Following Jesus Pt. III

#Discipleship #BasicsOfFaith #Christianity #ChristAlone

What does it mean to follow Jesus Christ? Being a follower of Jesus means to be called out and also to be doers of the Word, not only hearers (which is admittedly difficult). But there is so much more to following Jesus Christ. Now, these series of posts focus on texts from the Gospel of Matthew, which is only a small portion of what it means to follow Jesus, but it serves as a good starting point, based on the teachings of Jesus as He taught the disciples.

Jesus has called the 12 Apostles, and we see their names. Then we see something that is unique to those who are called and sustained by Jesus Christ. There is a mission that needs to be fulfilled. Following Jesus means being on a mission and being totally dependent on Him.

“These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support. And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. As you enter the house, give it your greeting. If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.’” (Matthew 10:5-10, NASB)

The mission is very forward. Go and share the Good News with the people of Israel and follow these instructions. The summary of the instructions is simple. Be totally dependent on God’s provision for you as you go about this mission. There is a simple truth that can encourage us today. As we follow Jesus Christ, we are provided for by God to move forward in the call to be His servant, adopted child, and ambassador for His Kingdom.

1. The mission focuses on the proclamation of the Gospel. Divisions in the body of Christ (the Church) arise from a number of factors that have a common denominator—human nature. The central truth of the Church’s mission is the communication and engagement of the Gospel. This often means we need to remain humble when we need more education and information and remain guarded about teachings, philosophies, and movements that contradict the teachings of the Gospel as a comprehensive volume, not just one part above another.

2. The mission is obedience based on God’s power. The apostolic gifts are not normative (meaning for everyone), these are meant to display the power of God to verify the real Gospel contrary to the false gospels present then and now. The power of the resurrected Jesus Christ is present with followers of Jesus as evident in the transformation of the believer’s life. The one sign and miracle that so many continue to have a difficult time accepting, the resurrection, is the only sign that would be given to this generation (Matthew 12:39). Rest upon God’s power to accomplish the mission.

3. The mission demands total and utter dependence on God. Jesus commanded the Apostles to be completely dependent on God’s provision for them. The text makes it clear. Do not take anything extra for your journey, do not take a money bag, or any means to defend yourselves. Jesus is calling the Apostles, as He calls us today, to have an unwavering commitment and trust in Him. This is indeed foreign to us, as we have such a strong dependence on our income and the active search for comfort and financial security. Nonetheless, if you read later on in the text, the Apostles return bewildered by the way the message was accepted and how God was able to work signs and wonders through the proclamation of the Gospel by each one of them.

4. The mission demands God’s complete love. Jesus provides instructions on how to handle the response when people receive or decline the Apostles and the message they are heralding. This shows the complete love God has for people to grant us free will. Part of displaying love is to allow the potential recipient to freely accept or deny the offer of love made to them (See John 3:16-21). The love God has for humanity is one that saves individuals from the divine justice incurred by being born into sin. The love of God is constant, but the decision to receive it is totally ours.

Dear Reader, following Jesus is exciting, transforming, and humbling; it can also be difficult, trying, and dangerous (given the many attacks on Scriptural Christianity). The invitation that Jesus made to the Apostles remains open to us today. May we be confidently dependent on Jesus Christ, who is faithful and loving to all who call on Him. May you continue to focus on Him and not anything or anyone else.