As we were out ministering this morning, a thought occurred to me. I remembered what I was taught:
- “You don’t want to go to THAT part of town.”
- “You don’t want to be seen with THOSE people.”
- “If others see you talking to that person with the bad reputation, they might associate you with their lifestyle.”
Many of us have been trained to keep up with appearances. Jesus didn’t. He was already controversial and didn’t have a thing to lose. You might say, “Matthew, Jesus is the Son of God. I’m not that great or powerful.” This is true, but Jesus ministered to the kinds of people many of us were taught to avoid – the poor, the drug addict, the alcoholic, the wife-beater, the guy who spends more days in jail than out.
With this in mind, are you sure you really want to be like Jesus? Do you really want to follow His example and minister to societal outcasts? Do you want to be criticized for ministering to people that many preachers are hatefully preaching against?
Following Jesus is more than showing up in a fancy building once a week, dropping $5 in the offering plate, singing a few songs, and listening to a preacher. Jesus called His disciples to take up their cross daily and follow Him. If you say you are “saved”, this is what you are supposed to be doing. If all you did was say a prayer to give you some fire insurance, you have a false security and a horrible idea of why Jesus died for you. He did not go to the cross so you could abuse His grace and expect preachers to do what God called all born again believers to do.
Once again, I would like to ask you this question: “Are you SURE you really want to be like Jesus?”
Well said, Matthew!
We have a family joke, we ARE those kind of people. We do live on THAT side of town. We ARE the bad neighborhood you want to avoid. We don’t even know what a “reputation” IS! We are also exactly who Jesus came to save. 🙂
Amen to that! We should all understand that none of us deserve the grace of God. I think some people forget that post-salvation.
A great challenge to actually be like Jesus and step outside our comfort zones.
God is daily challenging me, but I know that is what it takes to be who He wants me to be. He thrust me out of my comfort zone in 1998 and continues to do so.
Yes, to touch the touch less, and to love the Loveless. This is the path to being the brother of Jesus.
Many are willing to be saved(set apart) but less than willing to disciple and attain salvation(restoration). This is why many are invited but few are chosen. God knows our hearts and knows before hand what we are willing and not willing to do.
The invitation is the entrance into our Kairos now.
2 Timothy chapter 2
Amen! I love how you said this!
Yes, Thank You, Yeshua
Yes, I want to be like Jesus. But I know I am still far off from being like Him. Unlike Jesus, I still worry about my reputation! What am I protecting anyway?
Amen! “Being a Christian” in the modern sense is quaint, but Jesus was a radical, and actually following Him is anything but quaint!
Well said!
Agreed, Lily!
Love your message here! Our church had a picnic yesterday. Some unbelievablers that knew us turned up for the free food and sat beside us. I’m not gonna lie, it was a battle in me to connect with them, to sit with them and love them through the yelling at their kids, through the ugly language and rude manners. But I truly believe that Jesus would’ve done the same. Maybe people think less of me. But I just don’t want to face Jesus some day and try to explain why I rejected the very people he came to save.
I agree. We often forget “the least of these” for various reasons. That could be us without Christ.
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Our pastor shared a similar thought line last Sunday in our church. We all need to think about what it means for each of us to be Christ’s hands and feet in this world. We need to become more obedient to what the Spirit is prompting us to do, remembering Jesus has given us all authority to walk in the Spirit as He did here on earth.
Amen!
Truth!!!!! Thank you for reminding us of this convicting reality of our words.
Yes, every time we are faced with the decision where we live for Him and “Like” Him or live for the appearance. It’s a choice we have to make. Thank You for putting it out so boldly!
Amen.