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“Where We’re Going” Luke 9 (Note: the serif type is copied from Scott’s notes and the Power Point. The Arial type is from my notes.) The issue of our salvation is the matter of discipleship. Discipleship is costly. Why would someone want to live by the “red letters?”Our call to salvation is a call to be a disciple. Being saved is following Jesus. (B T W, does this sound any different than what you were taught early in your Christian walk?)
Matthew 19:16 – 26; Rich Young Ruler= “Saved” (v25) and “Come, follow Me” (v21) are used by Christ to convey the same truth… Just today, my daily reading took me to Matthew 10: First Jesus calls these men, then He tells them what they signed up for! (see vv7-42)
• What would make 12 men from all backgrounds and social standing leave their security and future security for the ‘uncertain’ path of a Bedouin?
• What would make a woman empty her entire savings account out and lay it at the feet of a Man from Nazareth?
• Why would pimps, prostitutes, gamblers and shysters invite a Holy Man to their social gatherings?
• Why would an unclean woman risk excommunication from Israel and its covenants with God by reaching out and touching a recognized Rabbi?
• Why would a man, distinguished as the Teacher among teachers in Israel, one of the most honored Pharisees, come to a carpenter under the cover of night and expose his own emptiness by asking Him the meaning of life?
• And why would a young aristocratic member of the Sanhedrin come running up to Jesus and fall at His feet and call Him “Good”? In Matthew 10 we see how this is acted out in reality. Vv 7 – 15: These are His orders for disciples (missionaries).Vv 16 – 23: His warning about what to expect from the world. (Notice verse 22 has a reminder about what this mornings teaching is all about.)Vv 24 – 31: His protection of those that follow is spelled out.Vv 32 – 39: His promise to those who endure (see 39).What would happen in your life if you read Matthew 10 each day for only a week – just 7 times? I think something would happen? What do you think?
Who then can be saved?I raised a few eyebrows a few months ago when I said the call to discipleship and the salvation call are one and the same… God knows nothing of a separation between the two…when He separates the sheep and goats one day, it has to be understood that the separation will also include the TRUE FOLLOWERS from the PEW SITTERS… The proof text for this understanding is here in Matthew 19 where Christ uses several synonyms for salvation:
- Eternal life
- Completion
- Kingdom of God
- Saved They all mean and refer to the same thing!
A Tag-a-long? Or a True Follower?
- Bail as soon as persecution comes
- Ultimately choose their comfort over His life
- Enjoy the ride until the demands become too difficult
- Soon give up on a life of faith and go back
- Easy marks for distraction and deception
- Will miss out on the supernatural outflow of His voice.
“Keep the commandments” (inner obedience, an obedience from faith) “All these I have kept” (external observance only, performance) Much of churchdom is EXTERNAL observance! When it comes down to it, if we had to choose between His reign and THIS LIFE, most would opt to save their own souls, choose the easy path or look for alternative routes… God is looking for those with a SINGLE EYE, not SPLIT-SCREENED…with Him, there is no middle ground; we are either FOR Him (a word denoting “withness”, allegiance and solidarity) or we are against Him (a word denoting “not of Him”, the opposition party, in His way)
Luke 9: 57 – 62 Through His interaction with the three men who would follow Jesus, He has something special to say to us. 1st man: His first inclination was to follow with what he had but he didn’t realize that he would have to give it all up.2nd man: This man was asked to follow by the master but had second thoughts because of family concerns.3rd man: This man volunteered but only after he took care of his own business first, putting personal things before kingdom things.
Discipleship Demands: 1. Radical Deference (see vv 54 – 56)2. Radical Decisiveness (see vv 57 – 623. Radical Dependence (see 10:3,4)