Jesus as Teacher and Lord

Jesus, in Matthew 8:18-22 was approached by two would-be disciples. One came with a statement of intent to follow not matter what or where. The other came with a request for exemption from following; he didn't want to follow - yet. Both had it wrong. Jesus as Teacher and Lord is in charge; He calls the shots, He makes the rules. He stipulates the terms.

It is striking, almost shocking, what sinful humanity does with Jesus Christ – what they presumptuously try to make Him out to be. Someone who will help you get through the day; a gentle friend who would never tell you what you do not want to hear, never tell you what to do, maybe give a few suggestions but you don’t have to follow them if you don’t want to; just be His friend, His buddy, His pal, anything goes. Pick and choose off the buffet table He sets up for you but don’t ever feel obligated to enter in, do only what is comfortable for you. To hear some talk and preach you'd think you had the right to make Him in your own image.

Some call Him Teacher but don’t want to learn from Him. They don’t want Him to teach them, they want to teach Him what it means to be a Savior. Others call Him Lord but don’t want to bow to Him. No intention of obeying the One they call Master. What will the pot say to the Maker? Jesus says following will cost you your life, you can’t call the plays, you must simply trust and obey. He is the Teacher, we are His students; He is the Lord, the King, we are His subjects. As Tozer once wrote, He didn’t give opinions, He is Truth itself, truth personified. He is truth, He speaks truth. That’s leadership you can follow.

Praise God Jesus won’t let our error go unchecked. Other so-called leaders will say they accept you on your terms but the bait and switch will ruin you. It will actually cost you your life whichever way you choose. Choose to follow Jesus and you will receive life, He becomes your life. You loose nothing but your sin and self-centeredness with Jesus. You gain heaven, you gain fellowship with God. The exchange doesn’t make sense – all our filthy rags for all His riches? Praise God that is what we receive in Christ, all of it undeserved. We deserved hell, we deserved wrath. Jesus took that upon Himself and offers to give us life.

Do you have that life?