Jesus said to live for Him, we must die to self. That is so contrary to what we hear today in our churches.
When did Jesus have a hog roast, carnival, picnic, basketball team, or other event just to draw in new members. Yes, I know about the feeding of the 5,000, but read it, it was not a membership draw. In fact, after feeding them, he tells them they were only there for the food! Harsh!
But as I read through the gospels, I see a lot of harsh teachings. That is about the only place I see harsh teaching, in the church it is often non-existant or buried in a load of fluff.
Dying is not a pretty thought. But perhaps we need to get over that idea. Carrying a cross is not a pretty thought, but we are told to do that too. But the cross we carry too often has wheels on it, and padding where it touches our shoulder. Blisters and blood would turn people off, and that crown of thorns is over the top.
All that talk about turning the other cheek, going the extra mile...
D is for death, but I will have to blog more about that later...my carpal tunnel is kicking in and it hurts to type too much. (No, I don't have carpal tunnel, I am being sarcastic).
5 comments:
The cost of following Jesus is high.
Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
(Luke 14:25-33 ESV)
While agreeing with you on the idea of Dieing to self as a Christian;we as Christians need to die to self and do so at leasr daily. For me it is one like on every tick of the clock!
I wonder what you mean when you speak of Jesus not doing things "as a membership draw"? I think He was the draw! If not Him; the whole thing of watching the Jewish leadership getting red-faced when Jesus "put them in their place."
Kansas Bob, you are right the cost is high! Jesus want to make sure we knew that going in; and some [most] churches do not do a great job of explaining the "membership fees" at the start! I do think that the cost for some (read what the Lord asks) is higher than others.
Paul refers to himself as a slave; and tells us to be a living sacrifice; NOW that is a cost!
http://oldmanswonderings.blogspot.com
What I mean by him not doing things as a membership draw is that he did not use gimmicks. He didn't feel he had to give an I-Pad away in order to get people to hear the message. He was the draw, as you so aptly say. So shouldn't he be the draw that we use? So why is it that sometimes we hardly hear his name mentioned, even in church sometimes?
How can we cound the cost when we don't even know what we are buying?
Thanks for stopping by!
Spherical
Ok, in that case I get what you are saying.
I would agree that the Hope and Love of Jesus through us, His people, should be the draw. The thing is we need to be more of a draw OUTSIDE the four walls of the Church building. Then again I preach to myself as much as to those who read this comment or the wonderings of the old man's wanderings!!
Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.
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