“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6 (ESV)
Sadly today, much of Jesus’ words have been watered down, making them more palatable for our lukewarm churches! Jesus’ words are revolutionary, and are meant to transform our lives. Jesus’ words were not meant to make us happy, but to call us out to be wholehearted followers of the One who gave His life.
He said the road is wide and many will travel on it to their destruction, but the road to heaven and life is narrow (Matthew 7:13-14, Proverbs 14:12). Just going to church does not mean you are a follower of Christ. He desires lovers not just church attenders!Jesus said, “if you want to be My disciple, you must deny yourself, pick up your cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23)! He didn’t say do as you please, chase after your dreams, indulge yourself, because God is with you and you’re under a season of grace!
Jesus said, He came to give life, even abundant life (John 10:10). That too often is misread as, He came to make me happy and fulfilled. No, He said you must lose your life to find it (Matthew 16:25).
He said repent, the kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 4:17)! But the world cries out that a call for repentance is hateful even bigoted. Sadly, much of the church feels the same way, after all, God’s grace lets me do as I please and He will still love me!
He said if you love your parents, children or anything more than you love Me you are not worthy of being called My disciple (Matthew 10:37), but sadly, so much of the church quickly puts their children above God, as demonstrated in their commitment to Sunday sports instead of regularly worshipping God. And this has only been exasperated during this COVID season, with the average church attendance in some places dropping to once a month!
He said that He came to bring a sword, and division in our homes. He even warned that in the end times family members would turn over parents and siblings for following Christ (Matthew 10:34-35, Mark 13:12). So many people today say that anything that doesn’t build unity or brings division is not of God. The call to repentance is a sword, as it doesn’t build unity to confront someone’s sin, but that is exactly what our message should bring!
He didn’t say pray for your will to be done, but instead clearly instructed you to cry out for the Father’s will to be done (Matthew 6:10, James 4:3). His and your will may not be the same thing!
He said if the world loves you (which includes the worldly church) the love of the Father is not in you! He said that the world will hate us because we look like Him (John 15:18-27). Does the world hate you?
Remember Jesus and His disciples all died because of the message they brought (well, they tried to kill John). The worldly church does not like the wholehearted lover of Jesus. Jesus is coming for a remnant church that looks more like Him than the world. Pray for this remnant church to arise, to hold fast and live the words of Jesus. Cry out for a bridal church who will overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony and with their lives if necessary (Revelation 12:11). Ask God to give you the grace to be a wholehearted lover of Jesus and to follow Him (and what He said) wherever He leads!!!
