Reluctant Disciples

#1)

Count the Cost

Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.

I think as Christians we would all like to think that we would follow the Lamb wherever he would lead us. These redeemed are what we wish we would be many times. They were the first fruits of God, they were Christians when being Christians wasn’t cool.

Their lives were like a full pitcher that was poured out upon the world.

Involvement and Commitment?

Perhaps I can best explain this by way of analogy with bacon and eggs

In bacon and egg, the hen is involved but the pig is committed

Luk 9:57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

Luk 9:58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Some will follow the lamb wherever he goes as long as were he goes benefits them. There is no room for fair-weather Christians in the kingdom of God.

I often think about this scripture as I hear the prosperity preachers preach. Christ concern or his disciples was never about their prosperity, but the prosperity of the lost and afflicted.

Notice in all his preaching Christ never fit into a sect or a religious group. His teaching was not popular or often accepted but completely biblical. Everything about him was a extension and fulfillment of the scripture.

Notice we sometimes are completely opposite, always trying to find some place to lay our theological heads, some denomination box to fit the word in. I have noticed the more I study the word of God the less I fit in the religious world.

Sometimes being a disciple of Christ isn’t any more popular in church as it is in the world.

2Co 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich

#2)

Seek first the Kingdom / PROCRASTENATION

Luk 9:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

Luk 9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

The BUT’S

Notice first of all his commitment was dependent on a BUT. I will follow you Lord wherever you go BUT .

Father wasn’t DEAD yet. Let me live first.

ROBERTSONS WORD PICTURES

The burial of one’s father was a sacred duty (Gen_25:9), but, as in the case of Tobit 4:3, this scribe’s father probably was still alive. What the scribe apparently meant was that he could not leave his father while still alive to follow Jesus around over the country.

What he was really saying was he would follow Christ after the affairs of life.

He was busy preparing for his fathers death whereas Christ would have given him life. Why do we limit God?

Christ quickly teaches us that his work can not take a backseat to our work , our family, our concerns, our dreams etc.. A true disciple does not make himself center of life, but Christ the center of his life.

2Ti 2:4 No man that wareth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

The Years of Our Lives

Someone has figured that in the average life span of 70 years, we will spend our time this way:

Eight years in amusements

Six years at the dinner table

Five years in transportation

Four years in conversation

Three years sick or convalescing

Less than one year for God-that is if a person attends a 90-minute service every Sunday and prays every day for 10 minutes.

The Story of a Fool

One day there was a little task

God wanted me to do.

I said, "Lord, You’ll have to wait,

I’ve got no time for You.

I have this little child to raise

And prices are so high;

Besides we’ve found a house and lot

We thought we’d like to buy."

So I took on some extra work,

No church-I was too tired.

But I got up on Monday morning,

I had to-or get fired!

And so I went along for years

With never a thought of God;

Until one day my little child

Was laid beneath the sod.

The lovely home we’d bought for her

Seemed empty now-so bare.