Following Jesus High Cost
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Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
The story before us is that of the rich young ruler.
He possessed many things which were praiseworthy.
He was earnest and he was moral, and he was interested, but, he lacked one thing—he was unwilling to give up his riches.
Jesus Christ does not always demand that we should place our possessions on the market, and sell them, giving the proceeds to the poor.
But He does demand of every one, who would follow Him, that all possessions shall be made subservient to Him, subject to His call.
Subservient - less important or serving as a means to an end.
If we would follow Christ fully, we must recognize His Lordship over our possessions.
Lordship - supreme power or rule.
There are a great many people, who would like to “serve God and mammon”; Christ, and riches.
They want Christ, but they want riches also; in fact, they want riches more than they want Christ.
They want to drag Christ in somewhere; they would be willing to put Him in the rear of their procession, but they will not let Him lead the way.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
A follower of the Lord Jesus Christ should flee such things, and “follow after righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness”.
It is not wrong to labor, that we may have to give to him that needeth; but it is wrong to labor that we may have to lay up treasures for ourselves.
Our money is ourself turned into coin, and when we bring our money and yield it to Christ and to His service we are yielding ourselves to Him.
Following Christ Amid the Raptured Saints
These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
There is no more beautiful verse in the Bible than this.
The Lord seems to draw back the curtain in order to give us a glimpse of coming scenes.
There are those who were undefiled; those who have kept their garments white; those who, ‘mid earth scenes and tribulation scenes, followed Christ fully.
These will follow Him by and by.
It is worth while for us to look in and behold, through the drawn back curtain, the bliss of those who walk with Him in white.
Moses had followed Christ down here, and so had Elijah.
It is a picture of us who followed Him down here.
They had experienced many a trying time.
They had suffered much for their Lord.
They had never counted any earth task too great an undertaking for the glory of Jehovah.
God has drawn back the curtain, and allows us to see them in their glory on the transfiguration mount, as they talk with the Lord.
What will it be when we stand with Him in the glory, among the raptured ones, beholding His face?
What abundance of joy will be ours, should Christ say unto us, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”.
Surely our present sufferings will be nothing comparable to the glory that shall then be revealed.