One thing that the Gospel is not, it is accommodating. Jesus’ demands
were radical. He told his followers to put him in first place above all other
relationships and possessions. He was willing to see potential followers walk
away who weren’t disposed to follow him all the way. Once, a rich ruler was
extremely interested in following Jesus. He seemed sincere and willing to do
what was necessary to follow Christ. Jesus, however, knew his heart and asked
the one thing he was not willing to do—part with his wealth. Jesus said to him,
"You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Luke 18:22).
Jesus never asked that of every follower. He never asked for a vow of
poverty, but for this man his riches diluted his thinking. He needed to learn
to be helplessly dependent on Jesus for his salvation. The demand was too much,
“When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth”
(Luke 18:23). What a lost opportunity! His refusal to give up anything that
hindered his relationship to Christ has to be a stupidity of eternal
proportions.
The parallel to today’s presentation of the Gospel is striking, at least
in America where the claims of Christ are hardly presented at all. One would
think going into most Christian churches that Christ wants you to be happy and
fulfilled, and that is the extent of the message. One wouldn’t even know that
Jesus said "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take
up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it” (Luke 9:23-24).
Amy Carmichael in her book, Things
as They Are, presents the Gospel to a Hindu queen in her palace. Miss
Carmichael tried to be gentle and present the message in a way that would
appeal to the queen. However, the queen
wanted to hear the bottom line—what does Jesus expect of me, so Amy read
her Jesus’ words. Amy describes the
queen’s response:
She knew quite enough to understand and take in the force of the forceful
words. She would not consent to be led gently on. "No, I must know it
now," she said; and as verse by verse we read to her, her face settled
sorrowfully. "So far must I follow, so far?" she said, "I cannot
follow so far:"'[i]
Yes, the answer is still the same; I must follow Jesus as far as he
demands. I must be willing to leave all and follow him. Are you willing to do
that?
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