Daily devotion – easy followers…
Luke 9:23 23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.
Somehow between Jesus speaking these truths to His disciples and now, there has been a complete reversal of what it costs to be a disciple of Jesus Christ!
Jesus was warning His disciples that it would be costly for them to follow Him. It would be costly because they would have to give up their own plans and goals….because they must share in Christ’s rejection and death.
Is it not a wonder therefore that “many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.” – John 6:66
I find it fascinating that when this occurred Jesus did not try to stop them from leaving Him. He did not catch up with each of them later and try to negotiate a return of their support for Him. He actually did nothing to prevent them from leaving.
In today’s thinking there would be a ‘follow up’ plan, to attempt to see if we can draw back those who have left following Christ, saying its too hard, there are some Churches today who have established ministries whose sole task is to ‘chase up’ those who have ‘moved on’.
Yet I read no such instructions or ministries such as this occurring or being taught by the early Church.
We so easily forget that salvation and one’s relationship with Christ is an act of God. It is He who draws people to Him – Jhn 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
I encourage you to read John chapter 6 as to how Jesus ‘managed’ those who decided to walk away from following Him at that time!
But not only did Jesus not chase after or negotiate with the disenchanted, He turned then to the disciples and challenged their discipleship at this time!
John 6: 61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”
66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”
The cost of following Jesus Christ has not changed since the events of John chapter 6 occurred!
Too many people want to cling to their own plans – but Jesus says they must go. We want to live for ourselves still – but Jesus says we must live for Him.
We want to live a life of pleasure and ease – but Jesus says we must follow Him to the Cross!
When the disciples were challenged by Jesus that day after there was a short pause – Peter spoke up – 68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”
Peter summed it up pretty well – without Christ we have nothing!