The book, The Shack, is a theologically life changing book. It shapes how we view certain theological concepts of God. This book gives us a greater concept of the Holy Spirit's workings in the Trinity.
This book explains how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all work together in unity. It describes how one aspect of the Trinity is not greater than the other. All three work together to produce one God that has three natures but is still God. This relationship is described as simple and easy throughout the book. The author discusses all three parts of God coming together.
The author helps us grasp this nature of three persons in one in the main character's encounter with God. Papa, personified as God, says, "When we spoke of ourselves into human existence we chose to be the Son of God, we became fully human. We also chose the embrace the limitations this entailed" (101). Even though we have always been present in this created universe, we now became flesh and blood." On 103, Papa or God says "I am God and I am three persons, and each of the three is fully and entirely one." I feel as if the author uses this quote to show how this relationship of the Father, Son, and HS works as a whole.
The main part of this section of the book that is a problem is authority. There is no authority of God over Jesus. The Trinity is depicted in a way that is construed and turned to fit the author's perspective.
The nature of Jesus described by Papa or God also shows how God's three nature into one work together. Papa says although "by nature he is fully God, he is fully human and lives as such." The author depicts Jesus as totally reliant on everything. Jesus cannot do anything with the Father's leading.
The author wants us to see that without the Trinity that God wouldn't not be able to love the way he can. He would be limited to the amount of love he can give us. The Trinity opens up the depth of The Father's love for us through God, talking to Jesus personally, and the Holy Spirit guiding us along the way.
Young's term for Holy Spirit chimes into the conversation in this book describing this unity of God's love. "It's a circle of relationship, not a chain of command, or a 'great chain of being' as your ancestors put it." This relationship is described as one working with the other to produce something great and awesome. The relationship is a simple, easy unity between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus is God in flesh and the Holy Spirit gives us things to pray for and guides us daily in our walk with God.
At times, we break this unity when we sin... As Christians, we first broke in in the Fall, when Adam ate of the Tree of Good and Evil.
Today, I hope you realize this wonderful relationship with God in this thing we call the Trinity. This book challenged me in my theology and thinking.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
The Shack: How to Deal with Pain and Loss
The book The Shack by Wm. Young details a man who details with pain and loss of his daughter who was abducted and murdered. The author deals with this incident throughout the beginning of this book through the search for the killer and the family dealing with the loss of their daughter.
The author helps us see that we can't blame God for our struggles and pain in life. God allows things to happen because of evil in this world. Because of the sin of Adam, we are all fallen human beings. Mack says (94), "If I can't trust you to take care of Missy then how can I trust you to take care of me." God who is termed Papa in the book calls Mack out that he doesn't trust him.
The main character Mackenzie Phillips relationship with God is severed through his broken relationship with his Father and this tragedy. As Christians, we at times become mad at God because of things that happen to us in life. We have to learn that some things happen because our broken nature in this world.
Forgiveness is also key in regaining the ability to love others after hardships take place.Mack is finally able to forgive his dad for not loving him (217). He also forgives the man who murdered his daughter Missy (226).
Lastly, trusting in God though it may take time is necessary to restore our relationship with God. God can lead back to a deep, lasting, relationship with him if we learn to trust him in time. Mack learns to trust God in the second half of this book and finally admits to God that he trusts him with all of his life (226).
This book was very helpful for me because I have also struggled through hard times in my life. I have had to remind myself that God allowed this to happen for a purpose. Also, the it may have happened because of the sin nature in this world. I have come to realize that trusting God with hard things takes time. We will not be able to move on life if we can't trust God with the hardships that we deal with daily.
The author helps us see that we can't blame God for our struggles and pain in life. God allows things to happen because of evil in this world. Because of the sin of Adam, we are all fallen human beings. Mack says (94), "If I can't trust you to take care of Missy then how can I trust you to take care of me." God who is termed Papa in the book calls Mack out that he doesn't trust him.
The main character Mackenzie Phillips relationship with God is severed through his broken relationship with his Father and this tragedy. As Christians, we at times become mad at God because of things that happen to us in life. We have to learn that some things happen because our broken nature in this world.
Forgiveness is also key in regaining the ability to love others after hardships take place.Mack is finally able to forgive his dad for not loving him (217). He also forgives the man who murdered his daughter Missy (226).
Lastly, trusting in God though it may take time is necessary to restore our relationship with God. God can lead back to a deep, lasting, relationship with him if we learn to trust him in time. Mack learns to trust God in the second half of this book and finally admits to God that he trusts him with all of his life (226).
This book was very helpful for me because I have also struggled through hard times in my life. I have had to remind myself that God allowed this to happen for a purpose. Also, the it may have happened because of the sin nature in this world. I have come to realize that trusting God with hard things takes time. We will not be able to move on life if we can't trust God with the hardships that we deal with daily.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Series of "Are you a Fan or a Follower?
What are you willing to give up in order to follow Jesus? Your family? Your life?
That is what Kyle Idelman describes is the difference between being a fan or a follower. I follower is willing to give up their whole life to Jesus. A fan won't leave behind all they have to give up their life to surrender to Christ. A follower senses the call to surrender all they have to a relationship with Jesus Christ. A follower is totally committed to Jesus.
In Luke 9:57-62, there are instances where people are faced with the decision to surrender everything to Jesus. The first man says in verse 57, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus then says in verse 58, "Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." We as followers of Christ have to be willing to go wherever Jesus leads us.
While in verse 59, Jesus called another to follow him. This man said, "Lord first let me go and bury my father." In the next verse Jesus replies to the man, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." We try to make excuses and put off following God. As sinful people prone to wander to put off surrendering everything to Christ.
In today's culture we have so many things to do and accomplish on a day to day basis. Following Christ becomes just one of those things we put off on our list of things we need to do. This can be ongoing process unless we stop making excuses in life and ways to get around giving up everything we have for faith in Christ.
In Matthew 4:18-22 describes how Jesus' disciples first followed him. In verse 20 it says they at once followed him and in 22 it describes how immediately they gave up everything and followed him. This is what Jesus wants from those that follow him. Jesus requires us to give up everything and follow him at once. As followers, we can't be waiting for life to clear up or make up another excuse to get out of following him at that moment, it has to be right now or we won't do it.
The author of the book tells a story about a teenager girl's funeral that he did who surrendered her life to Christ. He read her journal on the day of her funeral. In it, she describes how surrendered to God completely she was. Her dad says she didn't care about grades, college, what car she drove, what house she lived in, or many goals scored, all she cared about was her relationship with Jesus Christ. That is the only thing that should matter to us.
Are you willing to give up everything for him?
God called me to give up everything for him in the summer of my sophomore year of high school. Years later, at D-focus at called me to give up all that I have to him and be in a more desperately dependent relationship with him. During that time, I sensed a call for a total surrender to God.
In the last section of these verses another person says in verse 61, "I will follow you Lord; but first let me say good-by to my family." Jesus was agitated at this and said in verse 62, "No one who puts his hand to the plow is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Becoming followers of God requires us to make a decision. Do we want to give up all of our life for Jesus? There are many instances even in the Bible of people having to give up things for Jesus from Nicodemus unsure of whether to give up his prestige, the rich young ruler unwilling to give up his stuff, and Elisha having to give up his wealth. In Psalm 106: 19-20, it describes how the people bowed down before a golden calf when Moses received the ten commandments. 19 "At Horeb they made a calf
and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
20 They exchanged their glorious God
for an image of a bull, which eats grass". We have to be willing to surrender everything to God and not hold on to anything.
I want to leave you with this on a true follower of Christ. William Borden, the son of a dairy billionaire, who did his undergraduate with at Yale and graduate at Princeton left everything to follow Christ. He left millions to reach an Muslims. He left these three phrases in his journal that was found before he died. He wrote down the phrases No regrets, No reserves, and No retreats. One thing we can learn from him is to say yes to Christ in everything and no to our self and it's desires.
That is what Kyle Idelman describes is the difference between being a fan or a follower. I follower is willing to give up their whole life to Jesus. A fan won't leave behind all they have to give up their life to surrender to Christ. A follower senses the call to surrender all they have to a relationship with Jesus Christ. A follower is totally committed to Jesus.
In Luke 9:57-62, there are instances where people are faced with the decision to surrender everything to Jesus. The first man says in verse 57, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus then says in verse 58, "Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." We as followers of Christ have to be willing to go wherever Jesus leads us.
While in verse 59, Jesus called another to follow him. This man said, "Lord first let me go and bury my father." In the next verse Jesus replies to the man, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." We try to make excuses and put off following God. As sinful people prone to wander to put off surrendering everything to Christ.
In today's culture we have so many things to do and accomplish on a day to day basis. Following Christ becomes just one of those things we put off on our list of things we need to do. This can be ongoing process unless we stop making excuses in life and ways to get around giving up everything we have for faith in Christ.
In Matthew 4:18-22 describes how Jesus' disciples first followed him. In verse 20 it says they at once followed him and in 22 it describes how immediately they gave up everything and followed him. This is what Jesus wants from those that follow him. Jesus requires us to give up everything and follow him at once. As followers, we can't be waiting for life to clear up or make up another excuse to get out of following him at that moment, it has to be right now or we won't do it.
The author of the book tells a story about a teenager girl's funeral that he did who surrendered her life to Christ. He read her journal on the day of her funeral. In it, she describes how surrendered to God completely she was. Her dad says she didn't care about grades, college, what car she drove, what house she lived in, or many goals scored, all she cared about was her relationship with Jesus Christ. That is the only thing that should matter to us.
Are you willing to give up everything for him?
God called me to give up everything for him in the summer of my sophomore year of high school. Years later, at D-focus at called me to give up all that I have to him and be in a more desperately dependent relationship with him. During that time, I sensed a call for a total surrender to God.
In the last section of these verses another person says in verse 61, "I will follow you Lord; but first let me say good-by to my family." Jesus was agitated at this and said in verse 62, "No one who puts his hand to the plow is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Becoming followers of God requires us to make a decision. Do we want to give up all of our life for Jesus? There are many instances even in the Bible of people having to give up things for Jesus from Nicodemus unsure of whether to give up his prestige, the rich young ruler unwilling to give up his stuff, and Elisha having to give up his wealth. In Psalm 106: 19-20, it describes how the people bowed down before a golden calf when Moses received the ten commandments. 19 "At Horeb they made a calf
and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
20 They exchanged their glorious God
for an image of a bull, which eats grass". We have to be willing to surrender everything to God and not hold on to anything.
I want to leave you with this on a true follower of Christ. William Borden, the son of a dairy billionaire, who did his undergraduate with at Yale and graduate at Princeton left everything to follow Christ. He left millions to reach an Muslims. He left these three phrases in his journal that was found before he died. He wrote down the phrases No regrets, No reserves, and No retreats. One thing we can learn from him is to say yes to Christ in everything and no to our self and it's desires.
Trusting God
Trusting God is really hard. God has brought me through some hard times in my life. In these times, he has helped me trust him with all I am and have.
Everyone has had trouble trusting God in their life. Even the prophets and some of the most influential people in the Bible. Moses didn't think God could use him to speak and minister to the people. God would end up using Aaron to speak through Moses. Jesus at times had trouble trusting God. He surrendered his life to God in total trust and died on the cross for our sins.
Sometimes I have had trouble trusting God with my driving problems. It's hard not having a car and not being able to drive. I used to get mad at God during high school when I first ended up not being able to drive when hearing of my disability that affects my driving problems. At times I think it is God's plan for me to struggle with this disability while other times I just get frustrated. It hinders my life and where I want to go and do in the future.
I learned through D-focus a summer discipleship program I did that God can give us faith if we trust him with our struggles in life. During that next year, I surrendered my attitudes, struggles, and what I was facing to God and he gave me great faith. God also showed me that he is sovereign over all things.
God brings hard times in our life to conform us to his image. That is also his purpose to conform his to his image and for us to know and understand him. This truth of God using things to conform is to his image is found in Romans 8:28-29.
God is faith to us and we most of the time are not faithful to him. That is what I learned in my Old Testament class last semester. God wants to the best for us and he loves us abundantly are two truths I need to cling to daily when I struggle in trusting God. God is isn't too big for any struggle in my life is another thing I need to remind myself of when struggling with trusting God.
I have to remind myself to trust God with all of my life. I can't do this life on my own. We as Christians, are desperately dependent on God for everything in our life; John 15:5.
Everyone has had trouble trusting God in their life. Even the prophets and some of the most influential people in the Bible. Moses didn't think God could use him to speak and minister to the people. God would end up using Aaron to speak through Moses. Jesus at times had trouble trusting God. He surrendered his life to God in total trust and died on the cross for our sins.
Sometimes I have had trouble trusting God with my driving problems. It's hard not having a car and not being able to drive. I used to get mad at God during high school when I first ended up not being able to drive when hearing of my disability that affects my driving problems. At times I think it is God's plan for me to struggle with this disability while other times I just get frustrated. It hinders my life and where I want to go and do in the future.
I learned through D-focus a summer discipleship program I did that God can give us faith if we trust him with our struggles in life. During that next year, I surrendered my attitudes, struggles, and what I was facing to God and he gave me great faith. God also showed me that he is sovereign over all things.
God brings hard times in our life to conform us to his image. That is also his purpose to conform his to his image and for us to know and understand him. This truth of God using things to conform is to his image is found in Romans 8:28-29.
God is faith to us and we most of the time are not faithful to him. That is what I learned in my Old Testament class last semester. God wants to the best for us and he loves us abundantly are two truths I need to cling to daily when I struggle in trusting God. God is isn't too big for any struggle in my life is another thing I need to remind myself of when struggling with trusting God.
I have to remind myself to trust God with all of my life. I can't do this life on my own. We as Christians, are desperately dependent on God for everything in our life; John 15:5.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Series on Being a Fan or Follower of Jesus
The next post in my series entitled being a Fan or true follower of Jesus will be describing putting Jesus first in our lives on a day to day basis. This post comes from Luke 14:26-28.
The basis for these verses is discussing the cost of discipleship with Jesus. There will be sacrifices made if we are to pursue a life long relationship with God. Jesus says in Luke 14:26 ESV, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." A relationship with Jesus Christ required complete surrender to all parts of our life. Sometimes, we don't want to give all of our life to God.
God wants be first in our life above all else. As Christians, in a secular world we at times put many other things ahead of God such as money, sports, relationships. As people in this world, these things pull us down and may take us away from our relationship with God.
God send his only Son Jesus Christ so that whomever believes in him may have eternal life; John 3:16. If God sent Jesus so that we could have a relationship with him then why do we turn to the things of this world to give us comfort and pleasure. The world and it's ways will not give us eternal life that lasts forever in heaven. Jesus says in John 10:10, "I have come to give you life and life abundant." Jesus wants all of us and our life daily and he freely gives us this abundant life that is only found in him.
In our walk with Jesus Christ we cannot have two things we love, Jesus has to be our one and only. Jesus says in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." In our walk with Jesus we can't be half in and half out. This relationship must be an all in complete surrender to Jesus who laid down his life for us. It's just like a marriage with a husband and wife; a husband and wife are both committed to each other totally.
To close out this time together in discussion I want to emphasize the amount that we must surrender to God with our whole life. Jesus says in Luke 14:27 ESV, "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."
A relationship with Jesus is a continual dying to our self and our own desires. We must completely surrender our life to him daily. Throughout Jesus' life, he deferred to God the Father in heaven for everything. Jesus surrendered to the Father's will for him to die on the cross for our sins. As Christians in today's world, we must surrender to him completely every day.
The basis for these verses is discussing the cost of discipleship with Jesus. There will be sacrifices made if we are to pursue a life long relationship with God. Jesus says in Luke 14:26 ESV, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." A relationship with Jesus Christ required complete surrender to all parts of our life. Sometimes, we don't want to give all of our life to God.
God wants be first in our life above all else. As Christians, in a secular world we at times put many other things ahead of God such as money, sports, relationships. As people in this world, these things pull us down and may take us away from our relationship with God.
God send his only Son Jesus Christ so that whomever believes in him may have eternal life; John 3:16. If God sent Jesus so that we could have a relationship with him then why do we turn to the things of this world to give us comfort and pleasure. The world and it's ways will not give us eternal life that lasts forever in heaven. Jesus says in John 10:10, "I have come to give you life and life abundant." Jesus wants all of us and our life daily and he freely gives us this abundant life that is only found in him.
In our walk with Jesus Christ we cannot have two things we love, Jesus has to be our one and only. Jesus says in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." In our walk with Jesus we can't be half in and half out. This relationship must be an all in complete surrender to Jesus who laid down his life for us. It's just like a marriage with a husband and wife; a husband and wife are both committed to each other totally.
To close out this time together in discussion I want to emphasize the amount that we must surrender to God with our whole life. Jesus says in Luke 14:27 ESV, "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."
A relationship with Jesus is a continual dying to our self and our own desires. We must completely surrender our life to him daily. Throughout Jesus' life, he deferred to God the Father in heaven for everything. Jesus surrendered to the Father's will for him to die on the cross for our sins. As Christians in today's world, we must surrender to him completely every day.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Jesus is our Peace
We ended this Bible study today with the question of how is Jesus been your Peace in your life?
In this study we have been discussing the seven weeks prior in Jesus' resurrection. Today, we discussed Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and his triumphal entry in Jerusalem. Jesus came in on a donkey though most people in the city thought he would come in riding a war horse. An earlier prophecy said that Jesus would bring peace to people's lives; though Jesus said I come not to bring peace but a sword. "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword."
The earlier week we discussed around our table how Jesus has brought conflict into our lives. In Matthew 10:26 it says "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
My favorite definition of peace is found in Philippians 4:6-7. It says, Be anxious for nothing be in everything in prayer and supplication present your requests to God, and peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
In my life, Jesus has given me peace when I have presented or surrendered a situation to him. I surrendered to him to the situation of my future after I graduated from college. He gave me peace when he closed down the door to a job of Broadcast Journalism. Jesus gave me peace through that time in my life in giving me this peace that transcends all understanding.
Jesus also gives us peace in times of waiting.He also gave me peace all of a sudden when I wasn't expecting it when I was waiting for a class to go through to graduate college.
Jesus has also given me peace when making decisions in relationships. Also, this peace comes in any shape or form of anything. It is just a simple, feeling that comes over us. It can last from a week, to days, to years.
It is a marvelous thing to comprehend. We cannot understand the peace that God gives us. The only thing we as Christians can do is let it overwhelm us and filter in our lives. Lastly, we have to present and abide in our daily relationship with Jesus. We are desperately dependent on him for everything.
Jesus is our peace in our life... We can't take this for granted.
In this study we have been discussing the seven weeks prior in Jesus' resurrection. Today, we discussed Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and his triumphal entry in Jerusalem. Jesus came in on a donkey though most people in the city thought he would come in riding a war horse. An earlier prophecy said that Jesus would bring peace to people's lives; though Jesus said I come not to bring peace but a sword. "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword."
The earlier week we discussed around our table how Jesus has brought conflict into our lives. In Matthew 10:26 it says "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
My favorite definition of peace is found in Philippians 4:6-7. It says, Be anxious for nothing be in everything in prayer and supplication present your requests to God, and peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
In my life, Jesus has given me peace when I have presented or surrendered a situation to him. I surrendered to him to the situation of my future after I graduated from college. He gave me peace when he closed down the door to a job of Broadcast Journalism. Jesus gave me peace through that time in my life in giving me this peace that transcends all understanding.
Jesus also gives us peace in times of waiting.He also gave me peace all of a sudden when I wasn't expecting it when I was waiting for a class to go through to graduate college.
Jesus has also given me peace when making decisions in relationships. Also, this peace comes in any shape or form of anything. It is just a simple, feeling that comes over us. It can last from a week, to days, to years.
It is a marvelous thing to comprehend. We cannot understand the peace that God gives us. The only thing we as Christians can do is let it overwhelm us and filter in our lives. Lastly, we have to present and abide in our daily relationship with Jesus. We are desperately dependent on him for everything.
Jesus is our peace in our life... We can't take this for granted.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Are you a follower or a fan? What's your level of commitment?
Are you a follower or a fan? Kyle Idleman poses this question to all Christians everywhere to gauge where you are in your walk with Jesus Christ. He challenges us to examine our level of commitment to following Jesus on a day to day basis.
A story from the Bible describing the level commitment being a follower or fan is in John Chapter three when Nicodemus comes to visit Jesus. John 3:2 says, He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with God." Nicodemus believed that Jesus was the Son of God but he didn't want to sacrifice anything in his life of his high position for Jesus. He came to Jesus as a fan. Becoming a follower, requires a total commitment.
Jesus explains to Nicodemus in verse three that he must be born again to see the kingdom of God. In verse five and six Jesus describes the being born again involves the water and spirit. Jesus says in John 3:5-8, "I tell you the truth , no one can be enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit gives birth to spirit. 'You should not be surprised at me saying, You must be born again. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear it's sound, but you cannot tell where it's coming or where it's going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
Nicodemus had memorized the first five books of the Bible and tried to do all the religious things his whole life. He didn't realize the amount of life change and sacrifice a relationship of God required. He thought it was just about following a set of rules or making a decision. Nicodemus wanted to give Jesus a part of him not all of his life, therefore he became a fan.
In John chapter 19, Nicodemus finally makes a commitment to become a follower a Jesus' burial. In verse 19:30 it describes Nicodemus giving a mixture of myrrh and aloes, which is about 75 pounds. In those times, 75 pounds was a very large amount. This kind of amount was used for royal burials. This was a very costly and expensive gesture toward Jesus, signifying a change from fan to follower of Jesus.
Churches and various types of ministries have emphasized believing in Jesus too much, therefore we end up having fans of Jesus not true followers of Jesus. People making decisions to follow Jesus is a good thing eternally but Jesus will not accept a half of a commitment he wants our whole lives. Our level of commitment determines where we will go to be with Jesus in heaven not whether we accept him or not.
Therefore, as I transition to the close of this blog I am going to leave you with a quote describing this level of commitment. In Matthew 7:13-14 at the close of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road the leads to life, and only a few find it."
Following Jesus requires a total life change. It is a commitment that is transforming. It is sacrificing everything we have to follow him daily. Followers sacrifice their whole lives to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
A story from the Bible describing the level commitment being a follower or fan is in John Chapter three when Nicodemus comes to visit Jesus. John 3:2 says, He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with God." Nicodemus believed that Jesus was the Son of God but he didn't want to sacrifice anything in his life of his high position for Jesus. He came to Jesus as a fan. Becoming a follower, requires a total commitment.
Jesus explains to Nicodemus in verse three that he must be born again to see the kingdom of God. In verse five and six Jesus describes the being born again involves the water and spirit. Jesus says in John 3:5-8, "I tell you the truth , no one can be enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit gives birth to spirit. 'You should not be surprised at me saying, You must be born again. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear it's sound, but you cannot tell where it's coming or where it's going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
Nicodemus had memorized the first five books of the Bible and tried to do all the religious things his whole life. He didn't realize the amount of life change and sacrifice a relationship of God required. He thought it was just about following a set of rules or making a decision. Nicodemus wanted to give Jesus a part of him not all of his life, therefore he became a fan.
In John chapter 19, Nicodemus finally makes a commitment to become a follower a Jesus' burial. In verse 19:30 it describes Nicodemus giving a mixture of myrrh and aloes, which is about 75 pounds. In those times, 75 pounds was a very large amount. This kind of amount was used for royal burials. This was a very costly and expensive gesture toward Jesus, signifying a change from fan to follower of Jesus.
Churches and various types of ministries have emphasized believing in Jesus too much, therefore we end up having fans of Jesus not true followers of Jesus. People making decisions to follow Jesus is a good thing eternally but Jesus will not accept a half of a commitment he wants our whole lives. Our level of commitment determines where we will go to be with Jesus in heaven not whether we accept him or not.
Therefore, as I transition to the close of this blog I am going to leave you with a quote describing this level of commitment. In Matthew 7:13-14 at the close of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road the leads to life, and only a few find it."
Following Jesus requires a total life change. It is a commitment that is transforming. It is sacrificing everything we have to follow him daily. Followers sacrifice their whole lives to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
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