Removing the Buttons Part Twelve - Choose Jesus
Last one. A total of twelve heart-focused, Jesus-commanded, look-into-my-own-life instructions that we who claim to be Christ-followers should seek to be the defining characteristics of our lives.
Because they were the defining characteristics of Jesus' life.
But before you jump in feet-first to living your faith, you need to know what you're getting into: Jesus had quite the following and more than enough publicity. But when people really got to know Him, they realized He wasn't really the superstar they wanted; He demanded too much and they weren't willing to give that. He also attracted the attention of the "religious" leaders of the day, who hated Him, and stopped at nothing to make sure He was silenced. They succeeded. (Well, for 3 days :) All the while, Jesus did the things He commanded us to do from the Sermon on the Mount, a living testimony to what it takes to really follow God through Christ.
And He died for it.
You will, too.
Oh, likely you won't lose your physical life. (Though there are countless Christ-followers who have done just that and die even today.) But you'll need to be ready to die to your desires, die to your attitude, die to your habits, your tendencies, your precious sins, and your own plans. Christ said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow me," (Luke 9:23).
Deny yourself. Take up the object of torture and death--our faith--and follow Him. With our words, our actions, our time, our money, our choices, our plans, and our entire life. Jesus wants all of you.
I just wanted to make sure you know what you're signing up for. Because the Christian life is sometimes made to sound picture-perfect: if you obey Jesus you'll have all you ever needed and all your dreams will come true. But obeying is harder than anyone ever thinks. And the recurring theme of the whole of Scripture is not that God's people are overwhelmingly kept from evil and trouble but that they find God in the midst of it. From Abraham to Jacob to Moses to Job to Isaiah and John the Baptist and Paul and especially Jesus, their allegiance to God cost them everything. And they decided it was worth it. [See Hebrews 11.]
So today's passage from the Sermon on the Mount says this: "Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock," (Matthew 7:24-25).
Just know: the rain is coming. The streams will rise, and the winds will beat against your house. Just as it does for those who don't obey Christ (Matthew 7:26-27). We all know the difficulty of life, the pain of loss, and the scorn of rejection. You won't miss these things just because you follow Jesus.
But you won't fall.
Because your foundation--your internal support--the innate purpose for your life--is anchored in Christ. He is your rock, your fortress, and your deliverer (Psalm 18:2). You've chosen, as a Christ-follower, to love Him and love others. And when you're tempted to act like everyone else, you remember that you're called to be salt in light. Not to slap back. To forgive over and over. (If those don't ring a bell, you've got eleven great blogs below that will get you caught up :)
In fact, the Sermon on the Mount also contains a nugget of wisdom to let you know if you're on the right track:
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it," (Matthew 7:13-14).
When it comes to everything invades your mind...clothes, money, drugs, sex, cheating, boys, attitude, words, friends, attitude, relationships, and more...you should find yourself not doing what almost everyone else does. In fact, when you find yourself fitting in with a crowd or feeling like you belong, you are called to severely scrutinize that decision and be sure you're glorifying Jesus Christ. Because you're salt and light. Because that's what Jesus commands. Because you know you're not living for the world.
Because that's what Jesus did.
Know what you're getting into. He's asking for everything. But ask someone who's lived it for fifty or more years if it's worth the cost and you'll get one resounding answer: YES, because HE IS FAITHFUL.
So, to summarize for the last time:
1. Be weird.
2. Forgive.
3. Bounce.
4. Speak truth.
5. Don't slap back.
6. Agape.
7. Be righteous secretly.
8. Fill your heart with eternity.
9. Don't worry.
10. Don't judge.
11. ASK.
12. Choose Jesus.
These are the things that set your foundation on the rock.
[And here's a look at that kind of life from a college girl's perspective on this very topic:]
http://theultimatehope.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-blog-post-that-proves-christianity.html
Because they were the defining characteristics of Jesus' life.
But before you jump in feet-first to living your faith, you need to know what you're getting into: Jesus had quite the following and more than enough publicity. But when people really got to know Him, they realized He wasn't really the superstar they wanted; He demanded too much and they weren't willing to give that. He also attracted the attention of the "religious" leaders of the day, who hated Him, and stopped at nothing to make sure He was silenced. They succeeded. (Well, for 3 days :) All the while, Jesus did the things He commanded us to do from the Sermon on the Mount, a living testimony to what it takes to really follow God through Christ.
And He died for it.
You will, too.
Oh, likely you won't lose your physical life. (Though there are countless Christ-followers who have done just that and die even today.) But you'll need to be ready to die to your desires, die to your attitude, die to your habits, your tendencies, your precious sins, and your own plans. Christ said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow me," (Luke 9:23).
Deny yourself. Take up the object of torture and death--our faith--and follow Him. With our words, our actions, our time, our money, our choices, our plans, and our entire life. Jesus wants all of you.
I just wanted to make sure you know what you're signing up for. Because the Christian life is sometimes made to sound picture-perfect: if you obey Jesus you'll have all you ever needed and all your dreams will come true. But obeying is harder than anyone ever thinks. And the recurring theme of the whole of Scripture is not that God's people are overwhelmingly kept from evil and trouble but that they find God in the midst of it. From Abraham to Jacob to Moses to Job to Isaiah and John the Baptist and Paul and especially Jesus, their allegiance to God cost them everything. And they decided it was worth it. [See Hebrews 11.]
So today's passage from the Sermon on the Mount says this: "Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock," (Matthew 7:24-25).
Just know: the rain is coming. The streams will rise, and the winds will beat against your house. Just as it does for those who don't obey Christ (Matthew 7:26-27). We all know the difficulty of life, the pain of loss, and the scorn of rejection. You won't miss these things just because you follow Jesus.
But you won't fall.
Because your foundation--your internal support--the innate purpose for your life--is anchored in Christ. He is your rock, your fortress, and your deliverer (Psalm 18:2). You've chosen, as a Christ-follower, to love Him and love others. And when you're tempted to act like everyone else, you remember that you're called to be salt in light. Not to slap back. To forgive over and over. (If those don't ring a bell, you've got eleven great blogs below that will get you caught up :)
In fact, the Sermon on the Mount also contains a nugget of wisdom to let you know if you're on the right track:
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it," (Matthew 7:13-14).
When it comes to everything invades your mind...clothes, money, drugs, sex, cheating, boys, attitude, words, friends, attitude, relationships, and more...you should find yourself not doing what almost everyone else does. In fact, when you find yourself fitting in with a crowd or feeling like you belong, you are called to severely scrutinize that decision and be sure you're glorifying Jesus Christ. Because you're salt and light. Because that's what Jesus commands. Because you know you're not living for the world.
Because that's what Jesus did.
Know what you're getting into. He's asking for everything. But ask someone who's lived it for fifty or more years if it's worth the cost and you'll get one resounding answer: YES, because HE IS FAITHFUL.
So, to summarize for the last time:
1. Be weird.
2. Forgive.
3. Bounce.
4. Speak truth.
5. Don't slap back.
6. Agape.
7. Be righteous secretly.
8. Fill your heart with eternity.
9. Don't worry.
10. Don't judge.
11. ASK.
12. Choose Jesus.
These are the things that set your foundation on the rock.
[And here's a look at that kind of life from a college girl's perspective on this very topic:]
http://theultimatehope.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-blog-post-that-proves-christianity.html
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