Would You Still Follow Jesus If . . .

Would you still follow Jesus if you lost your job and all your money?

Would you still follow Jesus if you lost your spouse and children or family?

Would you still follow Jesus if your family fell apart and your children rejected the faith?

Would you still follow Jesus if no one liked you and you didn’t have any friends?

Would you still follow Jesus if you weren’t always happy and you struggled with depression?

Would you still follow Jesus if you felt unfulfilled?

Would you still follow Jesus if you were bored?

Would you still follow Jesus if you lost your health and became very ill?

Would you still follow Jesus if none of your dreams were fulfilled?

Would you still follow Jesus if your prayers were not answered the way we wanted them to be?

Would you still follow Jesus if everything didn’t work out when you obeyed God?

Would you still follow Jesus if you were persecuted for it?

Would you still follow Jesus if it was inconvenient?

                                               

Or, let’s ask another question . . .

                                                                   

Would you still gather with the church if it were inconvenient?

Would you still gather with the church if you lost your job and all your money?

Would you still gather with the church if you went alone?

Would you still gather with the church if it was boring or it did not meet your felt needs?

Would you still gather with the church if the people there were different from you?

Would you still gather with the church if you were sick?

Would you still gather with the church if you had to walk an hour to get there?

Would you still gather with the church if there were people there that you did not like?

Would you still gather with the church if you could not perceive a personal benefit from it?

Would you still gather with the church if you were persecuted for it?

                                                                

There are lots of different ways that we could put this. But, here is my point: Do we follow Christ because we think that by doing so we will have the good life that we have always wanted, or do we follow Christ because He is God and He is worthy of our allegiance? Do we follow Jesus because He is our perceived means to the end of a good life, or do we follow Christ because of who He is?

                                                                                                 

I would submit that if we follow Jesus so that He will bless us and give us a good life, then we are no different from the adherent to the prosperity who puts $10 into the offering plate in the belief that he’ll get $100. I have come to believe that many Baptists and other evangelicals are just as eaten up with the prosperity gospel as the TBN crowd is. We expect other types of blessings besides money, but we’ll take the money if we can get it, I would think.

                                                                                     

I know that many of you have already answered these questions in the affirmative. But, we have to keep reminding ourselves that we believe in Christ and follow Him not because doing so causes everything to work out, but because He is worthy. He is God and He is my Lord. He is the Center, not me. I had to face this realization just this morning when I became very frustrated that something in my life was not working the way I wanted it to and I kept saying to myself that I had followed God and obeyed Him every way I knew. Why were things going so roughly for me? I had fallen back into that old legalistic, quid pro quo trap. Then, in a time with the Lord, He reminded me that I do not follow Him for what I can get out of it or use Him to meet my needs. That is idolatry. Rather, I follow Him because He is God.  He is my reward. He is enough.  My needs are fully met in Him, even if all of those other things do not work out the way that I had originally hoped. Ministry bows at the feet of Jesus. Family bows at the feet of Jesus. My personal life bows at the feet of Jesus. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

                                                                     

Yes, Jesus is enough. I learned that lesson when I almost lost my son to cancer. Apparently, I have to learn it again and again each day because I am foolish and I forget. I praise God for His grace and mercy.

                                                                                              

Jesus is enough.

Comments

[Debbie Kaufman]

Thought provoking post Alan. This is why I like the old hymns so much. This post reminds me:

# I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

* Refrain:
Than to be the king of a vast domain,
Or be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

# I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
I’d rather be true to His holy name