What Jesus Did! 'Folding Under Fire' — Mark 4:16-17

So many of us can get excited about new things, especially new spiritual undertakings. Unfortunately, when the going gets tough, we can become discouraged and give up. Self-discipline is just not a prominent characteristic of some people. In any event, people will find difficulty awaiting them when they first respond to Jesus. There is no way to avoid this difficulty. At the very least, these new believers will find themselves in a culture clash as the values of the Kingdom conflict with the values of the world around them. Often times, the world around new Christians pushes back. Sometimes it is overt persecution. Other times, it is that incessant ridicule or condescension that gets to them. Since Jesus faced a time of trial for 40 days after his baptism, we must know that new followers of Jesus will face trials too. Persecution isn't an option for most believers! ^[1] That persecution and the temptations that new Christians face are reasons that we, as Jesus' disciples, have been told to share each other's burdens and help the weak. ^[2]