A CHOSEN PEOPLE
Have you ever asked yourself what made the 12 disciples so special? What was it that distinguished them from the thousands of other people that knew of Jesus and saw Him perform miracles? Were they some uncommon sect of divine people, a different breed of human beings chosen to walk the earth at the same time as Jesus?
While I believe each of the 12 disciples were specifically chosen by Jesus, I don't believe they were some elite group of people better than everyone else. They were sinful just like you and me. Their lives were never perfect. They made mistakes, even while they walked with Christ, and all of them failed Him (just like you and I do!).
But the thing that distinguished the disciples in the pages of history was their choice to follow Him, live for Him, and even die for Him.
Jesus extended each of them an invitation to follow Him during His 3 year ministry - and they all could have refused. But they didn't. That is what set them apart from others. All of them (with the exception of Judas) were sold out for Christ. They were more than fans of Jesus - they were followers, truly devoted to the heart of the gospel.
With that being said, I feel such an urgency to relay this message to you: wake up! We as Christians have fallen asleep, we've been spiritually blinded, and we've been deceived. There is such chaos and turmoil all around our world today -socially, politically, environmentally, etc.- and something is very wrong. All it takes is an attentive eye to be made aware of this.
So, how can you set yourself apart in the history that is to be written? What does it truly mean to be a disciple of Christ, "sold out" to Him and devoted to spreading His word... especially in the times we're living in?
WHERE DO YOU STAND?
Let me tell you: spiritual warfare is very real. There are forces at work in this world moving in ways that most of us cannot even understand. The Bibles states that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but again principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places;" (Ephesians 6:12) meaning that the fight we're up against as believers goes beyond our 5 senses. We are at war with an unseen enemy - but true disciples of Christ are on the winning side.
Now, I know these are intense truths to reconcile. But the purpose of today's post is to have you evaluate your life so you can see where you stand. In these tumultuous times, you must make a stand. Where will you stand in the fight? Ask yourself: are you truly on the winning side?
Being a true disciple of Christ is no feat for the fickle. Christianity requires true devotion. It requires you to lay down your life. It requires true commitment. There is no such thing as a mediocre, half-hearted, lukewarm Christian... at all. In fact, such a phrase is an oxymoron! God says that we must either be hot or cold - if not, he will spit us out of his mouth (Revelation 3:16).
Disclaimer: True Christianity, as shown in the Bible, is not complacent and it is not passive. It always costs something. True devotion always carries a price tag. Let me show you what I mean.
In Matthew 13, Jesus speaks to the crowds about the parable of a hidden treasure. He states,
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (Matt. 13:44).
In the same breath, He speaks another parable; this time concerning a pearl of great price,
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it" (Matt. 13:45-46).
Something of great value is never free. It's important to emphasize and understand this because we are quickly approaching times when American Christians will be heavily persecuted. Our faith will be tested, and it will cost us something to proclaim the Name above all names. I don't say this to alarm you. But it's imperative you evaluate your position on the battlefield and count the cost of your faith to decide whether or not you're committed to selling out for Christ.
FAN OR FOLLOWER?
As the time drew nearer for Jesus to be persecuted unto death, He gathered His disciples around and told them these words: "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matt. 16:24).
When He spoke these words, Jesus knew the pressure was on. Tensions had been rising in the community, and the religious leaders were keen on putting Him to death. People were now realizing that Jesus was unlike any other they'd seen before - following Him meant something. Contrary to popular belief, there are conditions to following Christ!
It's easy to be fans of Jesus, isn't it? Like fans do, we can sit on the sidelines, we can cheer the players on, we can buy the merchandise... But when the pressure is on are we committed to playing the game? Can we practice discipline and train our faith? Do we know Scripture and apply it to our lives? Are we walking in the power and authority given to us by the Holy Spirit?
As tension rises in these days, the pressure to distinguish yourself as a follower in a sea of fans is slowly rising. One by one people are walking away, realizing that true devotion to Christ isn't something they're ready to cash out on.
Why? Because devotion will cost you. Let's further evaluate the words Jesus spoke:
1. "DENY YOURSELF"
The flesh naturally desires things contrary to the Spirit of God; and the Spirit living in us naturally desires things contrary to the flesh (Galatians 5:17). Once equipped with the Holy Spirit, we have 2 natures living inside of us that clash with one another! But being a true disciple of Christ means that we exercise discipline by denying ourselves (our flesh) and nurture the Spirit by doing things that empower the Spirit.
2. "TAKE UP YOUR CROSS"
The cross represents suffering and sacrifice - as true followers of Christ, we must be ready for both. Taking up our cross means sacrificing old for new (our old lives for new ones, an old, sinful nature for a new one). It means putting to death the things that once killed us so we can have new lives in Christ. Although it sounds displeasing, we know that when we suffer for Christ, His glory is revealed in us (1 Peter 4:13); so as paradoxical as it seems, suffering and sacrifice are gateways to the glory of God.
3. "FOLLOW ME"
The last pillar to following Christ is... following Christ. As simple as it may sound, following Him is deeper than a surface-level instruction. It is a daily decision to yield yourself to His Spirit so He can guide you. Following Christ entails doing as He did, loving as He did, serving as He did - being as He is. "Follow Me" is as much of a command as it is a continual lifestyle that we get to surrender to daily. And in the following, we are transformed to be like Him - transforming the world the way He did.
So far we've discussed that true devotion to Christ will cost us something, the difference between being a fan vs. a follower, and what it means to sincerely follow Him..
...the Christian life costs a lot, doesn't it?
Being a true disciple requires discipline, and discipline is bred out of devotion.
But Jesus offers us lifetime guarantee: being a follower of the one and only God is so worth it. The persecution pales in comparison to the promises, prosperity, and abundance attached to living for Christ - so much so that there is hardly enough time to discuss all of them! But a couple of verses come to mind when I think of God's promises towards his beloved:
1 Corinthians 2:9, "No eye has seen, nor has ear heard, and what no human mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."
Romans 8:18, "what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later."
Psalm 9:9-10, "the LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Lastly, one of my favorites:
Revelation 3:5, "All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before My Father and his angels that they are Mine."
And there are hundreds of other promises like these ones. Let this be a word of encouragement to you: don't give up! You will be rewarded if you endure to the end, and God keeps an account of everything - he is not stingy in giving blessings to us.
Thanks for reading!
Song of the week: "Do It Again" by Elevation Worship
Crystal ❤️