TUESDAY, MARCH 11 2014 READING: LUKE 9:57-62 MEDITATION: Then finally, we come to the third man in VERSES 61-62, Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” And from Jesus’ conversation with this one we learn that: THE FOLLOWER OF JESUS HAS NO EARTHLY DISTRACTIONS. Again, doesn’t this seem like a reasonable request? Would you deny a soldier going to war one last chance to bid his loved ones farewell? But again, Jesus clearly spells out the cost of following Him. “Sir, you’ve already declared you are ready to follow me - YOU’VE PICKED UP THE PLOW - if you put it down now because of your hankering after your family back home, you’re not fit for the Kingdom of God!” What is Jesus saying? “DON’T LOOK BACK!” When Peter, James and John followed Jesus, they literally “DROPPED” their fishing nets to go after Him. And right when it looked like business was picking up too! (Jesus had just got them a bumper catch!) They went back for nothing. The Master had called. Some have looked back when God called them forward. Let me list some of them for you. LOT’S WIFE. JUDAS ISCARIOT. DEMAS. Is any of them remembered for any GOOD thing? They were not worthy of the Kingdom. If you’re going to follow Jesus, there must be no going back. Another reason why we count the cost FIRST! Another way Jesus put it was like this: “Which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’”. Commenting on those words, JOHN STOTT wrote this: “The Christian landscape is strewn with the wreckage of derelict, half-built towers - the ruins of those who began to build and were unable to finish. For thousands of people still ignore Christ’s warning and undertake to follow Him without first pausing to reflect on the cost of doing so. The result is the great scandal of Christendom today, so-called ‘nominal Christianity’. In countries to which Christian civilization has spread, large numbers of people have covered themselves with a decent, but thin, veneer of Christianity. They have allowed themselves to become somewhat involved; enough to be respectable but not enough to be uncomfortable. Their religion is a great, soft cushion. It protects them from the hard unpleasantness of life, while changing its place and shape to suit their conveniences. No wonder the cynics speak of hypocrites in the church and dismiss religion as escapism.” The true follower of Jesus allows NO EARTHLY DISTRACTIONS. We don’t look back for anything or anyone. Jesus’ words are strong, aren’t they?! Here is what it will cost you to follow after Jesus. In short, it will cost you EVERYTHING. He calls for us to commit ourselves completely to Him, and hold nothing back. And THAT is the picture of the authentic Christian. • The follower of Jesus has NOT EARTHLY SECURITY; NO EARTHLY TIES; and NO EARTHLY DISTRACTIONS. • Jesus said to the first man: “COUNT THE COST”. He said to the second man: “LEAVE IT BEHIND”. And He said to the third man: “DON’T LOOK BACK”. • What’s He saying to YOU today? • Well, you’ve heard the COST of following Jesus. You might well say, “Who then would ever consider following Him?” • Well, perhaps to answer that we should briefly consider the COST OF NOT FOLLOWING HIM! - ETERNAL LIFE; NO GUIDANCE (or meaning) IN THIS LIFE; and NO OPPORTUNITY TO GLORIFY GOD. RESOLUTIONS: • List what you consider to be distractions interfering with your commitment to Christ and the gospel message. • Identify the things or relationships you are willing to leave behind for the sake of Christ and the kingdom of God • Ask the Holy Spirit for courage to be a true disciple of Jesus.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:29:54 +0000
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