“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matt 7:24-25).
We really don’t like rules. The day our first parents broke the one rule they were given something crept into our DNA that makes us chafe against any limitations. Nothing makes us want to touch something more than a sign that says “don’t touch.”
We’ve spent the last several months looking at a lot of rules, things Jesus said to do or not do. Human nature is to go along with the ones that suit us and ignore the ones that seem too hard or too limiting. Jesus warns us not to do that.
There is another command of Jesus we should look at:
“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” (Matt 28:19-20).
We are to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything Christ commanded us. Picking and choosing is not an option.
If we don’t follow all the commands of Jesus, we’re not disciples of Jesus. If we decide which of his commands we’re going to obey, we’re not following Jesus; we’re following ourselves. We’re trying to be our own master, our own god. That’s just what the serpent promised Eve. It’s still a temptation today.
Following Jesus means following Jesus. We believe he has both the authority and the wisdom to tell us what to do, and we submit ourselves to him, even when we don’t want to. At least we try. We’ll never get it perfectly right on this side of eternity. However, “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9).
Why should we do what Jesus commands? Besides all the reasons to obey in principle, Jesus gives us a very practical reason: When the storms come, the “house built on the rock” will stand. “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matt 7:26-27).
The storms will come. The life founded on the rock will withstand them. The person who picks and chooses, like the person who ignores Jesus entirely, will not.
But we want better than that. We don’t merely want to survive — we want to thrive. We want to know Jesus and to be like him. We want the fellowship of the Holy Spirit and, one day, to be welcomed with “well done”. So follow Jesus, all that he commands.
When you learn a language, you don't just learn the nouns or just the verbs or just words that begin with vowels. The goal is mastery; you want to learn it all. When you follow Christ, the goal is mastery — to be like the Master.
So come on, let's follow Jesus.
Part of Christianity 102
Image via Pixabay
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