19And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? Reject us. New Heart English Bible It happened, while he was in one of the cities, look, there was a man full of leprosy. … No necessary beliefs or behaviors. Well, I’m not so sure it’s either right or wrong. Of Love. At the end of our lives here on earth, we all want to hear God say: “well done, good and faithful servant”, Strengthen your “Jesus’ values” by reading the Bible regularly, especially the New Testament. Spiral out of our control. Matthew 8:1-3. Follow Him even when things are difficult. Some people want to follow Jesus but only partially. What is the application of this extreme language? He can lead you into a better, hope filled, and blessed life. Jesus’ call of followship is superseded every earthy call. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Jesus first tells the man to keep the commandments, which the young man says he has always done. Are You Willing To Answer The Call?. We are told to pray because God is listening to every sincere prayer, even if the method or the words are not perfect! Some want to come to Him to please someone else. In Jesus’ last words before going back to heaven, we hear this call to His followers: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. none is good, save one, that is, God. Because Jesus is the Lord of creation, we must follow Him. Be clean!” Mark 1:41 Link When Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount, the crowds were … What it means to follow Jesus today. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you for it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.”. This is a signal to us: if you join Jesus on the way to Jerusalem, you may not have a place to stay. “Follow me” The Good News is, Jesus does not abandon us. What God will not do is force us to be obedient to the call. Or you can "save" your life for your own agenda and lose your soul at the same time. 'One thing you lack,' he said. There are a lot of different directions to turn in your life, but you have to be careful to make the right one. Second Timothy 3:12 says, "Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." This young man religiously followed the commandments, but was short in one area that Jesus specifically pointed out: riches. Are we willing to “cut off” people who are bad influences? Me speaking in real life - which is absolutely terrifying for me!! Actually, this isn’t quite how it happened. We “fish” for people because all should have the joy of walking through this life knowing God’s love! Yes it hurts to fight off addictions and make those changes in life. That Jesus is Lord over creation is evident in the fact that He rode on an unbroken colt. I’ve never done drugs, but I can tell you that the unconditional love of … As a Christian you believe that Jesus Christ is the only Son of God, who died on the cross in your place to take away your sins – and to remove the barrier that sin has created between God and you (Col 1:20, 2:13-15). Are you willing to leave the things you think or want your life to be about? It is God’s job to equip us, and He promised to do that (Hebrews 13:20-21). In other words, you don't have forever to come to your senses. Because He is the Lord of authority, we must follow Him. No compulsory consent to creeds. “Love your neighbor” is the new “don’t judge”. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.” Final. But the bible says "Whether you turn to the right or left, your ears will hear a voice behind you… You can’t hold onto “old life” i. Jesus said in Luke 9:23, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." Topic: Jesus Christ is willing, but are you willing? Levi, in this scripture portion, left ALL and rose up and followed him. "Jesus looked at him and loved him. Because that is what he expects you to do. He teaches us to regulate our hearts but also to take extreme measures to AVOID sinning. As Jesus was coming down from the mountain and as the multitudes were following him down the … By Eric King. Either you can submit to Him willingly now and be blessed, or on the day of judgment you will be forced to submit to Him and be condemned. Sadly, this is the biggest obstacle for many Christians. You may be rejected. Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in … a. Jesus tells the man that the dead will bury their own dead. To truly follow Christ means we do not follow anything else. Immediate. –“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Willingness is the number one thing God needs from you and me. Best news ever: God knows all your needs and intends to give those to you before you even ask! We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. What are we willing to do to prevent sin in our lives? Repent Through His teaching, Jesus tells us the Kingdom is worth more than all we possess. Confess me: I will confess you before my Father in heaven. You only have this life. Jesus speaks to you “I am willing. Be willing to obey and submit. Father, if you will equip me, I am willing to be used by you. No conditions. In Jesus’ name, amen. Because we choose to walk His path. I’m addicted to the love of God. Some want to come to Him during crisis. He came down from heaven to die, not for the weather or to give us investment advice, but for OUR SINS. Cutting off the hand? We studied in yesterday’s devotional that the number one reason we fish for people is because Jesus told us to. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you for it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.”. Our “nets” represent our priorities, the things we think are important. Either you or someone you know has “struggled” with some sin for YEARS. Are you willing to follow Jesus? Painful. 2. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). September 25, 2018 September 24, 2018 by Guest Author. Luke 18:18-30. No signing on the dotted line. Are we? I will be ready today to represent you to my world. Plucking out the eye? God waits for your answer! 2. Once you have made the decision to follow Jesus, you can become one of His disciples. Three times we read the word "follow" to describe what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Follow (without) your heart. Verse 57, "I will follow you." Are you willing to leave the things you think or want your life to be about? The treasure in the parables relates to the Kingdom of heaven. (pause) The Risen Son beckons me to focus on Him and follow Him He reminded His disciples, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first" (John 15:18). If you keep that up, you may peek out that window again and find that He has moved on to those who are more receptive. Be prepared to endure hardship. It is God’s job to make us fruitful, and He promised to do that as well (John 15:5). Jesus was addressing sinful behaviors that all begin in the heart and work their way out through the body. Put the knives down please and back away from the eye-pluckers. Losing or Gaining Your Soul 9:25. No requirements. Follow me: I will make you a fisher of men. Are you willing to follow Jesus? God waits for your answer! In Mark 10:17-22 we find a rich young man approaching Jesus to ask if he can follow Him. To follow Him. You can "lose" it to Jesus and be saved. Make an investment in eternity by giving up those people, products and practices that bring about sin in our lives. Are you willing to submit your destructive ways to Him and follow Him? “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”. At this point it is interesting to note that Luke’s version is different … ! But sometimes you have to ask yourself and see what you are willing to do. In these passage of scriptures, we read about how Jesus had come down from the mountain after he had finished preaching his famous sermon that is know as the “Sermon on the mount” according to Matthew 5 through 7. While preaching the Sermon on the Mount, The Lord made a stunning statement in Matthew 5:29-30. 1. Trust me: I will take you to be with me. Eventually, the disciples learned that they weren’t just following a rabbi—Jesus was the promised Messiah. Make absolutely NO SENSE. Father, if you will equip me, I am willing to be used by you. Learn how your comment data is processed. He was willing to be cut off from the land of the living for us. In Matthew 9:37-38 we read the words of Jesus (speaking to His disciples): “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Jesus is serious about the effects of sin. Come to me: I will never drive you away. But necessary. Luke 13:34-35) we find some of the saddest words found in all of the Bible, ―O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones Declare Jesus as Lord But we must decide if we would rather give up a little now or give up everything later. 1 Three Common Reasons Why People Are Not Willing To Follow Jesus Mark 11:27-33 Introduction: 1) In Matthew 23:37-39 (cf. Obey me: I will give you the Holy Spirit. The Lord had come to teach them about himself, and they were going to help establish his kingdom. Before you follow Jesus, reflect on these 10 important considerations: 1. The call of Jesus was this: “Hey Levi, you want to come along?” That’s it. The Pharisees were good examples of those who were trying to … It hurts to let go but it hurts worse to stay. Required fields are marked *. By Rodney W. Francis Throughout the ages the call has gone out for labourers to enter the harvest field of the Lord. When he saw Jesus, he bowed down with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." If we want to follow Jesus too, we have to recognize him as more than a great teacher. Luke 5:28: And he left all, rose up, and followed him. Better yet, who and what are we willing to “cut off” in order to protect our minds and bodies from sin? Now we are ready to see more clearly what is happening in our text, verses 56-62. It just is. Receive me: You will see and share my glory. PRAYING AND SHARING THE TRUE WORD OF GOD TO ALL PEOPLES FOR THEIR SALVATION. It is not difficult to understand Jesus’ instructions, but the task is very difficult! But is this the best reason to follow Jesus. How far are you willing to go to follow Jesus? Pastor Ben Walls is retired, formerly the senior pastor at Brighton Nazarene Church in Brighton, Michigan. Like the first believers, be sure to take a day to gather with other believers to worship our Lord and Savior Jesus, Don’t let your past sins shame you but do let them remind you that it is only by God’s mercy that you are forgiven, God has made us a promise that He will never let our temptations be so strong that we can’t defeat them. 2. Your email address will not be published. Are we now willing to cut off sinful thoughts, people, places, products and practices for him? “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared”. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I will be ready today to represent you to my world. He then asks Jesus whether there is anything he still lacks. Are you ready to give up everything to follow Jesus? At the very end, he says, "If you're not willing to give up your possessions to follow me, don't try to be my disciple." Following Jesus – Can I be a disciple? While preaching the Sermon on the Mount, The Lord made a stunning statement in Matthew 5:29-30. They realized the value of the treasure. https://www.intouch.org/read/blog/9-characteristics-of-a-follower-of-jesus Jesus’ followers are to mimic Jesus… When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and begged him, saying, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean." Are we on the brink of a new Restoration? Are we willing to “pluck ourselves” away from seedy and sinful places? Yes, it hurts to distance yourself from old friends who don’t want to do right. Deciding what you believe about who Jesus is, is the first step towards knowing and loving God. Goes against the status quo. Only after completing these seven steps is Levi ready to follow Jesus. Or even, When we are rejected by others. If your answer is yes to these questions, you have the opportunity to surrender it all to Him. The self-centered life of the fall (Gen 3) is replaced by Kingdom-centered, Spirit-filled service to others. Jesus told His followers, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10). Extreme. Does it really take that long to change? Are we willing to stay away from “those” situations that cause us to stumble? They were willing to sell everything, even doing it with joy, because they realized what they were getting. Are you willing to follow Jesus’ priorities and do all He asks you to do in influencing people to become Jesus’ followers? So what is the meaning? Sign up to receive email notification for new posts: Post was not sent - check your email addresses! No. 2. He waits for us to leave our nets and follow Him. BUT seriously thank You God for using us in our wea... Something a little different for you! You may not be popular. Plucking out eyes and cutting off hands will not solve a lusting or stealing problem. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Are you truly willing to give up your own children, even your own life, to follow Jesus? But tells us. There is the clear call to you and me. 18And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? This group, in other words, represents those who were willing to follow Jesus for a time but when they realized that following Him entailed suffering and persecution, “they fall away.” Are you willing to follow Jesus’ priorities and do all He asks you to do in influencing people to become Jesus’ followers? It does if we never DECIDE to do what the Lord said and begin the painful process of cutting and plucking. As the disciples demonstrated, no one can follow Christ by the strength of his own willpower. And oh, those toxic relationships that never end but should have been ended 2 weeks after they started. View all posts by Pastor Ben Walls Sr →, Your email address will not be published. causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. ii. There is no such thing as a "halfway disciple." Are you prepared to endure hardship for Christ’s cause? In Matthew 19:21-22, “Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’. It’s called a decision. Following Jesus does not mean you live independently from his example and instruction. He was a tax collector at the time when Jesus … One of the key elements of Christianity is being open and willing to share your faith with others, but the practical way of doing that is often a struggle.