How much did Jesus require from His followers?
Well that’s a loaded question! lol.
There are many answers to it too….so much of the answer depends on where you are in your walk with the Lord. Heck, Paul said “I count it all but POO POO that I might gain the excellency of Christ” (I so wanted to type the “S” word there…..the translation is “Dung” and lets face it, the “S” word is far more powerful that poo poo or dung)
But what about for the dude who lives down the street and doesn’t know Christ at all? What if he was a homosexual, or a drug dealer? What if he was a pornographic film maker, the least of the least to us, who for some reason feel the undeniable right to judge all men in the sight of Christ, even though He never gave us that right?
Take Matthew’s example. (you know, the guy who the first book of the New Testament was named after)
Matthew was a Jewish tax collector. Which means he was given the right by the Romans, who were the current oppressing government, to steal from his OWN people. Matthew WAS the least of the least. He knew it, the Romans knew and Matthew’s neighbors knew it.
Jesus met Matthew and simply said, “Will you follow me?”
He also ate at Matthew’s house. Hung out with Matthew’s friends and lets face it, if you are the “least of the least” who are your friends gonna be? YIKES.
Will you follow me?
Jesus didn’t look at Matthew and say, “Wow dude, you got a lot going on. I love you and all, and I desire to have a relationship with you, BUT….you have a lot of baggage! First, you are going to need to cut your hair. Next,…those so called “friends” of yours?…..yeah, you are gonna have to separate yourself from them completely. I mean, you cannot EVER talk to them again. I can’t have you claiming to follow me and be down with those losers. Your job?…..yep, it’s got to go too. Let’s face it Matthew, in your current state, there is no way I could use you, be around you, talk to you,…..dude, I can’t even shake your hand.”
All He asked after He got to know Matthew a little was, “Hey Matt….will you follow me?”
Not get all religious on me. Don’t read into what I am saying.
I am not saying that you can live in your sin and claim to be a follower of Christ. I am not saying that as you grow closer to God that the ugly things don’t need to and shouldn’t fall off. I am not saying that a true follower of Christ doesn’t need to deny himself and die to himself so that Christ may more effectively use them.
What I am saying is, at the point of one having a first interaction with God……Jesus never looks at the person and says, “You can follow me IF………”
He simply asks, “Will you follow me?”
Think about it.
~jfm3~
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