The Decision to Follow Jesus

I felt like I should read through all of Paul's first letter to the church in Thessalonica, and was reflecting on how Paul actually only had a short time there. Here is the beginning of Paul's letter - 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10 NIV:

[4] "For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, [5] because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. [6] You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. [7] And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. [8] The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia---your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, [9] for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, [10] and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead---Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath."

Paul's initial visit to them was reported in Acts 17:1-5 NIV:

[1] "When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. [2] As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, [3] explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. [4] Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women."

[5] "But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd."

Luke in his recording of events goes on to tell how some of these new believers, specifically those found in Jason's household, were arrested following the riot, and ended up having to post bail, which is probably some of what Paul was referring to in verse 6 on his letter to them.  I am sure that Luke captured some, but clearly not everything that occurred to them, as he was one of Paul's companions, and likely left the city with him.

Anyway, my thoughts are on the message that Paul must have preached during those three-ish weeks he was with them.  His letter speaks about how he worked to support himself during their time in the city (1 Thes 2:9), so we know they didn't spend their whole time talking.  We know from his opening lines that the gospel came with "power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction."  Clearly the people were impacted, and their lives were changed.  In fact, they responded in such faith that they became a model for Macedonia and Achaia. 

As I reflect on this it is evident to me that Paul's message, his gospel of grace and of salvation through faith, rocked their world, in more ways than one!  They became alive spiritually, and were so convicted that their lives were eternally changed, and that all took place in a very short period of time. I am encouraged that when Holy Spirit is involved and active that things can accelerate considerably.

Recently I have been reflecting on conviction and commitment, and the invitation of the Lord to "go for it" going all in in pursuit of Him.  This is no special invitation to some few "Saints" but rather the invitation to us all, who would follow after Jesus.  He invites us to follow Him.  In fact, He issued that very invitation 28 times in the Gospels.  One of the things that usually is usually recorded after He gives that invitation is how people immediately follow him, leaving everything.  Jesus described following Him as follows - Matthew 16:24-25 NIV: "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. [25] For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it."

Jesus is clearly not speaking about a simple and easy commitment, yet that is what many of us, myself included, desire.  I want my level of commitment to be easy to attain, one that doesn't require me to change extensively, nor to be persecuted or looked down upon for my beliefs.  What Jesus describes is a laying down one's life, even denying oneself.  I generally suck at denying myself.  I don't like to do it, don't like to say no to myself, let alone doing it for the rest of my life! 

We recently were watching a movie about the church in Iran.  It is apparently one of the fastest growing churches in the world, and that in the very face of severe persecution, where following Jesus can lead to torture and death.  The people who were interviewed in the movie spoke of an attitude of heart and mind that each time they leave their house could be their last time.  Wow!  In spite of that reality they gladly embrace the invitation to follow Jesus. 

As I reflect on Paul's gospel, his appeal to the Thessalonians, I am convinced that His message was closer to the message of the church in Iran than it is to the messages that are shared in many of the churches in America.  This makes me pause and wonder if we are missing something, or if we fully understand the invitation before us!  Certainly we don't live in such an environment where our lives are endangered by our pursuit of Jesus, at least not in the way they are in Iran.  However, the invitation to lay down our lives, to deny ourselves is just that - our old lives should be endangered by our commitment to follow Jesus.  A decision to follow Him should be a death sentence to our old self, our old man! 

In some ways, it seems easier to live the life Jesus called us to embrace in the face of extreme persecution, than to live this radical call in a place where we can keep on allowing our old man to live comfortably in our lives, while we lightly follow Jesus.  I don't have the daily decision to follow Jesus to my literal death, instead I have the 10,000 opportunities per day to let my mind, heart or eyes stray.  At different times I feel that I am a good representation of at least 5 of the 7 churches that were written to in Revelations. 

Yet, the truth is I that am righteous in God's eyes.  When the Father looks at me, He sees His son Jesus, in whom I am hidden.  I have Jesus interceding for me at the Father's right hand, I have the Holy Spirit living in me, leading me, guiding me and teaching me.  I am the most blessed of men!  My invitation to lay down my life and deny myself is as true today as it has ever been.  The Lord, in His great mercy and compassion, doesn't hold my weakness, my ineffectiveness, my passivity or my sin against me.  He sees me as I am in truth, in His truth.  He loves me, has paid the price for me and continues to breathe His life into me, encouraging me on, strengthening me for the purposes for which He has called me. I have before me, today the choice to lay down my life, to deny myself and follow Him, that I might bring Him glory and I might become more like Him. 

A quick note, I do believe that the Lord created each of us as unique individuals, and that I am part of His Glorious creation.  He isn't calling me to deny everything I like, am gifted to do, or enjoy.  Those are things that He has put in me to reveal His glory.  What He is inviting me to do is to lay down my selfish pursuits, those that are flesh-driven, self-glorifying and against His will.  He has a better plan for me, and He is asking me to embrace that upward call.  I can't do that if I am unwilling to let go of lesser things.

This morning I am encouraged to embrace the invitation to follow Jesus with new vigor.  I am encouraged to look at my life as a gift, to see those things that I can do to bring Him glory, and to focus on Him, rather than my own selfish pursuits.  I know that I might fail, but I also know that He knows that and still loves me, and encourages me onward and upward.  Lord, help me to live my life as a witness to the true gospel!  Help me to understand your invitation to follow you in all of its fullness.

Amen!