maybe” or “hopefully.” He spoke confidently as the Creator of the universe who knew it was impossible not to finish the job. Jesus is the Conqueror of the world. If you have a relationship with God through Christ, He’s YOUR conqueror.
I have no idea why you may need a conqueror at this specific moment, but I’m sure you do. We all do. Jesus said, “You will have suffering in this world.” You will lose jobs in this world. You will get cancer in this world. You will break bones, break promises, find new worries, and lose old friends.
Jesus Himself was not immune to suffering. Even as He spoke these words, He was moments away from taking on the role of the Suffering Servant for our sake. Jesus faced suffering. He was abandoned by His disciples—His closest friends—at the time of His arrest, but Jesus remained strong because the Father was with Him. We experience suffering, but we can have peace because we are not alone. He is with us.
Question 4:
When have you most needed to remember that Jesus has conquered the world?
In this world we face suffering. We will have problems too big for us. We face pain too great for us to endure. We fight battles we don’t know how to fight nor how to win. But Jesus knows. He knows exactly what to do. Jesus gives us His victory. Jesus can’t lose and He says to us, “You can have My work and victory. Here, My child, you can take My masterpiece. It’s yours because you are Mine.”
Jesus lived the perfect life and it has meaning for us. He died a saving death for us. Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death itself, and He says to us, “My victory is yours.” We are conquerors because He is. We can have peace and live with courage because our victory is in Christ.
Question 5:
How has our group helped inspire courage in your life?
LIVE IT OUT
In Christ, we have victory over anything the world throws at us. Choose one of the following applications:
Memorize. Set aside some time each day this week to memorize John 16:33.
Make a list. What difficulties are you facing? Make a list of the pains in your life and write a Bible verse next to each problem that speaks of what you have in Christ.
Encourage another. Who is suffering in your life right now? How can you help them have peace and courage? Give them a call or send them a message of encouragement based upon this session’s truths.
Like Abraham Lincoln, we can’t possibly know what dark days might be ahead of us. Suffering is a constant of the human condition. It’s said all the time, but anyone who isn’t suffering now likely will be soon. Thankfully, we know that Jesus understands suffering. He is acquainted with grief. Let’s remember: the pain is never as powerful as Jesus. Suffering can’t outlast everlasting life. In Jesus, there is always victory.
1 “Letter to John Stuart, Springfield, IL to Washington, DC,” January 23, 1841, Roy P. Basler, ed., Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln (8 vols.), (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1953), 1:229-230.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE SHADOWS
By Jeff Iorg
Shadow Christians are people who work in dimly lit margins, the shadows created by the spotlight shining on others. They are believers who serve quietly, often anonymously, doing the work that keeps churches, families, and communities functioning. Shadow Christians make an impact even when no one knows their names. They care for children, drive friends to the doctor, prepare meals for others to enjoy, give money to sustain ministries, and clean up after meetings. Shadow Christians are the unseen army—millions strong—who take their faith seriously, see themselves as role players in God’s grand plan, and seldom give any thought to being recognized for their service.
You are likely a shadow Christian. You do not have thousands of social media followers or influence anyone by writing a blog. In a celebrity-driven culture, where people are often famous for being famous, you may wonder if your service matters—to other people or even to God. The clear answer from the Bible is yes.
THE ANONYMOUS INSPIRERS
A few years ago, the story of some anonymous preachers in the Bible caught my attention. Their riveting story later motivated me to become a church planter. The Bible says, some “men from Cyprus and Cyrene” (Acts 11:20) arrived in Antioch and started preaching the gospel. The result was the founding of the church at Antioch, which many people consider the most consequential church in the New Testament. This church was so important because it was where the gospel was first preached widely among Gentiles. That was an important breakthrough and set the precedent for global gospel expansion reaching to our generation. Despite the significance of their work, the names of the Antioch founders were not recorded. This led me to a series of questions.
Why are some biblical people named and others not named? Why did Jesus call some by name and leave others in anonymity? Why are some singled out, by name, for relatively inconsequential contributions while others, not named, did things that changed the world?
Answering those questions led me to discover the importance of shadow Christians, believers who make a difference even when no one knows their names. Studying anonymous people in the Bible underscored two truths: God chooses and uses shadow Christians. More personally, this means your behind-the-scenes service matters to God.
AN UNNAMED NURTURER
One unnamed, middle-aged woman in the Bible illustrates this point. We meet her when she was bedridden with a high fever, too weak to greet Jesus when He arrived in her hometown. Her son-in-law, Peter, was one of Jesus’ followers, a rising leader in His kingdom movement, so Jesus stayed at Peter’s house. When Jesus arrived and found Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed, “he touched her hand, and the fever left her” (Matt. 8:15a). What a great moment that must have been! It deserved a big celebration or commemoration—but that’s not what happened.
Peter’s mother-in-law, known in history by her family title but not her name, “got up and began to serve him [Jesus]” (Matt. 8:15b). The details of her service are not included, but a phrase in the narrative hints at what it might have been. After staying at Peter’s house
throughout the day, “when evening came” (Matt. 8:16), Jesus continued His ministry by performing exorcisms and healings. The demands of His evening ministry suggest Peter’s mother-in-law served Jesus by providing meals and a place for rest during the day. Her hospitality helped prepare Him for a long night of demanding ministry encounters. This unnamed woman got up from her sick bed to serve Jesus. She made sure He had food to eat, something to drink, and a comfortable place to rest. After being healed, she didn’t go on the speaking circuit describing her miraculous recovery. She went to the kitchen.
A SILENT SERVER
Inez was in her 70s when she and her husband, Glenn, learned about a church being planted in their area. They were old-school Baptists—hymns and the King James Version were their staples. Yet they also had a Baptist heart for reaching people with the gospel. Inez told me, “We want to help build a church to reach young families.” They joined our contemporary church to serve, not to be served. During worship services, they stood silently when everyone else sang worship songs. They were not protesting; they just did not know the newer songs.
Inez had a skill set and passion, however, every generation appreciates. She knew how to cook, organize events, create a welcoming environment, and make sure everyone had a good time. For several years, until she could not physically do it any longer, she coordinated the hospitality ministry of our growing church. Younger women eventually took over her role, but only after learning from Inez’s example of the importance of hospitality.
Shadow Christians set up the tables, install the décor, prepare the food, serve the meals, wash the dishes, mop the floor, and haul out the trash. The rest of us enjoy the benefits of the hard work of these dedicated servants—like Peter’s mother-in-law and a shadow Christian named Inez.
AND WHOEVER YOU ARE
Beyond this example, you may serve behind the scenes in many other ways. Perhaps you help prepare baptismal candidates, create flower displays for your church sanctuary, care for children during the worship service, or drive the church van to pick up your friends. If the years have slowed your mobility, you still reach out by writing notes to hurting people or making phone calls to those who are homebound. Even though no one may notice your service, God does! He values people who serve in the shadows, making a difference in the lives of others.
Shadow Christians are the invisible army working behind the scenes to make every church and ministry organization successful. If you are in their number (and even if no one else seems to notice), continue to serve with the confidence that your contribution matters and God values your work highly. [LifeWay Adults (2020). (p. 53). Bible Studies for Life: Adult Personal Study Guide - CSB - Spring 2022. LifeWay Press. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]