WWJG--Come Follow Me
May 7, 2000 Psalm 1:1-6 Luke 14:25-34
One of the messages that has touched my heart in the most significant ways in this year was Pastor Toby’s Palm Sunday sermon. In it she drove home the reason for why we do what we do as believers in Christ with our gifts, our talents, and our resources. Jesus had sent the disciples to pick up a donkey that was tied outside a house. Now the disciples did not know who the donkey belonged to, nor did have money to buy it, so Jesus told them not to worry. If somebody asked you, "what are you doing taking that donkey, simply tell them--the Lord has need of it--and they will let you have it." You see the owner of that donkey had the qualities of a disciple. When the master makes a request, a disciple is quick to respond, because the Lord has need of it.
Although there are large crowds around Jesus in his ministry, Jesus is never impressed by the size of the crowd. He has a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time thereby making people upset with him, who choose to leave him behind. In almost every group that gathers for Jesus that’s large, there are usually three groups. There is the crowd, there is the congregation and there is the church. For instance.
On Easter we had a very large crowd in worship. Within that crowd was the regular Glenville congregation which comes to service on a regular basis, but even within the congregation is a smaller group which is the church or body of Jesus Christ. There’s a difference between the congregation and the church. One recognizes the importance of the words, "because the Lord has need of it" and the other does not. One is made up of committed disciples, the other is made up of people who just like to belong to the group. Now we exist for the crowd, the congregation, and the church because we have something for all three groups and we want to impact all three. Our goal is to move people from the world, into the crowd, into the congregation and on into the church which is to become a disciple.
We have seen the phrase WWJD. It’s not a radio station. It stands for the words What Would Jesus Do. After Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, Jesus and Peter are walking together. In the last personal recorded conversation between Jesus and Peter, the last thing Jesus says to Peter is, "You must follow me?" With Easter just a few weeks behind us, I’d like for us all to imagine that Jesus is dazzling in his glory and light is radiating from Him, but just as He is about to leave, He turns and gives us a glimpse of His face. We ask Him, "Lord do you have a word for me before you go." He calls back, "you must follow me."
With that He’s gone. Hence the title of my message WWJG. Where Would Jesus Go? You see if we are following Christ, then the only places we should be leaving or heading to are places where Jesus would go. Not just physical places, but into the everyday situations of life and conflict that we face.
One of the popular phrases of today is "now don’t go there, just don’t go there." Sometimes Jesus desires to travel into some of those areas in which we do not want to go. They are considered off limits to him and to others for a number of reasons. Sometimes we like to think of it as our business. "That’s my business and nobody has anything to say about it." Oh really now. Let’s look at our New Testament passage and discover the difference between WWJG and our business.
Jesus has just finished preaching a sermon on how God wants everybody to be saved. God sends his servants looking in the streets, in the alleys, in the back woods, to invite the rich and famous as well as the poor and rejected to come and get a taste of the banquet. The invitation is basically one of come and follow me to the road to heaven You do not have to be like the people who will be left on the outside to deal with the punishment for their sins. The people loved the message. They loved it so much that when the service was over, they followed Jesus right on toward Jerusalem.
Luke 14:25 tells us that large crowds were traveling with Jesus. No doubt some are on his left, some on his right, some behind him and probably some in front. The crowd was traveling with Jesus because they liked what He was intending to do for him. But Jesus is the most honest, down to earth person you’re going to find. He’s going to let you know up front what the cost is. How many of you have ever signed up for something, and got burned because the person who was smiling in your face and telling you what a great deal you were getting, didn’t tell you what the fine print said on the back of the contract.
I recall the first time Pastor Toby and I went to buy a car. We were all excited because it was the first one we would buy together. The salesperson told us it was a great deal. If we left a $50 deposit, he could hold the price for us until the next day so that we could think about it over night. We did. That night we felt this was not the car for us. We called to say we did not want the car and wanted our money back. Then he told us, the $50 deposit agreement stated the dealer could keep the $50 if we didn’t go through with the deal, because the $50 represented the salesman’s time and the cost of cleaning the vehicle.
The disciples may have been impressed with the crowd, but Jesus figures too many people are on board for the wrong reasons. So he turns around. I can see the disciples all saying shhh, shh, hey get quiet Jesus has something else to say. Jesus says, " If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." This statement must have sent a shock wave through the crowd. "What is he talking about. We just starting following this guy last week, and he’s telling us we have to love him more than we do our family members. Boy does he ever need to get a life!"
Now you see people in the crowd and in the congregation find this statement of Jesus as being unacceptable. But Jesus is saying this here is the real deal. "I am to be first in your life, before family or even before self. I am to be put before family, even if your family oppose your decision to follow me. I am to be first before the companionship and comfort and pleasure of family and home. Everything is to be put behind me and my mission." Now many of us believe that even though Jesus said this, "he did not mean it." This whole idea of loving Jesus more than family is all fuzzy in our country. Of course you can have both Jesus and family.
But if you were a Muslim, in a Muslim country. You would understand the depths of love Jesus is speaking about. Each month, we sponsor the African Orphanage. The two people in charge of the orphanage in Nigeria are good friends of Pastor Toby and mine from seminary. They are Julius and Mary. Both of them were born into Muslim homes, but came to know Christ. Their families kicked them both out of their homes and disowned them because of their love for Christ. They had to literally make a clean cut choice between family and Jesus. Yet we think that somehow God would never ask us to make a sacrifice which may involve putting him ahead of our family. Jesus never said, go follow your family. He said come follow me.
Now there’s a flip side to this family issue. Suppose your family is getting on your last nerve, and you want to get away from them all. You’re tired of the kids, you’re tired of your spouse and you think you’d be better off by yourself. You want to be free to just go and serve God. The question is WWJG. Where would Jesus go. Although we have clothed our actions in religious terms, if the truth were to be told, it is not Jesus we wish to go and follow, but rather it is self which we desire to set free. It’s not a matter of needing freedom to serve God. Jesus is there for you and I to serve even in difficult circumstances, the question is where is Jesus going in this. He may not be going anywhere and wants you to stay where you are and make some changes in you to overcome the situation.
Jesus took this thing a step further when he said, "and yes, even his own life, he/she cannot be my disciple." This may come as a shock, but Jesus did not come to die simply for us to get our way so that we can feel good about everything. He did not come to guarantee our personal preferences, conveniences or to make sure everybody treated us fairly. How many of us realize this. Have you ever prayed, "lord here I am trying to do the right thing, and everything is just going to pieces." Is there a verse which says, "if you try to do the right thing, all things will go well in life." There is a verse which says, "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.."
We do not know how much we love someone until they start to make demands on our lives. Do you know why some teens feel they love their friends more than their family and their friends love them more than their family does. Often times friends are not making the same kind of demands. Friends aren’t telling you to do your homework, clean your room, wash the dishes, iron your clothes and pick up after you day in and day out. It’s easy to think you love somebody, but you find out how much you love them when they start asking you to make some changes you do not really want to make.
Too often our love for Jesus is a mile wide when it comes to talking about it and a 1/2 inch deep when we have to apply it in areas we consider our business. If somebody puts a new roof on your house, it does not mean they have done a great job regardless of how fine it looks to you on a bright sunny day. You can look at that roof and say, that’s the best looking roofing job I have ever seen.
The truth is, you will not know the quality of the job done, until you get a real good rain storm. The way to tell if you are a part of the crowd, the congregation, or the church is to look at your actions when you do not like what’s going on especially if you think you are being treated unfairly. How we deal with problems in our lives, is a great indicator of whether or not we are disciples of Jesus Christ.
Now it would have been much more comforting if Jesus had of said, "if I’m not number one in your life ahead of your family and your own level of comfort and personal desires, then you will not be a very good disciple." Many people could gladly live with that statement." Well I may not be a very good disciple, but I’m glad I’m at least a D+ disciple. Fred over there is a D- minus disciple. Susie didn’t even pass. She’s a red F disciple." But Jesus did not say that. Jesus said, "If I am not number one, you cannot be my disciple." Jesus does not do discipleship on the curve.
When we’re answering the question Where Would Jesus Go so that you can follow him, there’s not time to get involved with some things and certain places. We can’t follow Jesus and our desires at the same time. Sometimes our desires follow Jesus, but sometimes, our desires make us say, "Jesus would you run ahead a little bit, I’ve got to deal with this situation and I kind of know, you might not like how I’m going to handle it. Go on ahead and I’ll catch up a little later."
Following Jesus is like following a driver into a new city where you have never gone. The driver in front knows exactly how to get to the place and what the address is. The only way you’re going to get there is to keep the driver’s car in your sight. Now the best thing for you to do is to stay as close as possible to that car.
What happens when you try to be nice, by letting other people cut in in between you and the lead car. At first it does not seem to matter that much because you can still see the lead car. But then at the light, the lead car makes it, but the car in front of you decides to stop. The lead car is going on ahead. Now you might be able to follow at a distance because of other cars you’ve let get in between you. But sometimes that lead car makes a right and then a left. But you make a right and keep going straight because you did not see the turn off.
Now you may think you’re still following the lead car, but all you’re doing is making time. This is how we let sin get into our lives as Christians. We were following Christ, but in the middle of that argument, or the situation Christ took a turn to the right and then to the left and got away from the predicament. But we kept going straight, ran through the light and caused a crash in our spiritual witness for the Lord. Self was in the driver seat.
The people in the crowd that Jesus did not offend with his first requirement of discipleship in following him, he offended with the second requirement. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me, he cannot be my disciple. The cross is so far removed from us today, that it does not carry the symbolism. Most of our crosses are gold or silver and very decorative. They are ornaments to be admired, rather than objects to be scorned. What would you think of people who wore little electric chairs around their neck or gas chambers? How many of you would say, "my what a beautiful gas chamber or electric chair." Ooh that’s tight I got to get me one of those."
Jesus says everyone must pick up his cross. When the Roman Empire crucified a criminal or a captive, the victim was often forced to carry his cross part of the way to the crucifixion site. Carrying one’s cross through the hear of the city was supposed to be an admission that the Roman Empire was correct in the sentence of death imposed upon him. It was admission that Rome was right and the person was wrong. So when Jesus commands his followers to carry their crosses and follow Him, he was referring to a public display before others that Jesus was right and that the disciples were following Him even to their deaths.
The cross should be more than a symbol of Jesus dying for our sins. It should be our reminder that when we want to get our own way, we are to nail our selfish natures to the cross and die, if that desire is contrary to the will of God for our lives at that moment. When was the last time you died for Jesus. Paul stated, "It is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me, for I have been crucified with Christ." This is what Jesus is talking about as a price to be his disciple.
Again, he did not say, "if you’re unwilling to carry your cross, then you can only be a C- disciple on even one of your best days." No he said, "you cannot be my disciple." God has not left if up to us to try to give somebody a grade in discipleship, but Jesus knows with a certainness who is and who is not a disciple. There are people who accept Jesus, not out of a love for Jesus but out of a fear of hell. Now we need both the love and the fear, but it’s the person who is motivated out of love who’s going to go wherever Jesus goes.
Jesus always gives the real deal, and he wants us to be real. Jesus says, look before you get all gung ho about doing something sit down and count the cost. Pastor Toby and I did not say, "God has said, rise and build the New Life Center, we’re signing contracts tomorrow and construction should start in June." No, we sat down and counted the cost. I God told us, then God will also tell the Session. God did If God told the Session, God will put in the hearts of the people. God has. Now we need to have God open the doors financially. We have Christians God has gifted in this area to come and help us plan to receive God’s blessings and gifts from God’s people.
We also have Christians gifted in Architecture to come and meet with us to help us plan this building. Why do we do it, because we are not interested in starting something destined to fail or doing something which will cause undue hardship on God’s people. Now we’re expecting some miracles from God, yet we are planning some sacrifices on our part. Faith and sacrifice go together. We’re following Jesus from start to finish in this project. To start building and only get the building half done is not glorifying to God.
So it is with following Jesus. Jesus is blunt enough to say, "look if you want to dilly, dally around in your spiritual walk, know that you’re not fooling me. I see exactly what you do and I know exactly who you are? Remember I told you, with me its all or nothing. Some people think, by saying the words, Lord I accept you into my life and forgive me of my sins, that’s all there is to knowing God and being a disciple. That’s like being notified that you’ve won 10 million dollars. You go down to collect your prize. You’re waving at people on the TV saying how wonderful it is to have won. You can’t wait to finally do certain things.
Then you go home without picking up the check. But you do remember 20 years ago you won the big one. The big one does not do you any good if you never cash the check and start spending the money. There are a whole lot of people that Jesus is just waiting for them to cash the check so that He can begin making changes in their lives. We instinctively know, once we cash the check life is never going to quite be the same again. Once we decide to follow Jesus, life is never going to be quite the same again.
What are you following today. Is it truly Jesus? Have you ran over somewhere and whistled "here I am Jesus" hoping He’s going to come over and follow you. The attitude problem you have on the job, in your marriage, at home, or at school, did you really get it from following somewhere Jesus led you. Did Jesus really lead you to the body of Christ to simply sit and not offer any of your talents or skills? Did you really get your method of giving to the work of Christ by following somewhere Jesus led you. You see the Bible says there are other places to get things from. Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. You see not all of our ideas and opinions come from God.
When Jesus gives us the command to come and follow Him, he also gives us the power through the Holy Spirit to make it so. We can go where it is Jesus has gone as we go through the problems of life if we remember there is a crucifixion which must take place, before we experience the joy of the resurrection. If you want a great life, then come and follow Jesus to the cross and die. It’s always the first step to something meaningful.
Come On Out To Marriage Sensation Class This Evening At 12806 Forest Hill Avenue In East Cleveland In The Pastor’s Home. Session Begins At 6pm. This Is For Married Couples, Married Individuals, & Couples Who Are Contemplating Getting Married.
Remember To Pray For The New Life Center This Week. Ask God To Expand Our Lands And To Increase Our Faith As We Plan To Give To This Ministry With Our Finances.
Sermon Outline-Pastor Rick
WWJG--Come Follow Me 5/7/2000
Psalm 1:1-6 Luke 14:25-34
I. A Message Of Significance
A. Pastor Toby Palm Sunday
B. The Donkey For Jesus
C. "The Lord Had Need Of It"
II Jesus And The Crowds
A. Wrong Words At The Wrong Time
B. Somebody Is Leaving
C. Easter--Crowd, Congregation, Church
D. WWJD
E. "You Must Follow Me" Jesus & Peter
F. Imagine Seeing Christ
G. "Now Don’t Go There"
H. The Great Sermon On God & Salvation
III. Jesus Gives The Real Deal Up Front
A. Sign Up & Getting Burned
B. A Not So Good Care Deal
C. Jesus’ Bold Statement: Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.
D. Does The Brother Need To Get A Life
E. Statement Not Acceptable--Love Family Jesus
F. Muslim Conversion--Mary & Julius
G. African Orphanage --Rotolu Home
IV. What About When Things Are Not So Good
A. Tired Of Everybody
B. Just Want To Serve God (Really)
C. WWJG
D. Jesus Did Not Guarantee A Few Things
E. Did Promise One Thing--Persecution
F. We Find Out What Love Is When----
G. Love A Mile Wide-- 1/2 Inch Deep
H. That Was A Good Roofing Job
I. "Can’t Be A Very Good Disciple"
J. Just Let Me Get A D+
V Trying To Follow Jesus WWJG
A. Just Follow Me In The Car
B. Somebody Is In Between Us
C. Didn’t Make The Light
D. Right, Left---Right Only Uh-OH
E. Are We Still Following--Probably Not
VI The Second Requirement Of Discipleship
A. What’s About A Cross Luke 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
B. The Gold & Silver Decorations
C. Electric Chairs 7 Gas Chambers
D. The Roman Empire Method Of Crucifixion
E. Rome’s Right & I Was Wrong
F. Following Jesus To Death
G. Cross More Than A Symbol
H. Are You In Need Of A Crucifixion
I. No C- Disciples
J. Love For Jesus--Fear Of Hell
VII Counting The Cost Is Part Of The Deal
A. The New Life Center Vision
B. Session--Congregation
C. Christian Stewardship
D. Christian Architecture
E. Faith & Sacrifice
VIII Jesus Just Telling The Truth
A. Jesus Is Blunt
B. Forget The Dilly, Dally, Spiritually
C. All Or Nothing
D. You’ve One 10 Million Dollars
E. All The Wonderful Plans
F. There’s One Catch
G. When Will Jesus Be Allowed
IX Who Are We Following Today
A. A Follower Or Director
B. Where Did You Get That Attitude
C. Where Did That Come From
D. Many Ideas & Opinions
E. Remember Psalm 1 Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
F. Jesus Gives Command & Power
G. Yes We Can Go To The Cross
H. The First Step To A Great Time
