Saturday, March 24, 2012
not a fan.
Am I a fan or follower of Christ?
Most of my life to this point has been spent as a “fan” of Christ. One who knows about God, likes the idea, perhaps considers him or herself saved, but never truly understands the cost of following Christ.
Unfortunately, this probably describes a lot of modern believers. We understand our sinful nature and need for salvation, but we assume that is all that is necessary. But never is that what Christ teaches.
Often, Christ is approached by men who want to follow him, but on terms they decide. However, Jesus replies, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62) Never does Christ condone halfhearted commitments or partial followers. Rather, he spends him time developing disciples that his church can be built on. Peter is described as the rock, the foundation of the church, because he is committed so fully to Christ by the end of the ministry.
What Christ asks, therefore, is for us to “define the relationship”. He often preaches counting the cost of being a disciple—Jesus wants us to know what we’re getting ourselves into, but he also wants us to know the extent to which he demands devotion. In Luke 14, Jesus uses two examples, a builder and a commander, to illustrate “counting the cost.” A builder would not begin a project unless he is certain that he has the materials and money to complete it. Similarly, a commander will not go into battle unless he is confident in his ability to win. In the same way, it is important to understand the depth of commitment that Christ demands, or else you will drain yourself and be lost.
You cannot go into a relationship with Christ half-heartedly, or try to live with mixed commitments. The Bible is full of people unwilling to fully commit to Christ, those who feel that their lives are “good enough.” One such individual is the rich young ruler of Matthew 19. He approaches Jesus and asks what good deeds are necessary to live forever. This is a man who has followed the commandments and lives a “good life.” On top of that, he’s successful, and believed to be blessed by God. But Jesus tells him that in order to be saved, he must sell all of his possessions and give his money to the poor. Unable to commit to something so drastic, the man exits, sad.
Jesus says to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24). The man they encountered is one who finds his worth through his power and prosperity. The fact that he goes away sad shows that he is unable to fully follow Jesus, because of his allegiance to success.
Revelation 3:15-17
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
Individuals such as the rich young ruler and the Pharisees Jesus often encountered are some of the “lukewarm” referred to. Those who see themselves as good, and possibly feel as though they have earned heaven because of righteous deeds they have committed. In reality, rather than being good, they are not following God’s commands at all. They have not counted the cost of following Christ.
What makes that worse than being hot or cold? To be hot is to be a true follower of Christ. On the other hand, to be cold is one whose lifestyle is clearly contrary to the goodness of God. There is no doubt that that individual is not a follower of Christ, and probably not a fan either. But to be lukewarm is to be blind. It is to be more lost than a “cold” individual because of the assumption of eternal life without the life transformation of the cross.
So what then does it look like to follow Christ? For the rich young ruler it was to give up his wealth for Jesus’s sake. For others it may be giving up relationships or stability, but that simply depends on the person.
“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 hi, ‘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 goodbye 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).
Each individual has something holding them back, something that Christ is asking them to give up for his sake. The problem for many is that this command seems heartless, “How can I be asked to give up on people?” The problem with this is that we cannot understand God’s plan. He says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Isaiah 55:8). The world’s idea of serving others is often rooted in pride, the need for public image, or the self-centered idea of earning righteousness. Christ asks us to give this up. Turn from yourself to him. Once we do that, his command is this: “Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13). He asks us to die to ourselves so that we can serve him, and through him selflessly serve others. It is a difficult choice to make. It is going against the world’s ideas of success and fulfillment, choosing a path contrary to what many will understand.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
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