"As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "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." 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." Luke 9:57-62 (niv)
What does this Scripture tells us that is divinely important!?
C O M M I T M E N T !
A man with a dying father said that he would follow Jesus wherever He goes. Then Jesus explained that He's always on travel and does not stay in one place. Then the man "changed his mind" giving Jesus an excuse that he couldn't follow because his father was dying. This doesn't mean Jesus doesn't care about his father, he cares if something will lead a man from seeing Jesus as the Lord! Jesus Himself attended funerals. Another man wanted to follow Jesus but he must remain with his family a little more longer before he makes a decision when he will follow. Would Jesus wait for them? The FIELD IS RIPE FOR HARVEST and time is critical here!
Curious, do you picture yourselves like these two men? Are you so tied up with activities or mixed priorities that keeps you away from the place of assembly? Have you not only set a bad example to yourselves, but to your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and friends in the world?
"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:25 (niv)
Come to think of this interesting thought. Suppose Jesus appeared on the Sunday morning we're at church to worship God but another "Christian or two" are either doing nothing but sitting at home or busy with your children's activities on Sunday or teeing off with your friends (you are teaching your kids and friends that worship on Sunday is a choice!), or hundreds of other excuses, how would you feel? How can you explain your actions? You have given up meeting with other Christians in worship. Where's the habit? Where's the encouragement? Here are a couple of thought I received from the "uncommitted":
1. Too busy or tired with work or school
2. Rather do some work around the house
3. Rather go shopping
4. Christ is important, not the church
5. Rather sleep in; I overslept; I forgot to turn on my alarm
6. Weekly attendance is not important
7. Jesus doesn't expect me to attend
8. Guest visiting for the weekend
9. Hard to form a habit of assembling
10. Regular attendance causes family tension; my kids drives us up the wall!
11. Those in attendance are not my kind of people; don't get along with anyone
12. No one cares about me; no one is interested in me
13. I must work on Sunday
14. Too far to drive; gas price is high so can't waste it on my trip to church (save for other important trips)
"They follow the Lamb wherever he goes." Revelation 14:4 (niv)
"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." Galatians 2:20 (niv)
Do you have Jesus' sandals? If so, you're allowing Jesus to lead your life what He wants to do. Or does Jesus have to put his feet in your shoes and tell you which way is the way to go? It will be very uncomfortable. Christians will see one who is either 'committed' or 'uncommitted'. No matter how many times a fellow and faithful brother or sister try helping and encouraging other weak Christian, God knows what lies in the heart of such person. As James say, we must have working faith! Christians must not reject the words of Christ for the Word of God is the judge on those who misbehave and walk a faithless life. (John 12:48) Christians must surrender their all. A committed life to Christ does not come by accident. It is a life that is purposefully lived. We must realize that we must surrender our wills to the will of God. Look at this awesome verse Paul wrote to selfish Christians in Galatia!!
"Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves. The two are against each other, so you cannot do just what you please." Galatians 5:17 (ncv)
You cannot do what your friends please. You cannot do what your boss please. You cannot do what your kids please. You cannot do what you please. Otherwise, any excuses you make will NOT work on Jesus! Believe me, He knows! Now, that's up to you!
Before I close, I want to assure you that no one is, in no way, perfect in this world. Only God and His Son, Jesus is perfect! It is only Christ that perfects us if we allow Him. I can be such an idiot or an ignorant person at times but thank God for our weaknesses! They help us become increasingly stronger day by day!
3 comments:
I see one or two of my excuses listed here. :) Yet, like you said, we are not perfect. I think it is common knowledge that we humans will NEVER be fit to wear Jesus' sandals ... NEVER ... but we can do our best in being as committed and consistent as we can. One thing I thank God for .. is my attitude about driving far to church. I no longer complain, "it's too far to drive". Gas prices have gone WAY up yet I still intend to keep driving about 35 miles each way to and from church EVERY Sunday. I admit I fail to attend Wed night bible classes due to heavy rush hour traffic from DC to Fairfax, but that's no excuse ... sigh. We all know what Jesus want and we try our best to make Him happy. It's up to us to be more and more like Jesus. We can only do our BEST. I myself feel guilty whenever I don't show up on Sunday at church. But I know that we always have a chance to repent with a true and open heart and be forgiven.
Monica
Monica,
In some ways, you're right that you will never live the life Jesus lived - sin-free.. However, Jesus said, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS." Matthew 11:29 (nas)
Philippians 2:5 clearly says that our attitude should be the "same" as that of Christ Jesus.
To help you and the rest of the bloggers understand, I have a way of putting Jesus' sandals near me everywhere I go. It is more like a "WWJD - What Would Jesus Do?" Perhaps, I ought to create a new necklace (patented by the Lowensteins' ;)) For instance,
I prefer to sleep in and miss church, but if I put myself in Jesus' sandals, He would definitely get up and go!
I begin to be fueled with anger inside me that I want to choke someone, but if I put myself in Jesus' sandals, He would maintain composure and leave the situation in God's hands (and try to reconcile/resolve difficult issues).
I am making other plans that seems more important than church (don't have a choice or cannot avoid it). But what would Jesus say? I desire to please My Father in Heaven. Didn't Satan tempt Jesus if he worshipped him (Satan), he would give Jesus the world? Jesus said, "Worship God only!"
Like WWJD, I use Jesus' Sandals to help me hear what Jesus would do, what He would say, how He would react, what decisions are the best (according to His will), etc..
Once you prevail against most of your weaknesses, you'll feel great and free with the strength of the Lord doing His will! Praying for you and all the bloggers. Pray for me, also!
Mark:
Can you elaborate the word, "I attend church of Christ within" and I attend churches that are not build by hands.
As I read the scripture that the church is within you and the temple is also within you as well. These words tells us that the church is within us and that is where we find the light of God within us as well.
How is it different from the church within and a building?
Suppose I pray to God and Jesus daily from the church within and how is it different from praying inside the building on Sunday's and Wednesday's?
We all are spirit beings and this is what God said "I created you i my image" and most christians assume it mean flesh (human body) also when Jesus said, "My father and I are one" means we all are one in spirit, correct?
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