[p]In Luke 6, Jesus teaches about His kingdom and what it looks like to live for His purposes rather than our own. HINT…many times it is the exact opposite of what is normal for us.[/p]
[p]He describes those He blesses as poor, hungry, crying, hated, excluded, mocked, and cursed. How many of us want a little bit of that? None of us, right? We all want to be rich, well fed, always happy, loved, included, praised, and blessed. This is why so many of us miss out on God’s best for our lives. We believe that all of the latter are signs of God’s blessings when really they are our feeble attempts at finding fulfillment.[/p]
[p]Jesus actually teaches us that we should be happy (leap for joy) with being poor, hungry, hated, etc. because our reward is not here, but awaiting us in heaven. He then adds the “Really Jesus?” list. He tells us to love and bless our enemies and to live generous (over the top) and forgiving lives. All of this is again motivated by what awaits us in heaven and not what it will bring us in this life. How can we call Him “Lord” and not do what He says? It is foolishness and will destroy us.[/p]
[p]So I am reading all of this and am on the edge of my seat. I am like, “Jesus this is what I desire…I want that for my life…it’s weird, but that’s what You’ve called us to.” I want to be that true follower (edge of my seat). Then I realized…if I am just on the edge of my seat, there is still personal security there. Jesus is asking us to abandon ourselves from what we think, feel, and believe is normal for what He says. In other words, Jesus doesn’t want us on the edge of our seat, He desires for us to fall off of our seat and trust that He and His ways will catch us and sustain us. That is what abandoned looks like. That is what a FULLY DEVOTED follower of Jesus Christ looks like.[/p]
[p]It must start with one willing person. The goal, contrary to popular opinion, is to empty seats not fill them with people on the edge of their seat. Only then will we be the followers that Jesus desires. Maybe then those who have not yet begun a relationship with God will find substance behind our words![/p]
[p]In words – I want that…I’m on the edge of my seat.[/p]
[p]In actions – Let’s live it…let’s fall off of our seat and do what Jesus says we should do.[/p]
