Read today’s texts first: Zechariah 10-12; Psalm 126; Luke 14
MAXIMize YOUR DAY
Our churches are filled with undiscipled disciples
who think they can just add Jesus to their life.
who think they can just add Jesus to their life.
Jan and I, along with a group of families from Northside Church, planted a church a few years ago called NorthRidge. I had the privilege of being the lead pastor which meant I got to speak every Sunday morning. A surprisingly large number came to the church through the carnivals we put on for the community every year. They were largely unchurched and I had hoped to see many coming forward to receive Jesus each week after every sermon. When I asked my brother (pastor of our mother church) why that wasn’t happening, he said that you don’t want them to respond just to an emotional appeal. You want them to count the cost first because you are asking them to give up their whole life!
The Luke reading starts with an open invitation to everyone to come to the table (the kingdom). But as the multitudes began following Jesus, He quickly thinned out the crowd with comments like putting Him ahead of your family and your own life, picking up your cross, considering the costs, giving up all of your possessions, and allowing Him to lay a whole new foundation on which to build a completely new life.
If we want disciples to remain they had better be fully aware of what they are getting into. Jesus gave His life for us, but He expects a similar response from us – He wants us to give our lives to Him. We have been bought and paid for with His blood. Our churches are filled with undiscipled disciples who think they can just add Jesus to their life, but without a completely renovated foundation they will never survive the storms of life.
“Lord, while the costs of following You are considerable, the rewards are literally out of this world. Show me what I still need to give back to You and what I need to say to others who are still considering the costs.”
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