David Platt President Southern Baptist Convention,
“Radical obedience to Christ is not easy... It's not comfort, not health, not wealth, and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these things. But in the end, such risk finds its reward in Christ. And he is more than enough for us.”
David Platt,
(Radical: Taking Back
Your Faith from
the American Dream)
This message is aimed directly at particularly North American Christians of which I am one.
Are you as a Christian willing to give up everything for the cause of Christ?
There is a lot of garbage going around Christian circles. Particularly from the so called “seed faith” groups or as my pastor puts it the “blab it grab it crowd”. Those who espouse to this belief believe that if you give to God (in particular their ministry) and you will get back ten, a hundred, a thousand fold for doing so. Some even go as far as saying if you are not wealthy you have sin in your life.
It sounds great who wouldn’t want to receive great riches. The whole theology is a feel good theology but it’s wrong.
God never promised us riches in this life. Jesus even said to a rich man who approached him.
“Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Matthew 19:21.
Jesus also said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21.
God is not a super banker that gives us fantastic returns on our tithes. Quite the contrary God wants Christians to go into all the world Jesus said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20.
The apostles obeyed the words of Jesus and all but one of them suffered a martyrs death. That was what following Christ cost them.
Jesus made it clear what to expect if you are a Christian when he said,
“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:34-38.
As Christians we need to be taking up our cross and following Christ. Taking His word of Salvation to the whole world.
We need to do this, because presenting God’s salvation message to the world is the most important thing we as Christians have to offer. Nothing else in this world matters more than pointing the way to heaven.
Please think about it.
