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Popular Misconceptions Of What It Means To Follow Jesus
What does it mean to follow Jesus? Many in our culture believe that Jesus is the key to success, abundance and all the things we wish for.
One of my favorite authors, Brennan Manning, puts it this way in His book, The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus. “The self centeredness of our culture spawns a self-centered religion. The most common question in evangelism today is ‘What can Jesus do for me?’ Potential converts are told that Jesus can make them happier, better adjusted and more prosperous. Jesus quickly becomes the supreme product, attractively packaged and aggressively sold to a consuming public. Everywhere you turn there are billboards, buttons and bumper stickers - ‘Honk if you love Jesus.’ He’s being advertised in a competitive market with every ingenious Madison Avenue sales technique. Even more than Coca-Cola, Jesus is ‘the real thing.’”
But is that what Jesus teaches us in the Gospels? In Luke 9:23, Jesus said to those following him, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” He also said in John 12:24, “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
Following Jesus is not about our success and glory but His. It is a radical denial of ourselves in order to make Him first in our lives and priorities. It is literally dying to self so that we can live for Him. It is the greatest adventure we will ever live but it is not about us, but Him. It is a life of understanding how Jesus lived and the life He calls us to and then rearranging our lives to conform to His.
Think about Christ’s life. It was anything but comfortable and successful from the world’s perspective. It ended on a cross but thank God for the resurrection. He died so that we could live. We die to ourselves so that He can live in us. Our lives are no longer about us but about Him which is why we every day take up His cross and follow Him. We follow His example, His agenda, His purposes, His priorities and His purposes. This impacts literally every aspect of our lives.
Why the symbol of a cross? Because it symbolizes our death to self and our new life in Him. The cross is a symbol of death, like the kernel of wheat that must die in order to grow again. This takes radical trust on our part to be willing to follow in those areas that we find hard and difficult.
Where are you struggling to die to self and follow Jesus more closely? Today, take up your cross in that area and simply follow. Die to yourself so you can live more fully in Him.
Lord Jesus , I thank you for the cross you carried and died on so that I could live and experience fullness of life as I follow you. Give me the courage to daily take up your cross and follow you more closely. Amen.
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By TJ AddingtonWhat does it mean to follow Jesus? Many in our culture believe that Jesus is the key to success, abundance and all the things we wish for.
One of my favorite authors, Brennan Manning, puts it this way in His book, The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus. “The self centeredness of our culture spawns a self-centered religion. The most common question in evangelism today is ‘What can Jesus do for me?’ Potential converts are told that Jesus can make them happier, better adjusted and more prosperous. Jesus quickly becomes the supreme product, attractively packaged and aggressively sold to a consuming public. Everywhere you turn there are billboards, buttons and bumper stickers - ‘Honk if you love Jesus.’ He’s being advertised in a competitive market with every ingenious Madison Avenue sales technique. Even more than Coca-Cola, Jesus is ‘the real thing.’”
But is that what Jesus teaches us in the Gospels? In Luke 9:23, Jesus said to those following him, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” He also said in John 12:24, “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
Following Jesus is not about our success and glory but His. It is a radical denial of ourselves in order to make Him first in our lives and priorities. It is literally dying to self so that we can live for Him. It is the greatest adventure we will ever live but it is not about us, but Him. It is a life of understanding how Jesus lived and the life He calls us to and then rearranging our lives to conform to His.
Think about Christ’s life. It was anything but comfortable and successful from the world’s perspective. It ended on a cross but thank God for the resurrection. He died so that we could live. We die to ourselves so that He can live in us. Our lives are no longer about us but about Him which is why we every day take up His cross and follow Him. We follow His example, His agenda, His purposes, His priorities and His purposes. This impacts literally every aspect of our lives.
Why the symbol of a cross? Because it symbolizes our death to self and our new life in Him. The cross is a symbol of death, like the kernel of wheat that must die in order to grow again. This takes radical trust on our part to be willing to follow in those areas that we find hard and difficult.
Where are you struggling to die to self and follow Jesus more closely? Today, take up your cross in that area and simply follow. Die to yourself so you can live more fully in Him.
Lord Jesus , I thank you for the cross you carried and died on so that I could live and experience fullness of life as I follow you. Give me the courage to daily take up your cross and follow you more closely. Amen.