Your Life, Also

Luke 14:26-33; Matthew 10:38,39

Have you considered what the Father desires from you in remembrance of Jesus Christ?

"If anyone comes to Me and does not...........bear HIS CROSS and come after Me, cannot be my disciple."

"So likewise, whoever of you (those following Him) does not FORSAKE ALL that he has cannot be My disciple."

"And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."
Except for my emphasis, notice that the "his's" in Jesus' teachings are uncapitalized, meaning they apply to ME/YOU!

"Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, CONSIDER THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST OF OUR CONFESSION, CHRIST JESUS, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, WHOSE HOUSE WE ARE IF WE HOLD FAST THE CONFIDENCE AND THE REJOICING OF THE HOPE FIRM TO THE END." (Hebrews 3:1-6)

The joy of the Lord, in serving His Father, led Him to His cross, and the Father resurrected Him from that physical death. We give all glory to the Father in this, and all praise to the Son for His willingness to be faithful in the heavenly calling! But our Teacher tells us that the notion of the cross MUST work in those who follow Him. The end of this discipleship is oneness with the Father and Son who are One!

Not Ashamed Of The Testimony of Our Lord

2 Timothy 1:8-10

"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."

Paul informs Timothy that the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ pertains not only to Him but to Paul and Timothy as well. If it pertains to Paul and Timothy, it surely is profitable for instruction toward righteousness for every man of God!  All in Christ Jesus must understand this calling!

Interestingly, this holy calling was given to "us" before time began, revealed to "us" through the Savior Jesus Christ who abolished spiritual death and brought life. It always was the Father's plan that Jesus would be the "firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29).

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as SHEEP for the slaughter. Yet in all these things "we" are more than conquerers THROUGH HIM who loved us." (Romans 8:35-37)

For the Father's sake and His Lamb's we are accounted as SHEEP. We must understand that Jesus Christ's calling by the Father is our calling. Through this understanding we function IN HIS NAME!  It is not a physical destruction necessarily (as Jesus' was), but the removal of all soulish rubbish that would keep us from experiencing Him to the uttermost, and that others may see.

Greater Works Than These

John 14:12

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also, and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."

We know that Jesus prophesied the kingdom of God to those who followed Him; He delivered those tormented by demonic spirits; He healed many who were sick; and He fed, miraculously, thousands from a small boy's lunch; He quelled a "storm of wind". 

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord', shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord', have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" (Matthew 7:21, 22)

By John, the 18th chapter, Jesus is being betrayed by Judas; Peter denies Him; the high priest accuses Him wrongly and Pilate condemns Him: He meets the end intended by the Father. He was in the process of "going to His Father". He was going to and through the cross. He was laying down His life so that we may also know the way.

All these things in the ministry of Jesus Christ were good things. Yet we know that without first the "death of the testator" (Hebrew 9:16), there would be no resurrection: the greatest work that Jesus Christ fulfilled. If you believe in Him, these good, supernatural works will not be left behind. Nor shall the greater works. 

You need that no man teach you how. We have a great and holy High priest: He heads the church, giving discernment by the Holy Spirit. But God has given men the understanding to tell you that you must!  

   

The Rock

Matthew 16:13-19, 7:24-27;  1 Corinthians 10:1-6

"When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, 'Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?'  So they said, 'Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'  He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?'  Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you BUT MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. AND I ALSO SAY TO YOU that you are Peter, and on THIS ROCK I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail (or, have victory) against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.' "

"Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on THE ROCK: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall for it was founded on THE ROCK. But everyone who hears these saying of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell, And great was its fall."

"Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that SPIRITUAL ROCK that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted......."

As Jesus spoke to His disciples, the Father revealed to Peter who Jesus is: the Christ, the Son of the Living God. The Rock is every revelation from God by His Holy Spirit regarding Jesus Christ: life now because of, through, with and in Him, so we may understand what is the hope of Jesus Christ's calling; what are the riches of the glory of Jesus Christ's inheritance in the saints! (Ephesians 1:18)

Where is Your Faith?

Luke 8:22-25

"Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, 'Let us go over to the other side of the lake.' And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, 'Where is your faith?' And they being afraid wondered, saying to one another, 'What manner of man is this! For he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.' "

I would say that Jesus knew how the disciples would respond to the trial of storm. He knew what they had grasped of what He had taught; He knew what action they were prepared to take. They called Him their Master, yet when He rebuked the "storm of wind" they said, What manner of man is this? Apparently, they had just seen Him do something they had not experienced before: another supernatural, saving act. Jesus seemed to be correcting them in it, schooling them. God had given them another reason to draw their attention to His Son. A reminder to us to cry out for Him in the "storm of wind" for His saving hand, but daily in the calm seas so He can make you ready for all things.

Why was Jesus so calm as the ship was filling with water? He was one with His Father even while in the body of flesh. Nothing kept Him from His relationship with His Father. He dwelt with Him for He wanted nothing more. 

As A Little Child Would

Mark 10:13-16, 17-22

"Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them (who brought them); for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not RECEIVE the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means ENTER it.' "

I received the kingdom of God as a grown man, 30 years of age. Does that disqualify me? I think the Master is teaching all those who would be His disciples to approach Him as a child would: full of inquisition and much room to grow.

"Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, 'Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? So Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother.' And he answered and said to Him, 'Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.' Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, TAKE UP THE CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.'  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."

Jesus was telling him the same thing he tells us: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you". (Matthew 6:33) The one that came running to Jesus, although approaching, did not RECEIVE His words as a little child. He was too full of what he had to joyfully ENTER his rest.

Son of Man, Son of the Living God

Mark 11:12-14

"Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps he He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response, Jesus said to it, 'Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.' And His disciples heard it."

The Son of Man was physically hungry, just as we get hungry. He was on His way to see if a fig tree had any fruit left on it. The signs of fruitfulness were present but all the fruit had been removed - there was none left for Him to eat. The Son of The Living God, hearing by the Holy Spirit the word of the Father, commences to end the fruitfulness of that fig tree, forever. And so we see the beginning of the true vine for fruitfulness.

Because of His oneness with His Father, he went from functioning physically, moved by hunger to functioning eternally, moved to speak words that minister God's life to us to this day. He was born physically from Mary yet changed this world forever by the words of the Father. He learned how to do that and then was revealed to mankind to show all those, who will believe Him, how to live the same way! Hallelujah!