For those of us in the United States, being a Christian is a political statement. The moment we declare ourselves as followers of Jesus, we automatically get big labels stamped on our foreheads – HATER, BIGOT, HYPOCRITE. We preach love and acceptance, but we are somehow perceived as the embodiment of quite the opposite. Some of us get our feathers ruffled about this misconception, and others try to wage war on the battlefield of social media “Comments” sections. Well friends, I’m here to tell you that maybe we should stop and listen to the world for a moment. By that I mean we should give an ear as to why everyone hates the idea of following a man named Jesus from an ancient book. After all, can you blame them? Following Jesus sounds like a pretty terrible deal for several reasons. Here are just a few…
- You have to deny yourself.
If you have a church background, you may have heard Luke 9:23. “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’”
What?! In this world of self-preservation and building up self-esteem, why would anyone deny themselves? We’ve spent so long building up our own image through our social media, stylistic fashion choices, and filling our heads with knowledge to outsmart the next guy, doesn’t it seem a little counterproductive to deny yourself and let all that go to waste? Jesus, you’ve got to be kidding me.
- You have to be willing to give up your possessions.
Luke 14:23 says, “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack on thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’”
If Jesus really loved this man like the Bible says he did, wouldn’t he want him to be wealthy and happy? Is Jesus saying that you can only go to heaven if you’re poor? Our lives are centered on learning how to make money, working to make money, and saving enough money to retire from working. Does Jesus really think he’s gaining the popular opinion by saying we have to be willing to give away our possessions?
- You have to hate your family.
Okay, this one just makes no sense. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” –Luke 14:26 Does Jesus realize how contradictory this sounds? I thought we were supposed to treasure our loved ones, hold them close, and provide for our families, right? Wow, this Jesus guy must be off his rocker.
- You have to eat his flesh and drink his blood (Matthew 26:26-28).
Alright, this is where we draw the line. Cannibalism is illegal. Can I get a witness? It seems to me that Jesus is trying to freak people out by making a haunted house scene at the Last Supper rather than make disciples. Surely Jesus doesn’t expect people to come flocking after him with a statement like that, right?
- You will be hated and persecuted.
What better way to gain a following than by saying, “Hey, everyone! Come follow me so people can throw rocks at you, spit on you, and run you out of your town!” Jesus said just that in Luke 6:22, “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!” Notice that the verse did not say “if.” Jesus is saying that persecution will happen to those who follow Him. I don’t know about you, but I’m not itching to get beaten up or have people spurn my name as evil! This deal keeps looking worse and worse.
- You must be willing to die.
Whoa. That’s a little extreme, isn’t it? I mean, Luke 9:23-24 does say that. Even though almost all of the disciples were brutally murdered for their proclamation of the gospel, that doesn’t really mean we have to do the same, right? After all, to knowingly do something that puts us (or our families) in immediate danger completely contradicts everything in our DNA.
“Why do I need Jesus?”
Humans have struggled with this question for over two millennia. If I have my money, car, family, attention, home, and comfort, why on earth do I need Jesus? The deal seems pretty bad. We have to lay down our belongings and ourselves in total submission to a man from a book written thousands of years ago. That doesn’t seem appealing at all… until we realize who that man is.
Jesus is not just a man who talked a big talk. He is not some guy in a robe and sandals who spread peace, love, and flowers everywhere he went. In fact, he’s not just a guy who raised the dead, healed the sick, and caused the blind to see again.
He is the Creator. He is the Master. He is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
The reason we need Jesus is that we are broken, dirty, sinful, and worthless. We were not trapped in sin, sick with sin, or even controlled by sin. We were dead in sin until Jesus stepped in. Without the supernatural intervention of Jesus’ perfect life, willing death, and miraculous resurrection we would remain dead and destined for an eternity spent in hell. The reason we find it hard to deny ourselves, give up our possessions, and be willing to be persecuted or killed is simply because we have an inaccurate perspective of our placement in His Kingdom. We are merely a blip on the radar of eternity with only around 80 years to carry around a fleshly body. Do I say that to be a Debbie Downer and make myself depressed about my mundane existence? No! We have the rest of our lives to live full-throttle for the name of Christ! Believers, be encouraged!
“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” –1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“knowing that you have been ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” –1 Peter 1:18-19
When you take on the name “Christian” you are accepting that Jesus is who He says He is. You are committing to bear your cross and the persecution and hardships that come along with it. However, above all you are accepted and beloved as adopted sons and daughters in the family of God. His ways and thoughts are far above anything we could even imagine, so I am not claiming to have all (or even most) of the answers. All I know is that God is holy and worthy to be praised. He created us in His image to serve Him and each other with the ultimate purpose of glorifying His name.
I would like to challenge you, reader, to join a worldwide body of believers who are ready to see Christ’s name made famous – whose body with one desire to share Truth to a world that has been blinded by lies. Live today in freedom. Live today for the glory of the Lord. Thank you for your continued support! Only 10 months until launch in August 2017!
Love in Christ,
Luke
