Jesus Allows You to Choose to Follow Him.
Story based on Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30.
If anyone was too wicked for God to forgive, it would have to be a tax collector. Tax collectors were traitors to their own people. Greed for money led them to serve the Roman government. They would buy the privilege of collecting taxes. Any extra taxes they could get from the people would go to line their own pockets. Tax collectors were known for their cheating ways. They would demand unreasonable amounts from people and make themselves wealthy at the expense of their fellow citizens. It is easy to understand why these people were the outcasts of society.
Matthew was such a man. He collected taxes in Capernaum and had become wealthy at it. Often he wished that he could turn time back, and choose instead to live a life acceptable to God and to his neighbors. This was not something he could do. Once he had been an agent of Rome, he would never again be accepted as a member of the Jewish community.
Then one day Jesus was passing by his tax booth in Capernaum and stopped to talk to him. "Follow Me," Jesus invited him. Matthew did not wait to be asked twice. Jesus had offered him a chance to begin again. Once again, Matthew could have the chance to live a life in harmony with God. Leaving his tax booth behind, Matthew immediately went with Jesus and became a disciple.
"Those who are well do not need a doctor," Jesus explained to those who complained about His association with people of bad reputation. "Those who are sick are the ones who need his care. I did not come to save righteous people, but rather to call sinners to repent." This was always the policy Jesus followed. All who came to Him were invited to follow Him. How they would respond was their choice.
One day a young man came to Jesus. He had a good reputation, and was seeking to obey God. Yet he felt something was lacking. "Good Master, what good thing shall I do to have eternal life?"
"If you want to live," Jesus replied, "keep the commandments."
"Which commandments?" The young man wanted to know. The Jewish faith had many commandments given to assure the observance of the Ten Commandments, and sometimes the details of these would contradict each other.
Jesus began to repeat the various precepts of the Ten Commandments. The young man assured Jesus that he had kept all of them since he was a little boy. Jesus loved the young man. Something seemed missing in his relationship with God, and he wanted to know how he might be fully in harmony with God.
"If you want to be perfect," Jesus said, "go and sell what you have. Give it to the poor. Your treasure will be safe for you in Heaven. Then come and follow Me."
Suddenly the young man realized that something was standing between him and God. He had been given an invitation to become one of Jesus' disciples, but he had wealth that he was not ready to give up for anyone - not even God. The Bible says he went away sorrowful.
As people listened to the words of Jesus, they could not help but realize that He was no ordinary man. His divine origin and the fact that His message was from God was evident. Only those who chose to disbelieve and resist His love were not drawn to Him. Yet some made such a choice and they were allowed the freedom to reject Jesus.
Jesus declared His mission in this way. "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me." People everywhere are hurting and have deep needs. Jesus has the answer to all the problems people face and wants to help. He calls each person to benefit from His love.
Sometimes we might think of some people as beyond the reach of Jesus' love, but Jesus does not exclude anyone. It does not matter who we are or what we have done. If we come to Jesus, we have His promise to accept us. By His words and actions, Jesus showed that nobody was left out. He came to offer salvation to everyone.
Not everyone chooses to accept Jesus. Though it hurts and disappoints Him, He has decided to take the risk of rejection so that we might love and serve Him by our own free choice. Comparing Himself to a shepherd, He taught that those who were 'His sheep' would hear His voice and follow Him.
As He taught the people, Jesus knew that not all who heard Him would accept Him. He knew all could benefit from accepting Him. He compared obedience with building a house on a foundation of solid rock. Ignoring His teachings was like building a house anchored in shifting sand. When a firm foundation is missing, neither houses nor lives can endure storms and difficulties.
Jesus did more than warn of the results of rejecting Him. He tried to help people understand how much they could gain from Him. Their lives would be happier if they accepted Him as their Saviour. Unending life also is for all who accept Him.
Who could possibly deserve the gift of eternal life, which cost Jesus so much? To be honest, we must admit that none of us do. Yet Jesus offers it to us freely. He calls for all to take the water of life, to bring us refreshment both physically and spiritually.
Jesus allows each person the freedom to choose whether to accept Him. Some, like Matthew, accept Him. Some, like the young man in the second story, decide to turn Him down. Jesus intends for each to have this freedom of choice. As witnesses for Him, we must let as many as we can know what Jesus has to offer so that they may choose intelligently. Having done that, we should not try to take freedom of choice from others. To follow Jesus is a personal decision. Let us make this decision for ourselves.
Thank you, Jesus, for letting me follow You by my own free choice. Thank you for letting me share Your love. Help me to let others choose for themselves.
Review Questions
- Who does Jesus invite to receive living water?
- Who has Jesus promised not to turn away?
- Jesus is the Good Shepherd. How can His sheep be identified?
- What does Jesus offer to those who accept Him?
- To what did Jesus compare those who would hear His words and obey?
- Are you thankful for the freedom Jesus gives you?