By Pastor Greg
Tom went out shopping for a Christmas present for his wife. "How about some perfume?" he asked the cosmetics clerk. She showed him a bottle costing $50. "That's a bit much," said Tom, so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30. Tom frowned, "That's still quite a bit". Growing disgusted, the clerk brought out a tiny $15 bottle. Tom grew agitated, "What I mean," he said, "is I'd like to see something real cheap." So the clerk handed him a mirror. Ouch. Sometime the truth can be quite painful. It kind of reminds me of a similar lesson Jesus taught one day. Yes, Jesus; the One who we worship, especially during this time of the year.
It seems okay to talk about Jesus during the Christmas season. Even church attendance increases during this time of the year. It’s the time when many thank God for sending us His greatest gift; the "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 6:6). But as this child was held in the arms of a man named Simeon, God revealed something more. We learn that the Son was not given just to be worshiped, but also to be followed, something many in Israel were not prepared to do (read Luke 2:25-35).
Simeon, guided by the Holy Spirit, pronounces that in his arms that day was the Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and Israel's glory. Even though many had not been watching and waiting for the coming of the Messiah, most Jews were aware of Isaiah's prophecy. But what they were expecting was not quite what they received. They were expecting a King to unite the nation, to restore the nation to its former glory. They were waiting for a King to show the rest of the world that God favored Israel above all others. But instead of getting a King who they could worship, they received a King who called them to follow. This is why Simeon looked upon the Child in his arms and added, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed" (Luke 2:34).
One clear message throughout the Old Testament is God's call to follow. From Adam to Nehemiah, God continually asked His people to follow. He called Adam and all of Israel to follow His commands. He called Israel out of Egypt, asking them to follow Him to the Promised Land. He called Israel to follow His Law. He called people to follow His guiding and counsel. He called people to follow the words of the Prophets. He called people out of Jerusalem when Babylon came to conquer. He called Nehemiah back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. But in spite of the many times God called, few were willing to follow. Oh, Israel loved believing in God. That was the easy part. And they loved being loved by God, especially when He protected and provided. But the moment God called people to obedience and surrender, the people complained about how hard and how demanding God was. They simply would not follow.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus would do the same. He announced that the only way to enter the Kingdom of God was through Him. He stretched out His hand to someone and beckoned, "Follow Me". Some did follow. Many did not. Some followed for a while, especially when Jesus provided for them and made life easier for them. But the moment Jesus started asking them to submit and surrender, many walked away (see John 6:66). Oh, they desired Jesus for what He could do for them, but Jesus came asking them to submit and surrender; to make Him Lord of their life.
As He ministered, Jesus traveled throughout Israel calling people to follow Him. And as I said some did reject Him. They flatly denied that He was anything more than some illegitimate carpenter from Galilee. But others, it seems, were right there with Him. The walked with Him, they listened to His teachings, they ate with Him. And you would think that these were the ones who followed Jesus. But one day, as Jesus was teaching in a town, someone asked how many of them would be saved. And shockingly Jesus replies that many gathered there that day would not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He warns, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24). Agonize to enter is what He literally said. And why will many not be able to enter? It’s because they ignored the call to follow Jesus, and instead merely wanted to fellowship with Jesus. “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers’ (Luke 13:26-27).
As Simeon held the infant Jesus in his arms and uttered those words about who the Child is, he also pointed out what the Child will do. But I doubt many who heard his words truly understood just how narrow this child would make the road to God’s Kingdom. This Child would announce that being a Jew was not sufficient, that obedience God’s Laws was not sufficient, that being good was not sufficient, and that even fellowshipping with Him was not sufficient. To enter the Kingdom of God, a person would need to pick up their cross and follow Jesus. Sadly, many only desired Jesus. Few truly surrendered.
I don’t know how this affects you, but it really concerns me. If people who walked and talked and fellowshipped with Jesus could be excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven, what does that say about me; about you? Are we just as deceived as these people were; deceived into believing that fellowship with Jesus means that we are following Jesus? How can we keep this from happening to us?
One of the greatest deceptions by the enemy is to get people to believe that socializing with Jesus is the same as surrendering to Jesus. Many have been deceived into believing that they will be granted entrance into the Kingdom of heaven by socializing with Jesus. But hanging around Church or reading your Bible or staying awake during the sermon does not guarantee entrance into the Kingdom; does not mean you are saved. Jesus is to be followed if we are to be saved, not just adored or worshiped. And when I say follow I mean we are to lay down our lives; we are to surrender and submit to Jesus. We must admit that we are lost. We must admit that we need saved. And we must admit that Jesus is the only one who might save us.
To agonize about entering the Kingdom of Heaven is to admit we are not good enough to enter on our own, to admit that we have done nothing to deserve entrance into the Kingdom. To agonize is to realize that the door to God’s Kingdom would remain closed to all of us had it not been for the birth of one small Child, held in the arms of Simeon. And when we realize this, we will do far more than simply desire Jesus. We will surrender to Jesus. We will understand that He is more than a King to be worshiped, but a Lord to be followed; that He alone can lead us to life.
Entrance into God’s kingdom is not by birth, not by merit, and not by fellowship. Entrance to the Kingdom rises or falls on this one thing; whether we accept or reject the out-stretched hand of the Savior as He calls “Follow Me”.
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