Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke 9:57-62 is about the Cost of Discipleship.
Luke 9:57
9:57. Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."
Our following to Christ must be increased up to the one of body to the head, we follow Him wherever He goes and we cannot be separated from Him.
The practice of the following of body to the head is we must be active in the ministry of the building of the body of Christ. It starts from marriage. The child must obey the parents and ease their burden. Then, we minister in the shepherding, inter-shepherding, until the Gentiles and Israelites become one perfect body.
The ministry of the building of the body of Christ is the same as the race or struggle. It needs seriousness and good preparation.
Hebrews 12:1-2
12:1. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
12:2. looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
There are three preparations to enter the spiritual race or the ministry of the building of the body of Christ as follows:
God blesses us.
Luke 9:57-62 is about the Cost of Discipleship.
Luke 9:57
9:57. Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."
Our following to Christ must be increased up to the one of body to the head, we follow Him wherever He goes and we cannot be separated from Him.
The practice of the following of body to the head is we must be active in the ministry of the building of the body of Christ. It starts from marriage. The child must obey the parents and ease their burden. Then, we minister in the shepherding, inter-shepherding, until the Gentiles and Israelites become one perfect body.
The ministry of the building of the body of Christ is the same as the race or struggle. It needs seriousness and good preparation.
Hebrews 12:1-2
12:1. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
12:2. looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
There are three preparations to enter the spiritual race or the ministry of the building of the body of Christ as follows:
- We must lay aside every weight.
It means finishing all of our sins that we have already done, spoken, and thought.
The process is as follows:- Believing Jesus, because He is the only innocent man who can finish all sins.
- Repenting or stopping sinning and returning to God. We are dead to sin.
If our heart believes in Jesus, our mouth will confess our sin to God and others. If we are forgiven, do not sin anymore. - Entering water baptism.
The true water baptism [Romans 6:4] is one who has died to sin or repented must be buried in the water with Jesus and come out or rise from water with Him to receive new life, namely life in righteousness and we become instrument of righteousness
Romans 6:13
6:13. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
We are used in the ministry of the building of the body of Christ according to the ministry that God gives to us.
Proverbs 10:2-3
10:2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from death.
10:3. The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked.
If we live in righteousness and become the instrument of righteousness, the result is we are saved (delivered from death) and God takes care of us from now in the midst of difficulties in the world up to eternal life.
- Believing Jesus, because He is the only innocent man who can finish all sins.
- We must be free from the sin which so easily ensnares us = the sins in front of us that hinder or snare us.
Hebrews 12:1
12:1. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Satan puts the snare in the place that we often go through such as the school, working place, ministry, et cetera.
The snares of sin are as follows:- The evil desire, namely the one of money.
1 Timothy 6:9
6:9. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
The evil desire makes us stingy and greedy. It is the same as idolatry.
Stinginess means one cannot give to others.
Greediness means one robs God's and others'.
For example, Judas Iscariot was controlled by the will of money, so he could not receive the true teaching word. He did not hear the word earnestly until he rejected the true teaching word. - The unclean desire.
Proverbs 7:4-8, 21-23
7:4. Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," And call understanding your nearest kin,
7:5. That they may keep you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words.
7:6. For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice,
7:7. And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding,
7:8. Passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house
7:21. With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him.
7:22. Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
7:23. Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life.
The unclean desire guides to sin of eating-drinking (smoking, getting drunk, and drugs abuse) and marrying-giving in marriage (sexual sin with all of its kinds). - False teaching or gossip.
Deuteronomy 12:29-30
12:29. "When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land,
12:30. "take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.'
119:9. BETH. How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
John 15:3
15:3. "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
We must have the word which Jesus speaks to us, so we can be set free from the snare of sin.
The word which Jesus speaks to us is the one whose secret is revealed through one verse explains the other verses in the Holy Bible. It is the same as teaching word or the sword of the word that is able to cut the snares of sin.
The result is "It is enough" to face the shock. It is the same as endurance.
Luke 22:35-38, 31
22:35. And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?" So they said, "Nothing."
22:36. Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.
22:37. "For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: 'And He was numbered with the transgressors.' For the things concerning Me have an end."
22:38. So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough."
22:31. And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
We will never leave God, but keep the faithfulness and endurance in the ministry to God until He comes a second time.
We shall not want in the crisis of the world, but we are taken care of by God up to the abundance or we give thanks to God. It continues until someday we are spotless and perfect like Jesus. - The evil desire, namely the one of money.
- Looking unto Jesus who sits down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2
12:2. looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The end of our following and ministry to God is sitting together with Him on the throne of heaven.
Looking unto Jesus means worshipping Him, looking His face in the glory, and stretching out our hand to Him.
The results are as follows:- The glory of Jesus' face illuminates us with peace.
Numbers 6:26
6:26. The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." '
There is no more fear, anxiety, bitterness, labor, et cetera. Our heart becomes peaceful and everything becomes easy and light. - God is gracious to us.
Numbers 6:25
6:25. The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
Hebrews 4:16
4:16. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
God's mercy is able to help us and finish all of impossible problems in time of need. - God is gracious to us to change us from carnal men to spiritual ones like Him.
Hebrews 12:3
12:3. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
It starts from being strong and of good courage. We are not disappointed, desperate, or proud, and do not leave God in anything, but we keep on giving thanks to Him.
We are obedient until the flesh does not sound anymore. If we are obedient, our life will become successful and beautiful. Otherwise, we fail and become naked.
Until when Jesus comes a second time, we are changed to become perfect and sit together with God on the throne of heaven.
- The glory of Jesus' face illuminates us with peace.
God blesses us.