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Following Jesus

7/23/2021

As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” 62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62 NLT)

Following Jesus is not easy. Sometimes we don't like where Jesus wants to lead us. You may not want to help people in the inner city or to forgive and be a friend to someone who has hurt you. Other times we get stuck in the past and cannot let go. We keep getting pulled back instead of moving forward in faith.

Walking with Jesus may not be easy. But we grow in faith and faithfulness when we do it. We learn from Jesus and become more like Him. We may not know where Jesus will lead us later today or in the days or weeks ahead. But we do know that He will be with us and that He leads us where He wants us to be. It is time to follow Jesus.

Two Wrongs Do Not Make a Right

7/22/2021

As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. 53 But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. 54 When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 So they went on to another village. (Luke 9:53-56 NLT)

Remember when you were a kid or when your kids got in trouble for fighting and someone would say "He started it." Two wrongs do no make a right. The Samaritans rejected Jesus because He was going to Jerusalem. Prejudice between the Jews and the Samaritans went both ways. Both were wrong. Prejudice is still wrong. Reverse prejudice is still wrong.

James and John wanted to zap the Samaritans for rejecting Jesus. But Jesus would not let it happen. He was going to Jerusalem to pay for the sins of all people, to open God's Kingdom to all who would return to the Lord in repentance and faith.

Two rights can make things better. Jesus' death and resurrection were the right things for us. Telling people about Jesus and letting God's Word and Spirit work in them is the right thing to do. Hearing about and believing in Jesus is better than rejection and revenge.

Jesus' Name

7/21/2021

John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.”
50 But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.” (Luke 9:49-50 NLT)

There is a right way and a wrong way to use Jesus' name. It is wrong to curse using Jesus' name or use His name in a flippant way. It is wrong to use Jesus' name to distort God's word or to tell a lie.

It is right to praise Jesus. It is right to tell others about Jesus, to spread His Gospel Message. It is right to love, forgive and help others in Jesus' name. It is right to follow Jesus' example and live as one of His followers. The word Christian means "little Christ." It is right to live in a way that people see Christ in us.

G.O.A.T.

7/20/2021

Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. 48 Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.” (Luke 9:46-48 NLT)

People in sports love to talk about the G.O.A.T., greatest of all time, in a sport or at a position. They measure greatness by wins and by the things they do to help their teams win. I used to joke with the people at my previous church that I was the best (full time) Pastor they ever had. They would remind me that I was also the worst Pastor they ever had since I was the only Pastor they had ever had.

The Disciples argued among themselves about who would be the greatest in Jesus' kingdom. They wanted to be the top dog. Jesus redefined greatest as welcoming children, serving others, being humble. Jesus' idea of greatness and the world's are very different. Do you want to be great in the eyes of people or do you want to welcome children and serve others in Jesus' name?

Selective Listening

7/19/2021

Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God’s power. While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.” 45 But they didn’t know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn’t understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it. (Luke 9:43-45 NLT)

We are really good at hearing only what we want to hear. The things we don't care about or don't want to know about go in one ear and out the other. This is the second time in Luke that Jesus predicted his arrest in Jerusalem that would lead to His death. But the people didn't get it. Could this because did not want to hear it?

Do we do the same thing? Do we ignore God's Word that point out our sins, our selfishness, our lack of love or forgiveness? Do we we settle for a buffet type faith, picking what we want and ignoring the rest? Do we want a God of love but ignore God's justice? It does not work. When God speaks, we need to listen.

HELP!

7/16/2021

The next day, after they had come down the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus. 38 A man in the crowd called out to him, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, my only child. 39 An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone. 40 I begged your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”
41 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”
42 As the boy came forward, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy. Then he gave him back to his father. 43 Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God’s power. (Luke 9:37-43 NLT)

We don't think or talk about people being demon possessed much if at all. We have a lot of other explanations or descriptions for this today. The Father in this story has been looking for help for his son for a long time. He asked the nine Disciples that were waiting for Jesus, Peter, James and John to come down from the mountain where Jesus appeared in His glory. The could not help.

There are so many things that we cannot deal with on our own. We need God's help. People who refuse to turn to God for help miss out on so much and can find themselves in big trouble when they look in the wrong places for help or for a way to cope with their problems.

Jesus answered the father's request and ordered the evil spirit to leave the boy. It did. Jesus has the power and the desire to help us regardless of what we are facing when we turn to Him in faith.

Listen!

7/15/2021

As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, “Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 34 But even as he was saying this, a cloud overshadowed them, and terror gripped them as the cloud covered them.
35 Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” 36 When the voice finished, Jesus was there alone. They didn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen. (Luke 9:33-36 NLT)

Peter needed to learn how to listen. When he heard or saw things he did not like, Peter opened his mouth to speak rather than remaining quiet and listen. He objected to Jesus' prediction of His death. He tried to stop Moses and Elijah from leaving the mountain top. But Jesus had to die to pay the sins of the world. Moses and Elijah could not stay with Jesus on the mountain for that to happen.

Do we really listen to Jesus? We need to learn how to do that. I know I need to learn how to be a better listener when Jesus is talking. Let's try to do a better job of really listening and then responding to Jesus and His Words today.

Confirmation

7/13/2021

About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. 31 They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.
32 Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him. (Luke 9:28-32 NLT)

Just 8 days before this, Peter said that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Peter, James and John were the inner circle of Disciples. Jesus took them on a mountain to pray. While they were praying Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus. God gave the Law to Moses. Elijah was one of the greatest prophets Israel ever had. The appearance of these two men with Jesus confirm that Jesus is who Peter confessed Him to be.

Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. He kept the Law perfectly, never sinning. He lived the perfect life for us. Jesus fulfilled every promise the Old Testament prophets gave about the Promised Savior. A Prophet speaks for God. Jesus speaks God clear Word and Promise to us.

Moses, Elijah and Jesus talked about how Jesus would fulfill the promise He gave about His suffering, death and resurrection in Jerusalem. Jesus' words were confirmed by Moses, Elijah and by appearing in His glory.

Even when things don't seem to be working out the way we think they should, we can trust Jesus. He always keeps His promises.

July 12th, 2021

7/12/2021

"If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. 27 I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:26-27 NLT)

The Glory of the Lord is a reoccurring theme in the Bible. God appeared to Moses in His Glory at the burning bush and on Mt. Sinai. They Glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle and Solomon's temple when they were dedicated.

The people who are ashamed of Jesus, who hide or deny their faith, miss out on the glory of the Lord. That should not be a option for us to consider.

Tomorrow we will look at how Jesus was revealed in glory to Peter, James and John. God reveals His glory and invites us into His Kingdom through Jesus. The glories of this world are temporary. The glory and the Kingdom of the Lord last forever.

Not Expected

7/9/2021

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?” (Luke 9:23-25 NLT)

People expected the Messiah to defeat the Romans and make Israel a free, independent, wealthy and powerful nation. Jesus said He would suffer, die and rise from the dead to set us free from sin and death.

Some people expect the Christian faith to make them happy and prosperous, to give them smooth sailing through life. Jesus tells us that following Him will not be easy. We have to take up own cross and follow Him. If we make the things of this world our gods, we will lose out. Following Jesus is a life of service, of forgiving, of loving, of trusting and depending on Him. Following Jesus is placing our lives in His hands with the faith that He knows what is best for us. His death and resurrection are the proof of that.

Author

My name is Larry. Right now I am serving as the Intentional Interim or Transitional Pastor at St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Richville, MI. This blog is part of my daily personal time reading the Bible and talking with God. It is more of my personal thoughts than a deep theological discussion. Thanks for taking the time to join me in reading and thinking about what God has to say to us today.

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