"To Follow Jesus"
"He said to another man, 'Follow me.'"
Many people, out of a desire to find true spiritual depth and meaning in life, end up "looking for God in all the wrong places," usually to find themselves burned in the end.
Where are people looking?
- alternative religions/medicines
- psychic hot-lines
- cults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .} attract with big
- "church of the month" . } promises/claims
In every person's heart, God puts a desire for people to find Him; to know Him. This desire is with us through all our lives. We search in countless ways to find that peace, that soul experience which will give us deep satisfaction, perfect bliss. In their search to find "God" so many people turn to the wrong things (only some of which are mentioned above)to satisfiy this embeded desire.
But let's say you have found Jesus and have accepted Him as your Lord and Savior. What now? What does it mean to "Follow Him"?
I Corinthians 14:8
"...if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?"
Has the Church failed to proclaim the message clearly? Let me give you some misconceptions about following Jesus before we look at what it meand to follow him.
MISCONCEPTIONS about what it means to "follow Jesus":
1. First misconception: Jesus endorses my opinions, prejudices, and conclusions!
Luke 9:53-55...
"...but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, 'Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?' But Jesus turned and rebuked them..."
- "Their Faith based on" = "Jesus and me"....This misguided concept, teaches that Jesus will do what "I" believe is the best thing. As an example, if "I" say that white people are superior to black people and Jews have no right to be here then Jesus will agree and help me to change things to exclude those types of people from whatever it is I am involved with. After all "I have faith in Jesus", and "I am following what he would want me to do," and "he wouldn't let me down now, would he."
How sick! This is how the KKK, White supremist groups and other distored groups have gained momentum. They feel that God is on their side. When in reality, they are farther from the truth than Pluto is from the Sun.
Two most frequently misused passages of the Bible of this miisconception:
Romans 8:28
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
And
I Corinthians 1:27
"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
A most overlooked or neglected passage in the Bible:
II Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."
2. Second misconception: Jesus will make me healthy, wealthy, and happy!
Luke 9:57-58...
"As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, 'I will follow you whereever you go.' Jesus replied. 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.'"
- "Their Faith" = "Come to Jesus and get stuff"...Unfortunately, many people think that Jesus will give them the 'toys' they desire which ,sadly, is nothing more than materialism. If they desire to have a nice boat or a car, they think that... "if as long as I believe in Jesus and I am good, he will provide me with those things that I want."
Most frequently misused passages of the Bible under this misconception:
Matthew 21:22
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
This means to some that if I pray for wealth, I get rich; if I pray for health, I'll never get sick. etc.
And
I Peter 2:24
"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness...."
Since Jesus died for my sins , I guess I can kep on sinning and it won't matter because he has forgiven me.
Most overlooked or neglected passages in the Bible:
I John 5:14
"This is the confidence we have in approoaching God: that is we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."
And
I Peter 2:21
"To thie you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."
Misconception Number
3. Following Jesus is easy, convenient, and neat!
Luke 9:59-62...
"He said to another man, 'Follow me.'
But the man replied, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.'
Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.'
Still another said, 'I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.'
Jesus replied, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'"
- "Their Faith" = "Just do your best, when you can!" We are not to do just the best we can at the most convenient time for us. We are to give our all and let Him work out the details.
Two most frequently misused passages of the Bible:
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
And
Matthew 11:30
"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Two most overlooked or neglected passages in the Bible:
Luke 9;23
"Then he said to them all; 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"
And
Luke 14;27
"And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."
The term "DISCIPLE" does not imply a casual, low effort "student", but a disciplined, dedicated and devoted person who adheres to the task of learning and doing.
"So What?
"What does it mean to follow Jesus
1. Following Jesus starts at the cross:
a. His cross - atonement implies personal sinfulness.
b. My cross - self denial, discipline, death to self -daily
Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
2. Following Jesus leads to the Word:
II Timothy 3:16-17
"All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equiped for every good work."
John 17:17
"Sanctify them by the truth: your word is truth."
3. Following Jesus is a daily commitment:
Luke 9:23
"Then he said to them all; 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"
Luke 9:62
"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Amen
God Bless you!
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