Going Over The Top

In World War I military trenches were used to protect fighters from more modern weapons like machine guns and artillery. It was very risky to go ‘over the top’ and advance in trench warfare because defenders held the advantage. Even successful attacks against entrenched positions often resulted in severe casualties, which is why the front remained relatively static for much of World War I.

In many ways, Jews were 'entrenched' against the proclamation of Jesus’ good news. They understood who they were because of their ethnicity, culture, and religious practices like circumcision as taught in the Law of Moses. They also understood who they weren’t because of what they didn’t do: live like gentiles, eat unclean foods… They hoped the Messiah would be a political and military leader who would kick out the Romans, so the idea of a crucified Messiah made no sense to them. For Jews, following Jesus was like going over the top because it meant exposing their identity and hope to total transformation. For this reason, many Jesus followers were persecuted or killed by Jews who felt the unstoppable advance of God’s kingdom was a terrible threat to them.

As we see this increasing entrenchment against the gospel, we read the story in Acts 10 of the most unlikely person to be transformed by it: a Roman centurion named Cornelius. He represented the great enemy of the Jews because his job was to crush any signs of their political and military hopes. But it says he and his family were righteous, devout, and God-fearing, praying regularly and giving generously. When God called him to send for Peter, he went over the top to bring the good news of Jesus to his family and friends and be totally transformed by it, no matter how this affected his own identity and hopes.

Listen here to Patrick talking about the story of Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10-11 and how we must become un-entrenched in our own identity and hopes to receive all God has for us.