Whenever I hear the word "anyone" I think of "Ferris Buellers' Day Off," the movie in which this high-school cut artist devises an elaborate scheme to get out of a day of school and head to Chicago with his friends.
One of the early scenes in the movie has his teacher taking attendance, going through the names beginning with "A", then on to the "B's".
When the teacher gets to "Bueller", there is no response. The teacher says, "Bueller,...Bueller, ..anyone.....anyone?" The teacher doesn't an answer from Ferris, and the adventure begins.....the plan to cut nearly backfires, takes the kids through crazy adventures, and Ferris.....gets over, "clean" as a whistle.
When Jesus asks "If anyone would come after me......" in Luke 9;23, he makes an open invitation to everyone.
Anyone means.....anyone. Jesus is equal-opportunity here. Where you have been, whatever you have done, it really doesn't matter at this point. Salvation, the life of God is accessible to anyone.
He is just like the Father, and He desires none to be lost, , but wants all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4).
Jesus says, "My word is truth." (John 17:17) Getting a hold of the Word of God sanctifies us, makes us holy.
So, this is the truth that Jesus is looking for people to get hold of. What He said.
Well, Jesus says this in Luke 9:23 ....."If any man would come after me, he would deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."
Jesus is not trying to become famous, and get more fans on His fan page. He is seeking after followers, those who will imitate Him in the earth.
He's not looking for members, or groupies to watch him perform miracles. He is looking for disciples, students, soldiers, apprentices of His. Rabbis in Jesus' time would walk in the countryside, attracting people who would want to follow their teaching. So they were invited to "walk in the dust of the rabbi."
Jesus invited Peter and Andrew, James and John, Matthew and the others to follow Him, and so they knew what this meant. They dropped their nets, in Matthew's case he stopped his tax collection, and followed Jesus; literally walking in His footsteps along the rough hills, and arid deserts.
In the following in the Way of Jesus (He is the Way), they left others take care of what they left behind in order to follow Jesus. In today's language they traded: we trade -
We trade consumerism for communion with God - I no longer at what I can buy to fill the voids in my heart, they are instead filled with God's love, and contentment that comes from Him.
We trade individualism for community - What's important is how my brother, my sister are.....preferring them over me. I am now my brother's keeper. It's not about "me," it's about "we."
We trade materialism for mission - I come to prefer giving to others, rather than keeping for myself.
All this "trading" amounts to a total surrender. This is a sticking point for many. Jesus never shied away from the terrifying gift of truth. And wherever you or I get stuck in this process, here's where the work begins.
Surrender means we get to die every day. Every day: dying to our own needs, our desires, our ambitions. You all know the quote from Bonhoeffer: "When Christ calls a man, he bids him to come and die." We take up our cross, to die every day, die to ourselves. The cross is a symbol of humiliation, suffering and death. Just as Jesus overcame death, we become overcomers through Him who loved us. The death we die (to self) can never compare to the life we live (in Christ).
Ah, such great fun.
It's only fun if we get to do this together.
pax Christi,
sp
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