What does it mean to be a “follower” of Jesus Christ? That’s a phrase we often use, and something
that we’ve been commanded to be, so understanding it becomes rather
important. One way to be a follower of
Jesus would be to observe how he chose his own path and utilize the same
approach. In Luke 9:51, we’re told that
Jesus “resolutely” set out for Jerusalem.
The choice of going to Jerusalem, to finish the mission of the Father,
was a deliberate one. It was also a
choice made with the ultimate goal of being reunited with the Father in glory
at the forefront. How was Jesus able to
endure the hardship of his passion and death?
He knew that one the other side of it lay victory and glory. It is this sort of focus and determination
that is required of those who would follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
If any
of us was trying to recruit new volunteers for an important project, we’d
stress the potential benefits of being a part of the endeavor, when Jesus
recruits disciples, he makes sure to focus upon the high cost to anyone who
chooses to follow him. In this passage,
three people who are potential followers are all given difficult answers, even enigmatic
ones, from Jesus, such that the only conclusion we can draw from this
interaction is that Jesus only wants those who are willing to pay the price to
begin this journey. To the first
potential follower, Jesus stresses that following him will not lead to ease and
comfort, to the second, he speaks of the need to begin following now because
life will always give us important reasons to wait, and to the third, he warms
that only a consistent and focused devotion will allow someone who follows him
to be useful in the Kingdom of God.
Jesus
set out resolutely for Jerusalem, knowing what awaited him there. What does it mean to be a follower of
Jesus? It means we too must know our
purpose in serving God, and we too must begin to fulfill it with complete devotion
no matter what it costs us in the end.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
No comments:
Post a Comment