Tag: follow me
Lose it all and save your life!
Scripture reading for March 31st: Luke 9:7-27
As Jesus was alone with His disciples, He asked them who they believed He was. Peter spoke up, “The Christ of God.” (Luke 9:20) This confession brought a warning from Jesus about His coming suffering, crucifixion and resurrection. Being the Christ of God would lead to some difficult experiences and it would also not be easy for His followers! They would have to make a conscious commitment and really know who He was.
Jesus had some very difficult instructions for those that would follow Him as disciples. Some of His instructions caused them to examine if they were truly willing to follow Him. “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26)
First, His followers must learn to deny themselves and their way of thinking. The world puts ‘self’ first, but Jesus and His followers put God and His will first. This choice is taken, even when it leads to a daily cross! Jesus denied His ‘self” daily in order to follow His Father’s instructions. For Him to experience resurrection, He must be willing to lose His life. His followers must willingly do the same, giving up seeking to gain the world and going for God’s approval instead. This choice would eventually involve martyrdom for each of the disciples except John! (and Judas)
Jesus’ crucifixion would involve shame and great fear of being identified with Him. It would require great faith in Him to continue His work after the crucifixion and resurrection, but the end result would be eternal reward when Jesus returned! As we read this teaching of Jesus, we must consider what it means to lose our life to gain it. Are we willing to lose our plans, possessions, and even possibly our life to serve and follow Jesus? The rewards are eternal for those who willingly chose Christ and take up a cross!
Fishing for Men!
Scripture reading for March 21st: Luke 4:31-5:11
I like to fish when the fish are biting! I hate fishing when all I do is set there and wait with no results! It seems like a waste of time! I have gone fishing numbers of times and caught nothing! I must be God’s gift to fish! However, there is another kind of fishing that never gets boring! This kind of fishing involves the biggest catch of all! Jesus recruited three of His original disciples from the ranks of fishermen to become fishers of men!
In today’s reading, Luke tells the story of Jesus using Simon Peter’s fishing boat as a platform to preach and teach from. The fishermen had toiled all night and were washing their nets as Jesus asked to use their boat. When Jesus was finished teaching, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4-9) These seasoned fishermen did not think that Jesus knew what He was talking about because they had worked all night and caught nothing! But because He asked them, they obeyed and were overwhelmed with a net-bursting catch! They filled both boats so full that they began to sink!
When Peter saw the miraculous catch, he fell at Jesus’ feet and was apologetic for his unbelief! “Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”” (Luke 5:10b-11) The three fishermen dropped everything and left it all to follow Jesus!
Jesus had a plan to catch men for the kingdom of Heaven. He would find men and women who would be willing to follow Him by faith and learn of Him. His ways were different from the world. He took a simple fishing boat and made it a place to preach from. He took simple fishermen and taught them to fish for men! They must be willing to leave their ways and work and follow Him in His way and work! He calls, and they must decide to follow!
Have you heard the call of the Master Fisher of Men? Have you given Him your ‘boat’ to use? Have you come humbly to Him and confessed your sinfulness? Are you willing to leave all to follow Him and learn how to fish for men? The path to the biggest catch of your life will be determined by your response!
The Lamb of God
Scripture reading for May 1st: John 1:29-51
“The next day John (the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the One I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ (John 1:29-30) John the Baptist came calling all people to repent and be baptized in the Jordan river. He had told them that One was coming after him whose sandals he was not worthy to untie. This One would surpass him, and would baptize people with the Holy Spirit. (John 1:26, 33) He also told the people plainly that Jesus was the Son of God! Speaking prophetically, John announced that Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the whole world!
This story of the lamb is richly embedded in the history of Israel. When Abraham and Isaac went up Mt. Moriah to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, Abraham had told his son that the Lord would provide a sacrifice. (Genesis 22:8) As Abraham lifted the knife to slay his son, God stopped him and provided a ram in place of the boy! (Genesis 22:10-13)
On the night of the Passover in Egypt, Moses was instructed to have each family take a lamb without spot or blemish and slay that lamb, catching the blood. With hyssop, the head of each house was to apply the blood to the doorposts and lentils of the house to keep the death angel from taking the firstborn. (Exodus 12:3-12) They were to eat the lamb roasted in fire and with bitter herbs and unleavened bread, ready to travel out of Egypt. This lamb would sustain them and there would be no feeble or sick among them. The lamb would atone for a family!
Once a year, the High Priest, would take a goat and sacrifice it, taking the blood and sprinkling it on the atonement cover inside the Holy of Holies. This was to take place on the Day of Atonement. This goat died to cover the sins and rebellion of the whole nation of Israel. (Leviticus 16:15-17, 34)
Jesus Christ came as the Lamb of God taking away the sins of the whole world! He was the final sacrifice, His blood being offered in Heaven to cover the sins of each person who would repent and believe! (Hebrews 9:6-14) Hallelujah!
Demands of following Jesus!
Scripture reading for April 2nd: Luke 9:51-10:12
“As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51) Jesus was a man on a mission who had a goal in mind. The end of this goal was death by crucifixion, a resurrection and return to His home in heaven. He knew that He must prepare His followers to carry on the mission here on earth of reaching the entire world with the good news of repentance and faith. These disciples must be fully committed and follow His instructions implicitly.
When the disciples went ahead into Samaria to secure a place for Jesus and themselves to stay, they found opposition and rejection in a certain village. When James and John heard about this, they asked Jesus about calling fire down from heaven and destroying that village and people. Jesus rebuked them! Following Jesus was not just a power trip. There would be rejection and suffering. He had not come to judge, but to save!
As they walked along, a man came to Jesus and said, “I will follow you wherever 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.” (Luke 9:57-58) Jesus did not take every person who expressed interest in following Him. He made demands on them and plainly told them of the difficulties of the journey. Following Jesus may require great hardship and physical discomfort to reach those who need to hear the message.
Jesus asked another man they met to follow Him. This man asked for time to bury His father first. It is likely that the father was ill or maybe just old and this man felt the need to care for the father. Jesus told him to let the dead bury the dead and to instead go and proclaim the kingdom of God! Jesus demanded a willingness to leave even family responsibilities to do His will and work!
Another man said he wanted to follow Jesus, but wanted to go say good-bye to his family. Jesus told him, “No one who put his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” When one chooses to follow the Lord there must be no turning back. Fitness for God’s kingdom requires a focus and complete surrender.
Turning loose is hard!
Scripture reading for March 1st: Mark 10:13-31, Psalms 44:8-26, Proverbs 10:20-21
The world and it’s goods have a powerful pull on us. Having things and money bring security that we can control and can use to provide for our needs. But sometimes our grip on material things keeps us from experiencing the best that God wants to give us as we walk by faith in His provision!
Mark records the story of a man who came running to Jesus and fell on his knees to inquire of Him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good–except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'” (Mark 10:17b-19) Jesus pointed the man to his need to keep God’s commandments. This man felt that he had kept these commandments.
Mark records that Jesus looked at the man and loved him. Out of His love, He told the man one more thing that he lacked. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.” (Mark 10:21-22) Jesus put His finger on the idol in this man’s life. His great wealth was hard to turn loose from. It would mean losing his security and ability to live life as he pleased. He would have to trust God to help him. This proved to be too much to let go of for this man.
Jesus went on to comment on this man and others like him. It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom. The disciples were amazed and wondered if anyone could be saved if this was the requirement. Jesus assured them that with God all things were possible! “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields–and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.” (Mark 10: 29-30) You can’t out-give God! He pays very well– if you turn loose!