The Cost of Following Jesus
S - "If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temples and our nation." John 11:48
O - After many had witnessed Jesus' miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, many Jews put their faith in him. This was enough to get the Pharisees and the Chief Priests together. They didn't doubt that the miracle had happened, they just hated seeing their power slip away as people believed in Jesus. They felt their temple and nation were under threat. Even though the power of Jesus was undeniable losing their power was unthinkable.
A - Many people don't believe because they don't want to lose their power. Many people know that if they acknowledge who Jesus is and his power it will affect their lives. Many people realise that, if Jesus is Lord then the only response would be to worship him, to place him first, to do what he wants and not what I want. And so, even though they see the evidence, they refuse to believe not because its not believable but because it would cost them. They would lose their power to be Lord of their lives.
Pastors can be tempted to seek more power than they should. My role is helping people to love and follow Jesus. That means that the more people grow in their love for Jesus, the less they should become dependent on me. This good and healthy. My job is to keep giving glory to Jesus and people follow him, not me or my church. I want to always remember this. My measure of success should never be how much people like me, but how much they love Jesus.
P - Thank-you Father for sending Jesus. Thank-you Holy Spirit for reminding me constantly of your guiding presence. Help me to live today for your glory God. May I continually bring you glory and help others surrender their power and control to you. Amen.
Daily Reading - John 11
A - Many people don't believe because they don't want to lose their power. Many people know that if they acknowledge who Jesus is and his power it will affect their lives. Many people realise that, if Jesus is Lord then the only response would be to worship him, to place him first, to do what he wants and not what I want. And so, even though they see the evidence, they refuse to believe not because its not believable but because it would cost them. They would lose their power to be Lord of their lives.
Pastors can be tempted to seek more power than they should. My role is helping people to love and follow Jesus. That means that the more people grow in their love for Jesus, the less they should become dependent on me. This good and healthy. My job is to keep giving glory to Jesus and people follow him, not me or my church. I want to always remember this. My measure of success should never be how much people like me, but how much they love Jesus.
P - Thank-you Father for sending Jesus. Thank-you Holy Spirit for reminding me constantly of your guiding presence. Help me to live today for your glory God. May I continually bring you glory and help others surrender their power and control to you. Amen.
Daily Reading - John 11
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