FBCWest 374 | Reasons Not to Follow Jesus
Recorded On: 02/16/2020
Bulletin
We are continuing on in our.
Study of the life and Earthly Ministry of Jesus.
Today's sermon titles little different. It is the reasons not to follow Jesus.
Now you would think coming to a church that the.
The title of the sermon would be the opposite the reasons to follow Jesus.
But I think one of the things we need to do is dispel the reasons not to follow Jesus and then we can get down to why to follow Jesus?
And so if you will turn in your Bibles, too.
Luke Chapter 9, starting with verse 51.
It says the days were approaching for his ascension and he was determined to go to Jerusalem.
And he sent messengers on ahead of him and they went and sent entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for him.
But they did not receive him because he was traveling towards Jerusalem.
And so most Jews who were religious Jews in that day would avoid samara to alt. Instead, they would take the long way around because the Samaritans were thought to be **** ****** and they worshipped at a different mountain an and all of those things and they were pretty much hated and despised by the Jews and so generally when you if you were traveling from Galilee to Judea. You would take the long way around.
But Jesus frequently took the way through Samaritan as a matter of fact I'll on a previous occasion. If you recall Jesus met a woman at a well.
And talk to her and they had a discussion about well where should one worship and the woman said. Well, we worship here on this mountain and you worship there in Jerusalem.
And Jesus in his conversation didn't say well, we're right and you're wrong. You're supposed to worship where we worship. He said, God is seeking those to worship him in spirit and in truth.
It's not the location, it's to whom and how you worship.
So you would think with that kind of setting that they would say OK well. Jesus is a little different. Uhm yeah, the Jews generally despise us, but Jesus has treated us differently will receive him and in.
The Middle East at that time and and supposedly even today, one of the major cultural norms was hospitality.
You receive people who were traveling.
And yet they breached the cultural norm, because Jesus was going to Jerusalem to worship.
And they disagreed with that.
Now we as his disciples kind of experienced the same adverse reaction to cultural norms in our culture. Today supposedly one of the major cultural norms in our society is diversity and tolerance.
Unless you're a serious believer of Jesus.
Then your thought to be ignorant and stupid and uneducated.
Because after all, science has told us so much and it's discarded all the Biblical Truth, an if you believe the Bible?
There's just no hope for you.
And you ran their their allowed in our culture, even though the Cultural Norm is tolerance is to be intolerant of us.
And I'm going to chase this rabbit briefly.
Because it's important.
Believers have no reason to be intimidated by science.
As a matter of fact that it's been Christian throughout the ages who have advanced scientific study.
Many, if not most of our prestigious colleges and universities were founded by Christians.
Unfortunately, many of those.
Colleges and universities now turned their back on Christianity.
But I want to take.
One example.
But you can look at.
Biology you can look at Microbiology, you can look at physics, you can look at.
The study of subatomic.
Particles you can look at astronomy and astrophysics and probability in statistics and all of those studies science says one thing.
But we as Christians have No Fear.
Because.
Unfortunately.
What happens is is that scientists have a predisposed?
Position and they take the evidence that they see and place it in that presuppose position.
If you've gone to college or high school and you've had a psychology or a physical physical a social sociology class.
You may have been exposed to this little drawing that has a few lines.
And they ask you what do you see in some people will see in these few lines to old women which is looking at each other?
But others will see a candle stick.
You see what you seed kind of the spins on what it is you're free.
Conceived notions are an if some can see both they say OK. I see the 2 old women looking at each other. I see the candle stick. This was recently done on a on a television show called?
Rain cheese or something and it was different. They showed a some lines and ask. What did you see and then they went back and to a commercial? Then they went back now? what I saw before anybody told me was the word liar written.
Sideways.
Nobody told me what to see that's what I saw liar.
When they came back they said. Well, I'm sure most of you saw a portrait of a beautiful woman and once they told me there was a portrait of beautiful woman. I saw her.
They didn't tell me Oh you probably didn't know because my eyesight saw liar.
I want to use one example why we don't have to fear science.
It's called evolutionary.
Geology.
UC scientists will tell you.
That the Grand Canyon and if you've had a chance to see it. It's magnets. Magnificent it's beautiful, just large hole in the Earth.
It's canyons miles deep and scientists will tell you.
How it was caused by some water over millions and millions and millions of years?
Because they have a pre supposed belief.
That the world is billions of years old, and to cut that through takes millions and millions of years.
There is another place in the Northwest United States.
Where scientists have come to an understanding and agreement?
That there were canyons carved out rapidly.
There was a Lake after that was created after the.
This freezing point in our in our previous history and created a Lake they call Lake Missoula.
They say was larger or as large as Lake Erie.
And for some reason, it, it broke the dam broke and this water came crashing through.
And all the canyons at all the divides were created over a very quick period of time.
Now in both of those situations.
We have to rely on the evidence and the interpretation of the evidence.
But in both situations, whether it was up the creation of canyons by Lake Missoula or the creation of the Grand Canyon.
I wasn't there.
You weren't there.
And the scientists weren't there.
They take their observations and then determine what it is based on whatever.
However, if you take the situation like at Lake Missoula.
To the Grand Canyon you could see that that would carve out quickly.
And we believers who believe in a worldwide flood say.
There's the evidence.
But neither not none of us have seen that.
So I want to give you one more piece of evidence.
It's called Mount Saint Helen.
It blew up in 1980, I was alive then.
I saw it in the news.
This Mount and exploded.
An material came rushing down the mountain.
And the first time ever heard his word liquid faction. It's where dirt became like water and just rushed down the mountain and carved out canyons and knocked down trees.
In cause trees to be made within a few years like stone.
Didn't take millions of years?
So if you see what happens is throughout science, if you understand who it is looking at what it is.
We have No Fear.
Of Science.
However, I don't think.
This is written here for us to talk about.
Chasing that rabbit what I do think is this.
Wonder disciples James and John saw this, they said. Lord do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?
The I love this these guys James and John are called the sons of Thunder 'cause. They're allowed their boisterous and I can see it here. Now we see later that Jesus really changes them his John is one who writes little children.
You need to come to the Lord Little. He's no longer let's fire come down all of a sudden they become Elijah.
Let's command fire to come down and consume these guys.
Which again I find interesting 'cause most the time these guys? Don't have enough faith to believe that Jesus will get him across the storm in the sea.
And yet they're ready to bring down fire.
But he been Jesus turned and rebuke them.
He rebuked them.
Now, if in your Bible you'll probably see a little bracket.
And it'll go through.
Verse 56 this bracket through halfway. I've said this, I'll continuously the reason that that bracket is is that there are certain.
All you while the older manuscripts don't have these words in them.
I bring this up because one of the criticisms that people who have who aren't believers say well. the Bible can be trusted because she we know exactly what we know and we know exactly what it is. We're not sure of because we know there are so many various manuscripts, complete and partials in so many writings of the early church fathers that even if we didn't have the scriptures you could put the scriptures back together and we know that the scriptures are reliable.
As I keep saying so number one we can trust the Scriptures 'cause. We know what we know when we know what we don't know.
I always caution, you never place doctrinal decisions on little brackets.
He rebuked stems in these verses tell what how he rebukes them.
I think it's close.
Because Jesus had talked.
Two one call Nick a demas.
He says I did not come into the world to condemn the world because the world is condemned already.
I came to save it.
What I think?
Jesus is
doing is sane.
Remember I taught you.
To love your enemy?
Here's an opportunity.
Love your enemy.
So we can complain that the culture does not live up to its cultural norms.
Or we can simply love them.
Is he loved him.
So our response should not be Oh.
Let's get them back.
Our response should be.
Love them.
And so the final part of verse 56, says, and they went on to another village, which again was consistent with Jesus would teach his disciples as he sends them out. He goes I'm going to send you don't don't have a backpack don't take extra if you go in a village receives you stay at the 1st place that you are brought into.
And then you go on to the next village. But if nobody receives you shake the dust off your feet and move on and that's exactly what Jesus does he moves on.
First, 57.
And as they were going along the road, someone, said to him, I will follow you, wherever you go.
So here we have a volunteer.
A Jesus you're traveling wherever you go on there.
I'll follow you, wherever you go.
Now, most pastors.
Say Let's join the church now. I see that hand brother. We're going to. We're going to baton cold right along North? What Jesus says, and Jesus said to him the foxes have holes.
And the birds have air of the Arhab Ness.
The son of man has nowhere to lay his head.
Which is very true Jesus just was rejected from one village?
And what he's telling this gentleman who volunteered.
There isn't security when it comes to the physical.
You don't know where you're going to be. You don't even know necessarily where your next meal is coming from.
And that's the reason that many people will not follow Jesus.
'cause they don't feel secure in this world.
How to make sure they have enough money they gotta make sure they have enough status they gotta make sure they have the right job.
Jesus says.
I will promise you eternal security.
But I won't necessarily promise you where your next meal comes from.
But now this.
The birds of the field.
Or provided by your father.
So some people will not follow Jesus.
'cause I don't feel secure.
And he said to another follow Maine.
So now it is Jesus, who's calling in saying follow Maine. But he said. Lord permit me first to go and Bury my father now.
This is an interesting delay.
And we'll see what Jesus says, but he been Jesus said to him allow the dead to Bury their own dead. But As for you go and for acclaim everywhere. The Kingdom of God.
Now.
Your initial reaction might be Poly that's hard Hun.
Jesus is pretty hard, I mean, the guy lost his father.
It would just be normal to go Bury your father well. My first question is why is he there with Jesus anyway if his dad just died? What's he doing?
Sometimes we may give.
Reasons to defer following Jesus that may seem appropriate.
Or Jesus is showing is is that?
This reason is not a reason, it's an excuse.
As if we were so concerned about his dead father had been there with the dead father.
But I'll follow you.
Tomorrow.
And so many people when they come close and they feel the burden of the spirit, calling them to follow Jesus.
Off all of you tomorrow.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, but the problem is tomorrow is never promised to anyone.
And Jesus is saying.
There are spiritually dead people allow the spiritually dead people.
Bury their own dead.
But notice what Jesus says here, he didn't say allow the dead to Bury their dead and come. Follow me notice he says this.
Allow the dead to Bearden and you go in for acclaim everywhere. The Kingdom of God.
It even say you gotta follow me to do this, he said. I'm giving you a ministry that ministry doesn't necessarily entail you following me to Jerusalem. What it does tell you to do to tell about the Kingdom of God everywhere you go.
And guess what that's the same calling we have.
To declare his Kingdom everywhere we go.
Now we may go.
The Asia, we may go to Europe. We may go to Oxford, we may go.
Wherever?
Or we may go next door.
Or we may go.
The Northern California wherever it is that we happen to be going. We are to take.
The Gospel with us.
Another also said I will follow you, Lord, but first permit me to say.
Goodbye to those at home.
I I need to tell him where I'm going.
Permit me first to go and notice. It's always, there is something more important to do than following Jesus.
I need to let others know.
But Jesus said to him. No one after putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God.
Now, if all the statements this one to me is the most crushing.
'cause we think everyone should be able to go into the Kingdom of Heaven and God's Jesus through God, who says this.
If you're looking back at the past.
And not his work.
Siren matter whether you're in the Kingdom or not you're not even fit for it.
Now, Unfortunately, we live in the city life.
And we don't really see what's going on.
So and in most of us no longer mower on grass.
But if you do I want you to do this little experiment as your mowing your grass. I want you look backwards as you're pushing.
Lawnmower.
And then when you finish the wrong once you look back and probably what's going to happen is it's going to look like this.
Because the way to have a straight line is the looks at a forward point and go in the whole point of plowing crops is to give a?
Deep enough road to plant the seed and enough area for water and for the growth and with 4.
Ferrals, like this.
Don't work.
We need to be looking ahead.
Not.
What lie behind?
So you see Jesus?
Doesn't buy the excuse?
But there are things more important.
In the Kingdom of Heaven.
If Jesus is the son of God.
And he is.
How is it that I know?
The Scriptures.
The Old Testament.
Testify.
That, he is the son of God.
The father and the spirit testified that he is the son of God.
He testified, he's the son of God.
The works that he did testify that he is the son of God and the peace that resistance. The thing that Trump's all other reasons.
You died was buried and Rose again on the 3rd day, according to the scriptures which testifies that he's the son of God.
And if he is the son of God and if he is called us to follow him. Then there is no reason that we can give that is adequate to not follow him.
There is a evangelist his name is Jay John.
Now, as most of you know, I give my analogies analogies I do.
Or either mine or or or mine.
Because I haven't heard anybody else use them in so the typical analogy. I uses force in chocolate and broccoli.
So when I hear another analogy. I try to give Attribution because.
What other people have to say sometimes very goes if you're walking down a road of life?
You're walking on this road and you come to a fork in the road.
There's a left fork.
And there's the right fork.
And you don't know which way to go.
Your uncertain whether you should go to the left way or to the right way.
And on the left for.
You see a dead man lying in the road.
And the right for you see a living man standing in the road.
Which one would you ask for directions?
The world seems to ask the dead man.
Which is no wonder they have no clue where they're going?
But Jesus is alive Jesus is resurrected and Jesus is here today.
We even hurdles on he walks with me and talks with me along life's funeral.
He is come not only.
To forgive our sins.
And not only to place this in Heaven, but he has come to dwell in US into live in us and through US.
And we don't know the way.
He simply says.
Follow.
So there are plenty of reasons, not to do things.
And believers.
Of all generations.
Have found excuses.
You go back to the Old Testament Moses was told to do things and he gave all kinds of excuses to God. what I don't talk well and nobody will believe me in all these things and he gave nothing but excuses.
Maybe we should be more.
And maybe we should ask him to treat us more like Saul of Tarsus.
Almost said it so I'm going to say it a different way.
Maybe should not knock us off our donkey.
You can substitute the other word I was going to use.
Maybe he should knock us off our donkey.
Line this temporarily and say why aren't you following me.
Has there ain't any excuse is good enough?
As if is the sun God.
And he is.
And we should follow him.
Not tomorrow.
Not after we do some valuable things.
But now
I have decided.
To follow Jesus?
As the song says though none go with me.
Still I will follow.
As he's worthy of it.
Because he is the son of God.
And he has loved me like no other person.
He has prepared a future for me like no other person.
And anything that I say.
An objection to that.
Is just silly?
It's like saying.
Allow me to hold this penny.
Instead of taking billions of dollars.
Allow me to live my life, the way I want.
Versus the way you've created me to live.
And allow me to hold onto my thing as opposed to communicating God's love to every person I come in contact.
The first it takes.
A conscious decision.
To follow him.
And Unfortunately.
Life gets messy.
And we can make a decision.
And maybe have made a decision in the past, Oh, Lord I will follow you.
Then we get off the road.
Oh, Lord I will follow you, and then get off the road.
No wonder why so many of us like the song and the teaching of that. He leaves the 99 and goes after us because we so often get off the road.
Twice says we are to carry our cross daily.
And every morning, we need to rise up, saying I will follow him and every afternoon. We need to say. I will continue to follow him and every evening as we lay our head down. I will continue to follow him.
No turning back.
All God's People said.