just a moot point to me
at this stage of the game,
it really is.
But to the people who think otherwise?
It goes a lil something like this:
People can think whatever they want to.
Book says what it says.
Just because people didn't ever think
they would see it
in their lifetimes?
Or with this person?
Or with that one?
Or within a certain geographical vicinity?
It doesn't lessen whats said...
The cost of Apostleship is high.
Period.
Matthew 12:46-50
While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. Or whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Mark 10:29-31
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
(Gods kingdom is an upside down one from our earthly existence because Gods values are in direct opposition to mans.)
Luke 9:59-60
And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Footnotes
9:60 Let the dead bury their dead:
i.e., let the spiritually dead
(those who do not follow)
bury their physically dead.
See also note on Mt 8:22.
Matthew 8:22
But Jesus answered him,
“Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”
Footnotes
Let the dead bury their dead:
the demand of Jesus overrides
what both the Jewish and the Hellenistic world regarded
as a filial (due from a son or daughter.) obligation of the highest importance.
So whats the problem here still?
The problem is this:
We just want to ignore the parts we dont like
or find unacceptable to us.
Thats more the problem
than somebody doing Gods will
right underneath your nose.
I promise you it is.
We go to church
We hear the stories.
We study the word.
Everybody all nods in agreement.
We exchange pleasantries.
We leave and come back the next Sunday.
Then when somebody:
"who has given up house
or brothers or sisters or
mother or father
or children
or lands for my (Christ) sake"
We ask ourselves:
"Whats wrong with him?
Why is he like that?
Etc.
Fact is?
There's nothing wrong with one who:
"has given up house or brothers or sisters or
mother or father
or children
or lands for my (Christ) sake"
The problem lies with
a fundamental lack of understanding
of:
Matthew 12:46-50
Luke 9:59-60
Matthew 8:22
Whats needed?
Now more than ever?
Are parents like James and Johns dad Zebedee:
Matthew 4:21-22
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Zebedee understood the will of the father in his life.
(And that it was an honor to be under a teacher)
Did he really want his two sons to leave him?
and their (in all likelihood)
prosperous fishing business?
I would say probably not.
But he had an
understanding
of what Gods will for his life
(and that of his sons)
was.
He didn't say a word.
Not one.
The sons?
They didn't hesitate either.
They were gone in an instant.
Dont even grab anything,
come on lets go,
Now!
And they went.
So people may ask
How does he/they
do that/why does he/they do that etc?
My question is:
Where are all the parents like Zebedee?
Where are they?
Remember:
Accepting Christ.
Living a Godly life of
Prayer
Piety
and good works?
Being in a community of believers etc
Isn't quite enough.
You gotta know Gods will in your life
and
you have got to do it.
No matter how uncomfortable
it might make you!
Matthew 7:21-23
I Never Knew You
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
But I go to church Andrew...
Yeah?
Well
so do a bunch of cockroaches
in some instances.
(Borrowed it from an IG preacher BTW :-).
Dont even get me started on:
and Naanan the Syrian etc...
Those are for a different time and a different place.
Who is really doing the will of God in their life in those two stories?
I'll just leave like that...
I love you baby.
TTYS honey :-).
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