Not a Fan. (Part Four)

     What Jesus is most concerned about is our level of commitment. When Jesus tells us what he expects, he isn't just talking to one specific group. He is talking to all people who want to follow him. Jesus is always honest when it comes to what following Him will cost us.

     

Luke 14:25-26: If anyone come to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters- yes even his own life- he cannot be my disciple.

     Now he doesn't literally mean that you must hate those people, because that would be going against all that the bible teaches. What Jesus means is that compared to Him, you must hate everyone else. That's how much he should mean to you. Jesus wants to be first place, but He wants to be the only one. He doesn't want there to be a second place. Don't make Jesus one of many, make Him your one and only. Fans want a loving, committed relationship, but they don't want to make it exclusive. Jesus will not share your affection; you must follow him wholeheartedly. There are many things that compete for Jesus' attention, and you may not even realize it. So ask yourself these things:

     1. For what do you sacrifice your money?

What you spend your money on is the true desire of your heart and it is usually what you follow. Money is Jesus' number one competition. People sacrifice time and money for things because they think they will find satisfaction. For many people satisfaction has a price tag. But Jesus wants to be our lone satisfaction. Money promises to do what God wants to do for us and unlike Him, it cannot fully deliver. Matthew 6:24- No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

     2. When you're hurt, where do you go for comfort?

Things have the potential to compete with Jesus over our devotion and affection. It's not wrong to be comforted by friends, but they do take the place of Jesus. When the first response is to turn to anyone or anything besides Jesus, it shows we are following something other than Him. When we go through pain it shows who has our affection.

     3. What disappoints, excites, or frustrates you the most?

When you are overwhelmed with these emotions something has become too important. When things have the power to determine who we are and how we act, it's more important than it should be. Some level of this is okay, but getting too emotional shows that Jesus isn't necessarily your one and only.

     Following Jesus means following him alone, He's not interested in sharing our hearts. When Jesus says he will not share our affection or devotion, he isn't just saying how He wants to be loved. He is describing how He loves us. Jesus puts us first, He loves us with His whole heart, and nothing gets in between us. Trying to follow Jesus part-time is impossible. Being a Christian isn't easy; before you commit, make sure you understand what it costs. It isn't cheap; you can lose, and lose big. From the day you become a follower, Satan will be after you. It will be an everyday struggle, but it will always be worth it.

Matthew 16:24-25

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it."