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Satan's Tools of Disengagement
Brian Mashburn
September 24, 2006
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What Do You Mean, "Follow You"?
The guy was committed to following all the rules of the Bible that he could find. He had done so since his youth. He got all the youth group awards in Bible Bowl, service projects and Scripture memorization...and continued to pursue these types of things as an adult. So he felt lucky to come across Jesus and ask him what he must do to inherit eternal life, because he was sure that Jesus would affirm that he was a model citizen.
Jesus started out in a way that really affirmed him, but ended up telling him he lacked one very important mega-thing.
"If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Mt 19:21)
The dude walked away unwilling. He didn't want perfection. He didn't want to sell his possessions. He didn't want to give it all to the poor. He didn't want treasure in heaven. He didn't want to follow Jesus.
What does it mean to "follow Jesus" anyway? For that guy, it was a physical act of leaving his life and literally going where Jesus physically went, and as a by-product, doing the things he did and ultimately becoming what he was. But what about us today? What does it mean to follow Jesus today?
That's why we have the Bible. So that we can hear Jesus' teaching just like that guy did. So that we can physically do what He did. So that we can become what he was.
Are you willing? Do you want "perfection"? Do you want to "sell your possessions"? Do you want to "give it all to the poor"? Do you want "treasure in heaven"? Do you want to "follow Jesus"?
In John 4, Jesus said to his disciples, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." (John 4:32)
Do you know about the feast that is to have a life wholly and completely defined by loving relationships with God and people?
That's what it means to "follow Jesus". Will you come?