An Army of One

The army came up with a slogan a few years ago "An Army of One". The commercials were always people doing extraordinary things on their own because of their job in the army. It made me think of some stories in the Bible where men of faith were all alone and still managed to glorify God in their lives. These stories in no way encourage us to try to be disciples on our own because God stresses unity and Jesus prays for it, but these men of faith were alone in their area and still fought the fight and were rewarded with life even when God wiped out all life.
Story 1: Lot
Setting: Sodom and Gomorrah
Neighbors: Sinful beyond belief. Even to the point of wanting to sexually assault the visiting angels.
Background: Lot was Abraham's brother. Abraham approached God after hearing about God's plans to wipe out Sodom and Gomorrah. Here is his request:

Genesis 18:26 The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."
27 Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?"
"If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."
29 Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?"
He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."
30 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?"
He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
31 Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?"
He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it."
32 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?"
He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."

Result: God wiped out the cities because there were not even 10 faithful, but spared Lot and family because of his faithfulness. The sad part was that Lot was alone in his righteousness. Although there had been an outcrying to God from many, Lot was the only life spared. Even his wife, after her life was spared, disobeyed God by looking back at her life in that sinful city and was killed.
Story 2: Noah
Neighbors: The whole world had grieved God because of their evil

Genesis 6:5-8 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

Result: The whole world of humans was rebuilt through Noah and family.
In both of these stories, God found one righteous in the many. He found men of character who would stand up and be who he asked them to be even when no one around them would. Noah had to spend years building the ark. What do you think his neighbors felt? How do you think he felt as they (likely) ridiculed him while he knew he was doing GOD'S work? How do you think God felt when he had to wipe out mankind? The passage about Noah said God was grieved. I only use that word when someone dies. I'd imagine he felt much pain over the fact that he had to do what he had to do. He saw that man was sinful and unwilling to turn to him. He had to do something.
What does all this mean for us today?
Jesus' calling is radical. So radical that only a few were faithful after his death.
Does anyone know how many?
Look at Acts 1:15

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)

Jesus probably healed more than 120 and we know he fed and was followed by over 5,000. Why do you think there were so few?
Jesus' teachings are radical. Do you believe that? Have you let our country's lazy view of God and his expectations of us cloud your idea of righteousness? Don't be fooled! God won't be mocked. He sees how we live and is not fooled by outward appearances. He is fully aware of the ways we fall short and the excuses we make for them.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

People will believe anything that is confirmed by another. Are you willing to let your life rest on the testimony of people around you? Are you willing to invest the time in the Bible you must to truly understand all that God is calling you to to please him?

Matthew 7:13-14 13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Jesus warns us that few will even find the road much less walk it. We must put in our best effort to be one of the few. Are you willing to dig into God's Word to save yourself and the lost around you? Lots of students here that you see every day are not going to make the ark. Are you going to work to get them on it? Let's be our own army of one and make a difference for God in the lives around us. We can leave a lasting impression on this world if we do things God's way!! Please work with us! Please help us! We have personal Bible studies aimed at equipping each member of the group with the tools necessary to help us and those around us find God. Please talk with the person who invited you for more information!