12/30/24

The Temptation to Stay in the Comfort of Success

The crowds in Capernaum were growing larger by the day. Word had spread quickly about the teacher who spoke with authority and performed miracles that left even the most skeptical onlookers in awe. For Jesus’ disciples, particularly Simon Peter, these were heady days of excitement and momentum. Each morning brought new faces to their door, seeking healing, wisdom, or simply a glimpse of this remarkable man who had turned their quiet fishing village into a center of unprecedented spiritual activity.

Success, by any measurable standard, was abundant. The synagogue where Jesus taught was packed to overflowing. The sick were being healed. Demons were being cast out. The disciples could feel the energy building as more and more people came to hear their master teach. From their perspective, everything pointed to staying right where they were. After all, isn’t this what ministry success looked like?

Yet in the midst of this apparent triumph, Jesus demonstrated a principle that would challenge our natural understanding of kingdom growth. While the disciples saw the crowds as a sign to stay and build, Jesus saw them as a reminder to go and multiply. The tension between these two perspectives—between settling into successful ministry and pressing forward into new territory—lies at the heart of Jesus’ mission and methodology.

This tension wasn’t just about geography; it was about the fundamental nature of kingdom growth. While large crowds might indicate influence, Jesus understood that real kingdom multiplication wouldn’t come through gathering an audience but through developing disciples. His focus wasn’t on building a following in Capernaum but on finding and training those who would carry His message forward—the ones who would become “fishers of men” in their own right.

For the disciples, this created a profound disconnect between their expectations and Jesus’ actions. They saw the growing numbers as a sign of success; Jesus saw them as a potential distraction from His true mission. They felt the pull to stay and capitalize on the momentum; Jesus felt the urgency to go and find more who would join in the work of kingdom expansion.

This early morning decision in Capernaum would become a defining moment in their understanding of Jesus’ ministry. It would challenge their assumptions about success, growth, and the true nature of kingdom work. More importantly, it would begin to reshape their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus—not just to gather around Him, but to go with Him, even when staying seems more logical, comfortable, or successful.

The Principle Tension: Numerical Growth vs. Filtering for the Obedient Few

In the predawn darkness of Capernaum, Jesus withdrew to a solitary place to pray. This quiet moment would set the stage for a profound lesson about the nature of kingdom growth—one that would challenge both His disciples’ assumptions and our modern understanding of ministry success.

The choice before Jesus appeared simple on the surface. Capernaum had become a center of remarkable ministry activity. The previous evening had seen crowds gathering at Peter’s door, bringing their sick and demon-possessed. Jesus had healed many, and His reputation was spreading rapidly throughout the region. From a strategic standpoint, staying in Capernaum seemed logical, even prudent. The infrastructure for ministry was in place. The people were receptive. The influence was growing. By any conventional metric, this was the perfect place to establish a strong base for His message.

Yet Jesus understood something deeper about kingdom multiplication—a principle that often eludes our growth-focused mindset. True kingdom impact isn’t measured primarily in crowds but in commitment. While thousands might gather to witness miracles or hear teaching, Jesus was filtering for something specific: those who would not just receive His message but reproduce it.

This principle becomes clear in Jesus’ response to His disciples’ urgent plea. When they finally found Him and exclaimed, “Everyone is looking for you!” their words carried the weight of opportunity. Surely this was the moment to consolidate their gains, to build on the momentum they had generated. The crowds were waiting. The platform was established. Success, as they understood it, was within their grasp.

But Jesus’ response must have startled them: “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” In this simple statement, Jesus revealed a fundamental truth about kingdom growth: it happens through movement, not entrenchment. While the crowds in Capernaum might have been larger, Jesus was searching for those who would become movements makers themselves—individuals who would embrace not just His message but His mission.

This tension between gathering crowds and filtering for the obedient few remains one of the most challenging aspects of kingdom work. It’s far easier to count heads than to cultivate hearts. Numbers provide immediate feedback, a tangible measure of impact. But Jesus demonstrated that kingdom multiplication doesn’t follow conventional growth metrics. Instead, it follows the principle of finding and investing in those who will become reproducers themselves.

Consider the implications of Jesus’ approach. While thousands might have gathered in Capernaum, Jesus ultimately invested most deeply in a small group of disciples who would carry His message forward. These weren’t just admirers of His ministry; they were apprentices in His mission. They weren’t content merely to witness His work; they were committed to reproducing it. This small group of devoted followers would eventually have far greater impact than the largest crowd Jesus ever addressed.

This principle challenges our natural inclination toward visible success. It’s tempting to equate larger numbers with greater impact, to see a growing crowd as the primary indicator of effective ministry. But Jesus’ example suggests a different calculus altogether. He was willing to leave a crowd of admirers to find and train future disciple-makers. He prioritized reproduction over retention, multiplication over mere addition.

The lesson for us is clear but challenging: kingdom growth isn’t primarily about gathering larger crowds but about finding and developing those who will carry the mission forward. This doesn’t mean numbers are irrelevant, but it does mean they’re not the primary metric of kingdom impact. The key question isn’t “How many are gathering?” but “Who is willing to go?”

The Disciples’ Dilemma: Excited by the Crowds, Tempted to Stay

Picture the scene that morning in Capernaum: Simon Peter and the other disciples, still energized from the previous evening’s remarkable events, wake to find Jesus gone. The excitement of the past days still courses through them—they’ve witnessed their master perform countless healings, seen demons flee at His command, and watched as their small fishing village transformed into a hub of spiritual activity. Now, people are already beginning to gather again, hoping to see more miracles, to hear more teaching, to experience more of this remarkable man’s presence.

“Everyone is looking for you!” The urgency in Simon’s voice when they finally locate Jesus reveals more than just a message—it unveils the disciples’ heart. These words carry with them all the natural human instincts about success and opportunity. Can’t you hear the underlying message? “Master, this is working! The crowds are growing. Your reputation is spreading. We’ve never seen anything like this in Capernaum. Surely we should stay and build on this momentum!”

Their dilemma was real and relatable. They stood at the intersection of comfort and calling, between the visible success of the present and the uncertain promise of going somewhere new. The crowds represented validation—tangible proof that their decision to follow Jesus had been right. Each new person who arrived seeking Jesus confirmed their own choice and added to their sense of being part of something significant.

Moreover, these weren’t just nameless faces in a crowd. For the disciples, particularly Peter, Andrew, James, and John, these were their neighbors, their friends, perhaps even their family members. The fishing village of Capernaum was their home. They knew these streets, these people, these needs. Staying meant building on established relationships, working within familiar contexts, and seeing immediate impact in their own community.

The temptation to stay ran deeper than mere comfort or familiarity. It touched on their fundamental understanding of what success in ministry should look like. If the goal was to influence as many people as possible with Jesus’ message, wasn’t staying in Capernaum the logical choice? The infrastructure was in place. The reputation was established. The crowds were already gathering. Every practical consideration suggested that staying would yield the greatest results.

Yet Jesus’ response—”Let us go somewhere else”—challenged not just their strategy but their entire framework for understanding kingdom impact. His words must have created cognitive dissonance for the disciples. How could leaving a place of such obvious success be the right choice? Why would they walk away from crowds of eager listeners to seek out new, potentially unreceptive audiences?

This moment perfectly captures the tension between human wisdom and kingdom principles. The disciples, like us, were naturally drawn to visible metrics of success—crowd size, popularity, immediate impact. They could count the numbers. They could see the influence growing. They could feel the momentum building. Everything in their experience would have told them that staying was the right choice.

But Jesus was teaching them—and through them, teaching us—that kingdom impact often requires choices that seem counterintuitive to human wisdom. He was showing them that the path to true multiplication sometimes leads away from apparent success, away from the comfortable and familiar, away from the visible markers of influence that we find so reassuring.

The disciples stood at a crossroads. Would they cling to their natural understanding of success, or would they trust Jesus’ seemingly paradoxical approach to kingdom growth? Would they choose the comfort of staying with the crowds, or embrace the uncertainty of going to find more who would join in the mission?

Their dilemma mirrors our own. How often do we find ourselves tempted to stay where things are working, where success is visible, where comfort is assured? How often do we mistake gathering crowds for making disciples? The disciples’ struggle that morning in Capernaum speaks to every person who has ever had to choose between building on current success and stepping out into new territory for the sake of the kingdom.

Jesus’ Response: The Mission Requires Going, Not Staying

“Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” With these words, Jesus not only answered His disciples’ immediate concern but also revealed a fundamental principle about kingdom advancement. His response wasn’t a rejection of the ministry’s success in Capernaum, but rather an affirmation of a larger, more compelling mission.

Notice the deliberateness in Jesus’ words. He doesn’t say, “Let’s leave because things aren’t working here,” or “The crowds are too demanding.” Instead, He anchors His decision in the very purpose of His coming: “That is why I have come.” This wasn’t a reactive decision based on circumstances; it was a proactive choice aligned with His mission. The success in Capernaum wasn’t a failure to be fled from, but neither was it a destination to be settled into.

Jesus understood something that His disciples were still learning: the kingdom advances through intentional movement, not comfortable settlement. His response reveals three crucial aspects of this kingdom principle:

First, Jesus emphasizes the collective nature of the mission: “Let us go.” This isn’t just about His individual ministry; He’s inviting His disciples into a pattern of kingdom work that they will need to embrace and eventually replicate. He’s training them not just in what to teach, but in how the kingdom spreads—through constant, purposeful movement.

Second, He specifies the direction: “to the nearby villages.” This isn’t aimless wandering but strategic advancement. Each new location represents an opportunity to find and develop more people who will join in the mission. Jesus isn’t just gathering followers; He’s establishing outposts of kingdom influence that will multiply His message.

Third, He articulates the purpose: “so I can preach there also.” The word “also” is significant. Jesus isn’t dismissing the work in Capernaum as unimportant; He’s indicating that the same message needs to reach beyond its current bounds. The gospel is inherently expansive—it demands movement because its very nature is to spread.

This response challenges our natural tendency to build monuments instead of movements. When ministry succeeds in one location, our instinct is to institutionalize that success—to build bigger buildings, establish stronger programs, create more permanent structures. While none of these are inherently wrong, Jesus models a different priority: continuing to move forward to find more people who will carry the mission.

Consider how this plays out in the narrative. Jesus doesn’t delegate the new village ministry to others while staying to manage the growing work in Capernaum. He doesn’t set up a headquarters from which to direct an expanding organization. Instead, He physically goes, taking His disciples with Him, modeling the very multiplication He seeks to produce.

The text tells us that “He traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.” This wasn’t a one-time decision but a pattern of ministry. Each new location became not just a place to preach but a training ground for His disciples. They watched as He repeatedly chose movement over settlement, mission over comfort, multiplication over mere addition.

This pattern would have profound implications for the future of the church. When the disciples later received the Great Commission to “go and make disciples of all nations,” they had already seen this principle lived out in Jesus’ ministry. They had learned that the kingdom advances not through settling and building influence in one place, but through continuing to go, find, and develop more disciples who would do the same.

Jesus’ response that morning in Capernaum thus becomes more than just an answer to the disciples’ immediate concern—it becomes a paradigm for kingdom advancement. His words and actions demonstrate that the mission requires a constant willingness to leave the familiar and successful for the sake of finding more who will join in the work of the kingdom.

Modern Application: The Challenge of Going in Ministry Today

The tension Jesus and His disciples faced in Capernaum resonates powerfully in today’s ministry context. Modern church leaders and missionaries often find themselves wrestling with remarkably similar decisions: When do we expand versus consolidate? How do we balance building stable ministries with maintaining kingdom mobility? What does it mean to “go” in an age of digital connectivity and global reach?

Consider the modern parallels to Capernaum’s situation. A church experiences significant growth, with weekend services filling to capacity. New programs are thriving. The community is responding positively. Resources are flowing in. Every measurable metric suggests success. Then comes the whisper of the Spirit: “It’s time to go.” It might mean planting a new church, launching a missionary effort, or releasing key leaders to start fresh works. Like the disciples, we often find ourselves saying, “But everyone is looking for us here!”

The temptation to stay presents itself in subtle but compelling ways:

First, there’s the pressure of stewardship. Good leaders naturally want to properly manage what God has entrusted to them. The argument sounds reasonable: “Shouldn’t we fully establish this work before starting something new?” Yet Jesus’ example suggests that sometimes the best stewardship involves releasing resources rather than retaining them.

Second, there’s the pull of specialization. Modern ministry often encourages us to find our niche and excel in it. When we find a ministry model that works, the temptation is to perfect it rather than multiply it. We become experts in gathering rather than going, in building rather than sending.

Third, there’s the reality of institutional momentum. As ministries grow, they naturally develop structures, systems, and strategies. These can become so complex and demanding that maintaining them becomes the focus, subtly shifting our energy from multiplication to maintenance.

Yet Jesus’ example challenges these comfortable assumptions. His ministry demonstrates that kingdom impact often requires disrupting success for the sake of multiplication. This principle translates into several key applications for modern ministry:

1. Intentional Sending Must Match Gathering Modern churches must develop sending capacities that match their gathering abilities. This means creating cultures where “going” is celebrated as much as growing, where success is measured not just by who comes but by who goes out. It means structuring ministry so that multiplication isn’t an occasional event but a regular rhythm.
2. Leadership Development Must Prioritize Multiplication Rather than building ministries dependent on a few key leaders, we must invest in developing leaders who expect to be sent out. This shifts training from merely equipping people to serve within existing structures to preparing them to start new works and raise up other leaders.
3. Resource Allocation Must Support Movement Our budgets, buildings, and programs must be structured with multiplication in mind. This might mean choosing flexibility over permanence, mobility over stability, simplicity over complexity. It means asking regularly: “Are our resources primarily supporting gathering or going?”
4. Success Metrics Must Be Redefined We need ways to measure effectiveness that value multiplication over mere addition. Instead of just counting attendance, we should track:

• How many new churches are starting
• How many disciples are making disciples out of the lost as we track baptisms
• How many generations of churches are being formed
• How many new areas are being reached

5. Ministry Models Must Embrace Disruption Like Jesus leaving Capernaum, healthy multiplication often means disrupting what’s working for the sake of what could be. This requires creating ministry models that expect and embrace regular sending, even when it affects current success.

The challenge for modern ministry leaders is to build works that are simultaneously stable enough to be effective and mobile enough to multiply. This means developing:

• Systems that support both gathering and sending
• Leaders who see themselves as temporary stewards rather than permanent fixtures
• Congregations that expect to be stretched through regular multiplication efforts
• Resources that can be readily deployed for new works

Perhaps most challenging is the need to embrace the discomfort that comes with kingdom multiplication. Going will always feel riskier than staying. Starting new works will always strain existing resources. Sending out leaders will always disrupt current ministry. Yet Jesus’ example suggests that this discomfort isn’t just an unfortunate byproduct of kingdom work—it’s often a necessary catalyst for kingdom advancement.

The question for modern ministry leaders isn’t whether these tensions will arise, but how we’ll respond when they do. Will we, like Jesus, be willing to leave places of success for the sake of kingdom multiplication? Will we build ministries that value sending as much as gathering? Will we measure success not by how many stay but by how many go?

Muddy Boots Passes on The Platform to Search for the Obedient Few

In that predawn moment in Capernaum, when Jesus chose to leave the crowds and seek new territory, He established a pattern that would forever challenge our assumptions about kingdom growth. His decision wasn’t just about geographical movement—it was about the fundamental nature of how God’s kingdom advances in this world.

The principle is both clear and challenging: true kingdom multiplication happens not through gathering crowds but through finding and developing the obedient few who will carry the mission forward. This truth confronts our natural inclinations in several important ways:

First, it challenges our metrics of success. While we instinctively measure impact through numbers—attendance, programs, budgets—Jesus demonstrated that kingdom success is measured primarily through multiplication. The key question isn’t “How many are gathering?” but “Who is becoming a goer?” This shift in measurement requires us to look beyond immediate results to generational impact, beyond addition to multiplication.

Second, it redefines the meaning of faithful ministry. Jesus’ example shows that faithfulness sometimes means leaving places of apparent success for the sake of finding more who will join in the mission. This can feel counterintuitive, even irresponsible, to our human wisdom. Yet the ultimate fruit of Jesus’ ministry wasn’t found in the crowds He gathered but in the disciples He developed—the ones who would carry His message to the ends of the earth.

Third, it reveals the true nature of kingdom growth. Like a seed that must be scattered rather than hoarded, the gospel message grows not through accumulation but through distribution. Jesus’ willingness to leave Capernaum demonstrates that kingdom impact often requires releasing rather than retaining, sending rather than settling.

The implications for modern ministry are profound. We must build churches and ministries that:

• Value sending as much as gathering
• Celebrate those who go as much as those who come
• Measure success by multiplication rather than mere addition
• Structure themselves for mobility rather than just stability
• Prioritize developing goers over maintaining programs

As we conclude, we return to that pivotal moment in Capernaum. The crowds were growing. The ministry was succeeding. Everything pointed to staying. Yet Jesus chose to go, modeling for His disciples—and for us—that kingdom advancement requires constant movement toward finding and developing more who will join in the mission.

The question before us is the same one that faced the disciples that morning: Will we embrace Jesus’ pattern of kingdom multiplication? Will we build ministries that prioritize going over staying, sending over settling, multiplication over mere addition? The answer to these questions will largely determine whether our ministries become monuments to past success or movements that advance God’s kingdom.

For in the end, the greatest fruit of any ministry isn’t found in the crowds we gather but in the disciples we develop—not in those who simply come to us, but in those who learn to go for Him.