Going … Make Disciples!

Jesus didn’t make it easy to be one of His followers. It may have seemed at times that He was actually trying to get people NOT to follow Him!! But what He was really doing was cutting out all of the pretense. It was as though He was telling people, “Don’t say you want to follow Me, or that you are going to follow me, if you don’t really understand what that means!!” And He would then go on to tell them exactly what it meant to be one of His disciples, and what it would “cost” them. There have always been those who wanted the way to heaven to be easy, and that is certainly true today. In fact, many today believe God leaves it up to US to “find our own way to Him;” whatever that may look like. As He preached His “Sermon on the Mount” near the beginning of His ministry, Jesus was already making it clear that entering His kingdom would be done on GOD’s terms, and that those who thought they could set their own standard of righteousness would be surprised when they arrived at their final destination. While some might accuse even Jesus of not being very “loving,” how loving is it to allow people to be deceived?? Over and over again, Jesus explains that there will be “fruit” in the lives of His disciples as they build their lives on HIM … the only solid foundation! It is said today that life is a “journey,” yet for many the question is never asked, “Where am I going?” Jesus presents two roads, each with their own destination. Anyone can enter onto the “wide road.” It is filled with people!  But it leads to certain destruction. To get onto the narrow road you must enter through the narrow gate.  The narrow road will not be easy! Yet, your life will produce the “good fruit” of love for God and for your neighbor, joy in the Lord, peace that passes understanding, patience that allows you to persevere through trials, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Only those in whom the Spirit is at work will enter the narrow gate and walk the narrow road that leads to LIFE! These will know that though the storms will come, their “house” will stand, for it is built upon the ROCK … Jesus, the Christ, our Cornerstone!!