I have decided to follow Jesus!

I have decided to follow Jesus!

I have decided to follow Jesus!

No turning back, no turning back!

 

Jesus has tough words for us today.
If we want to be his followers, his disciples,
he wants us to follow him whole heartedly.

He doesn’t want any lukewarm followers.
He wants discipleship to be our first priority,

Not something we do when we have the time for it,

whenever we get around to it.

He wants followers who put their faith in him
above all else.

 

Have you decided to follow Jesus?

Have you decided to follow Jesus?

Have you decided to follow Jesus?

No turning back, no turning back!

 

Jesus uses harsh words today:
"hate your family,
carry your cross,
know what you’re getting yourself into,
be prepared for it all,
and renounce all your possessions."

 

Yet when we look at the entire Gospel,
we know that Jesus did not hate his family.
On the night before he would die,
we know that he prayed that the Father would take this cup away,

and there were times
when he wasn’t sure what he was getting himself into.

And while he didn’t seem to have many possessions,
he did accept the invitations of others
to feast in their homes,
and he never seemed to be without food, or shelter or clothing.

 

Have you decided to follow Jesus?

Have you decided to follow Jesus?

 

So, why did he speak the way he did
in today’s gospel?

He wanted to make a point,
and he wanted to make it loudly and clearly.

No one and no things can be more important
than following him!

 

There will be days and times
when we may have to choose
between loyalty to our families
and following the Lord
with our whole heart, mind and soul.

 

There will be days and times
when we may have to choose to take up the cross
or to run from it.

There may be days and times when Jesus calls us
to step out in faith,
fully prepared to sacrifice something of ourselves.

 

There may be days and times
when what we own may need to be given away
in order to truly be his disciples.

 

Have you decided to follow Jesus?

Have you decided to follow Jesus?

Have you decided to follow Jesus?

No turning back, no turning back!

 

Today, Jesus is not only asking the crowd
before him in Israel two thousand years ago.
He is asking us,
Do you really want to be my follower?
Do you understand that it will not always be easy?
Are you willing to be with me
in good times and in bad,
when you experience the blessings of salvation
and when you have to face the curse
of carrying the cross,
of being rejected or ridiculed
for doing what it right and just?

 

Today, Jesus is asking us,
if we’ve decided to follow Jesus
knowing that there is no turning back,
no turning back!

 

I have decided to follow Jesus!

I have decided to follow Jesus!

I have decided to follow Jesus!

No turning back, no turning back!