Thinking about Him (5)
THE PRICE TO PAY
During his three years of ministry on earth, Jesus was always followed by a large crowd of people. Some were attracted to him because of his forceful teachings that enlightened their minds and touched their hearts. Some were amazed at the miracles that he performed and were curious of the identity of this person. Many others were waiting for him to lead them in driving out the Romans from their homeland. Everyone carried with him/her different expectation and understanding of Jesus.
When Jesus started to reveal his identity, his mission and his demands on his followers, more and more people left him because they realized that he did not match their expectation of who he should be. They found out that there was a price to pay in following him, and it was a price they found it too high to pay. Therefore, they turned their backs and left Jesus. Although Jesus knew that by revealing his identity and the cost that his followers had to pay, many would abandon him; he chose to tell the truth anyway.
In the churches today, it seems that a different Jesus is being preached. In order to attract more people into their churches, preachers preach of a Jesus that lived a comfortable and luxurious life while he was on earth. Seldom do the listeners hear about the suffering that Jesus had to endure, neither do they hear about the price of following Jesus. Unsurprisingly, in churches where this Jesus is being preached, people flocked into these churches not knowing the full cost of being his followers.
Perhaps we need to look again to the Jesus of Nazareth and listen once again to his demands and expectations that he has towards his followers. Perhaps we need to once again count the cost of following him. Then, perhaps, we will be able to make a genuine decision to choose to follow him or to leave him.
During his three years of ministry on earth, Jesus was always followed by a large crowd of people. Some were attracted to him because of his forceful teachings that enlightened their minds and touched their hearts. Some were amazed at the miracles that he performed and were curious of the identity of this person. Many others were waiting for him to lead them in driving out the Romans from their homeland. Everyone carried with him/her different expectation and understanding of Jesus.
When Jesus started to reveal his identity, his mission and his demands on his followers, more and more people left him because they realized that he did not match their expectation of who he should be. They found out that there was a price to pay in following him, and it was a price they found it too high to pay. Therefore, they turned their backs and left Jesus. Although Jesus knew that by revealing his identity and the cost that his followers had to pay, many would abandon him; he chose to tell the truth anyway.
In the churches today, it seems that a different Jesus is being preached. In order to attract more people into their churches, preachers preach of a Jesus that lived a comfortable and luxurious life while he was on earth. Seldom do the listeners hear about the suffering that Jesus had to endure, neither do they hear about the price of following Jesus. Unsurprisingly, in churches where this Jesus is being preached, people flocked into these churches not knowing the full cost of being his followers.
Perhaps we need to look again to the Jesus of Nazareth and listen once again to his demands and expectations that he has towards his followers. Perhaps we need to once again count the cost of following him. Then, perhaps, we will be able to make a genuine decision to choose to follow him or to leave him.Labels: Theology
posted by Dan at 8/03/2006 03:45:00 pm
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