Less than six hours after giving an emphatic plea to the church, that part of the very definition of being a follower of Christ is to be selfless, I found myself hearing what I thought were very selfish words I almost did not believe. Actually I did not believe them. I convinced myself that I had misunderstood the words that were spoken and that I should be silent so as not to create a problem where none existed.
I had spoken just that morning on the cost of discipleship. I had included Matthew 4:17-22, where Peter, Andrew, James and John all leave their jobs, their lives behind them to follow Jesus. James and John even had to leave their own Dad. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 we saw, “… you are not your own, You were bought with a price, therefore honor God with your bodies.” And then also Luke 14:33.
Those statements are pretty clear. If you give your life to Jesus, then you have given your LIFE to Him. All you have and are now belong to Him. At least it seams clear to me.
Is it clear? Does Jesus have supreme authority over all you and I have? If so, why would we deny it being used by the church? Do you have family? Have they been taught to surrender all they have to Christ? Do you have land? What if the church needed even a very small section? Could they use it? Do you have a vehicle? Do you have a heater? Do you have clothes? Do you have money? What do you have that you have not received? (1 Corinthians 4:7)
This is hard even for me. But I believe this is the call of Christ. Nothing we have is our own. It all belongs to Christ. We were bought and paid for with the blood of Christ. He gives us life. Nothing we have is worth telling Him no.
“So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”
– Luke 14:33
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