“Wherever He Leads I’ll Go!”
Luke 9:23
David P. Nolte
A man took his new hound out hunting for pheasant but it was the dog's first day in the field. Just a young hound, not experienced in a disciplined hunt, his nose took him in all sorts of directions.
First he saw a rabbit trail and immediately started sniffing. Soon, he discovered the trail of a deer and began follow it. His nose indiscriminately led him to track a squirrel, a fox and a porcupine. His interest in tracking ended when he came upon a skunk and experienced a scent he will never forget. And the man had second thoughts about taking the dog hunting again without more training. He didn't want to go here and there at random; he wanted to go where there were pheasant.
We are called, invited and urged to follow Jesus. But what does that entail? It means we must let Him lead, we must go the same way He is going, we must be in agreement with Him. And in the text Jesus makes it clear that following Him means bearing a cross.
Some folk mistakenly believe that pain is a cross to be borne; or that rebellious children are a cross to bear; or that bad health is a cross to take up. Without being dogmatic in the matter, it is my understanding that all unchosen pain, suffering, heartache, or hardship that may be thrust onto, us apart from our choosing, are thorns in the flesh but not "our cross to bear." I did not choose Parkinson's but I got it and it's a thorn in my flesh but not a cross. A cross is what we take up for Jesus' sake. It may be rejection, suffering, pain, shame, and even death. But Jesus is totally candid with those who choose to follow Him that it will always involve a cross!
The song by Alan Jackson said, "Wherever He Leads I'll Go." Jesus invites all who will to follow Him, saying, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23 (NASB).
What do we need in order to follow Jesus?
I. WE MUST DESIRE TO FOLLOW:
A. Jesus' words pertain to anyone who wishes to follow Him.
1. The word for "wishes" is variously translated, "wants, desires, intends, wills."
2. The implication is that following Jesus is a volunteer affair.
3. The compulsion is His love and our desire to please Him.
4. We are not constrained, or pressured, or coerced – we choose to follow.
B. We ought to be compelled by
1. Love for Him as He has loved us.
2. The abundant, eternal life He gives.
3. The forgiveness of sin and a clear conscience.
4. The God glorifying, worthy purpose in life he gives.
C. But many follow Him (or make it look like they are following Him)
1. To curry His favor and gain His blessing.
2. To impress God and others.-
3. To earn a spot in Heaven.
D. Ruth exemplifies willingness and desire to follow her mother-in-law, Naomi. Naomi's two sons had died leaving her a childless widow. She was going to leave Moab and return to Judah. She bade her two daughters-in-law goodbye and Orpah sadly departed; but Ruth said,"Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me." Ruth 1:16-17 (NASB).
E. When we were in Klamath Falls, there was a little girl, Shelby, about 5 years old. One Sunday, as I was going from place to place, I noticed that little thing was going everywhere I went. When I noticed her she giggled and said, "I'm following you around." But no one told her, or forced her, she did it because she wanted to.
We must desire to follow Jesus!
II. WE MUST DENY SELF;
A. The word for deny means: "to refuse or to disown."
1. It does not mean anything like, "I deny that I exist!"
2. It is a matter of self-control.
3. It is being able to say, "No!" to yourself in temptation.
4. It is the setting aside the ego, the "Big I, little you," outlook.
B. The Bible uses the word, "dying" or "death" to mean putting something off or ending something:
1. "Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." Romans 6:11 (NASB).
2. "Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry." Colossians 3:5 (NASB).
3. The connection to denying self and a death is this:
a. It is slaying selfish stubbornness
b. It is executing excessive egotism.
c. It is assassinating abrasive arrogance.
d. It is putting to death prurient passions.
C. Self-denial looks like this:
1. On the "get going" side it is saying "Yes," to self
a. When asked to do a service in the church – whether it is a one time service or a continued one.
b. When we need to sacrifice time, talent, or treasure to help someone in genuine need.
c. When the Spirit of God urges you to share Jesus with another person.
2. On the "cut that out" side it is saying "No," to self
a. When we are tempted to compromise our convictions, to destroy our morality, to ruin our integrity, to forfeit our honor or to follow the fleshily desires that are opposed to what God desires.
b. When we are letting other things get in the way of worship, learning, and fellowship opportunities.
c. When peer pressure or fear of the world tells us to hide our faith.
D. Not to deny self is to enthrone self; to enthrone self is to dethrone Jesus. When Jesus said that no man can serve two masters, He meant even if self is one of them. We cannot serve self and Jesus. Here's the hymn of the one who refuses to deny self:
"Have my own way self,
have my own way.
I am the potter
I am the clay
and to each passion
I'll give full sway
To fill me and thrill me
more every day."
E. Now here's a fellow who needs a good dose of realty. "Well, here I am, Lord. You said, ‘Take up your cross,' and I'm here to do it. It's not easy, You know, this self-denial thing. I mean to go through with it, through...yes, Sir. I'll bet you wish more people were willing to be disciples like me. I've counted the cost and surrendered my life, and it's not an easy road.
You mind if I look around over the crosses? I'd kind of like a new one. I'm not fussy, You understand, but a disciple has to be relevant these days.
I was wondering -- are there any that are vinyl padded? I am thinking of attracting others -- see? And if I could show them a comfortable one I'm sure I could win a lot more.
And I need something durable so I can treasure it always. Oh, is there one that's sort of flat so it would fit under my coat? One shouldn't be too obvious.
Funny there doesn't seem to be much, choice here -- just that coarse rough wood one I mean, that would hurt. Don't You have something more distinctive, Lord I can tell You right now, none of my friends are going to be impressed by this shoddy workmanship. They'll think I'm a nut or something. And my family will be just mortified.
What's that?' It's either one of these or forget the whole thing?' But, Lord, I want to be your disciple. I mean, just being with You, that's all that counts; but life has to have a balance, too. But You don't understand -- nobody lives that way today! Who's going to be attracted by this self-denial bit? I mean, I want to, but let's not over do it. Start getting radical like this, and they'll have me off to the funny farm, know what mean?
I mean, being a disciple is challenging and exciting and I want to do it; but I have some rights, You know. Now let's see -- no blood, okay? I just can't stand the thought of that, Lord ... Lord? Jesus? Now, where do you suppose He went?" Carlyle Saylor.
We must deny self to follow Jesus.
III. WE MUST DAILY TAKE UP A CROSS:
A. "Take up your cross daily."
1. Cross bearing is not a one time, punctiliar act. It is, rather, a linear continuum with points of action repeated along the way.
2. It is not a matter of comfort or convenience.
3. It is a matter of commitment.
B. There are many things we ought to be committed to do every day.
1. Take care of personal hygiene.
2. Take care of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.
3. Take care of our marriage and other relationships.
4. Take care of personal responsibilities: job, chores, etc.
5. Take care of our spiritual lives, spending trims in prayer and Bible study.
C. Just so, when we think of the cross Jesus bore, daily we should think of:
1. His humility because there was much shame put upon the crucified.
2. His suffering because the cross was one of the most painful and lingering forms of execution known to man.
3. His death because the cross was aan implement in execution. So when people saw a prisoner carrying a cross, they didn't think he was going to be honored guest at a banquet. They'd know, "that poor fellow is going to die!"
D. A cross is a burden or sacrifice or suffering or service we choose to bear for Jesus' sake:
1. It might be suffering loss of possessions, employment and even freedom for Jesus
2. It might be a sacrifice of time, ability or money to the furtherance of Christ's purpose.
3. It might mean giving up cherished plans to do what Jesus is calling you to do.
4. But for sure it means being willing to lay down our lives for Jesus when we are urged to deny.
E. We ought to have the attitude of the young man I heard pray at a Christian Endeavor Convention. He was a boy with limited mental capacity but a deep capacity for faith. His prayer was simple, short. and powerful. It represents the attitude of surrender we all should affirm daily. He stepped up to the podium and said something like. "Lord, I'm just Your soldier, reporting for duty." This boy wanted to know, "What do You want me to do? Where do you want me to go? How can I serve today?"
What does that have to do with taking up our cross daily? It sums up the spirit of humble submission and commitment to the will of God as did Jesus when He bore His cross. It means we are willing to take orders and to obey them though it means a cross of suffering and death for Jesus' sake.
To be His soldier, His disciple, His follower, deny yourself, take up your cross every day, and wherever He leads, whenever He leads, HOWEVER HE LEADS – GO!
