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The authority of the King is seen in Matthew chapters 8 and 9 where we see Jesus performed some nine recorded miracles, displaying his power over diseases, disasters and over death. And we last stopped at verse 16 in Matthew 8 where it says ‘That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.’ [Matthew 8:16]

So, in those days you probably do not need any hospitals or doctors because Jesus is around. Jesus would heal every kind of sickness that is brought to him. And in the time like this, you would imagine he would be a natural magnet. Many people would come to Jesus, they will follow him, they want to catch up on what is the latest miracle he could do. He would be an overnight Internet sensation if he lived in our day, alright. Facebook, Instagram will all be about Jesus Christ performing miracles.

So, it is therefore expected that we read that ‘Crowds would follow him. So when Jesus saw a crowd around him, He gave orders to go over to the other side.’ [Matthew 8:18] He was not interested, really, to draw a crowd although that is a natural consequence of the miracles he performed.

So, many people would follow Jesus and I think it will not be long before a man would come to Jesus and say “Well, it's quite a cool thing you're doing, can I follow you on a official full-time capacity? Can I do that, Jesus? I want to be with you.” So that's what we read in verse 19 ‘And a scribe came up to him and said to him “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”’ [Matthew 8:19]

So, we see the first applicant for this full-time discipleship to Jesus. He's a scribe, you say “What's a scribe?” A scribe is a religious teacher, he's someone probably very well-versed in the Old Testament. He studies the Word of God, he memorizes the Word of God. And this man looks at Jesus and say “You are a teacher, you must be a teacher, you must be someone special and I will follow you wherever you go.”

I mean this guy is like a super candidate. If you think about it, Jesus had Peter, Andrew, James, John, those kind of what? Fishermen, uneducated, ignorant bunch. But this guy is like Harvard, MIT trained. This guy is a top, the crème de la crème of society. And so he comes to Jesus and says, “I want to follow you.” What do you think the disciples would have felt? Excited. Wah, we, we have one high-power individual joining the ranks of Jesus is like a transfer, soccer transfer coup, you know. Get the best player from the scribes and Pharisees to join your team, especially when Jesus has just spoken against the scribes and Pharisees in the Sermon on the Mount.

So if I were Jesus, if I may say this reverentially, if you were in the shoes of Jesus, you might probably say “Of course! Come and follow Me.” But Jesus said “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” [Matthew 8:20] Why did Jesus say something like this? I mean he could have said “Follow Me” but no, Jesus says “You do not know what you are getting into, you don't understand.”

I think Jesus probably saw and knew this scribe's heart that this scribe must have looked at what Jesus has done and thought to himself “It can't be such a bad idea to follow this miracle worker, it can't be such a bad idea to follow this spectacular man. I mean if I follow him, I'm probably set in life. I probably will be famous, successful, probably rich because people may have to pay me money to get near to my master. It will be a great life if I were to follow Jesus.”

I think Jesus saw all that, probably in the scribe's heart. Therefore, Jesus gives him a reality check. “You think that following Me is about fame and fortune, glam and, and success. But let Me tell you, following Me means you must be willing to live a hard life. Following Me means that you must be willing to forgo the material comforts in this world. Following Me means you need to surrender and sacrifice and go the hard way. So are you willing to follow?” I think that's the question Jesus is posing to this scribe.

I think that would have been very obvious to you, if you have read the Bible for yourself. But let me just highlight something that may not be so obvious to many of us. And that is the way, Jesus addresses Himself. Jesus didn't say “Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests but Jesus Christ has nowhere to lay his head.” I mean, we are familiar, we call Jesus, Jesus.

But what does Jesus call Himself here? Son of Man. This is the very first time in the Gospels, He addresses Himself as the Son of Man. And let me say this, this is the first of many times in the Bible, He calls Himself, Son of Man. The Son of Man is the commonest reference He gives to Himself, the commonest title He gives to Himself. This is a special term found almost exclusively in the Gospels, except for one other time in the book of Acts. But what's so special about this phrase, Son of Man? Why did Jesus call Himself, Son of Man? Because I think the scribe knows something about the Son of Man.

Now I am saying Son of Man, Son of Man, say what is Son of Man? Singaporeans generally don't know what, know what's the Son of Man because we did not grow up reading the Old Testament. We did not grow up reading the Bible. But the Jews did. The scribes definitely did and the scribes immediately would know what the Son of Man or where the Son of Man is written or recorded. Do you know where it is? Let me give a test, where in the Old Testament is this term Son of Man given? It's found in the book of Daniel. Daniel is, at least half of the book of Daniel has a lot of prophecy related to it, right? And in Daniel chapter 7 we read ‘... there came one like a Son of Man and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.’ [Daniel 7:13]

So, this is the scene. The Son of Man, we now know is referring to Jesus, God's Son, is presented or he came to the Ancient of Days, this refers to God the Father. So, the Son of God comes to the God the Father and was presented before Him. And this is what happened ‘And to him (that is to Jesus, to the Son of Man) was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.’ [Daniel 7:13-14]

So, this is a prophetic scene mentioned in the book of Daniel about this Son of Man, we now know as Jesus who will be King, who have dominion and glory for evermore. I think the scribe must have looked at the miracles of Jesus, must have heard somewhat the teachings of Jesus and concluded “Surely Jesus is the Son of Man and if I follow the Son of Man, I am set for life, I will have dominion, I'll have glory, I'll be part of the everlasting kingdom, I better sign up now.” He's clever. I think we have to credit him for knowing Daniel 7, not many of us will know, I think he will know.

But Jesus revealed something to the scribe and says to him, “Yes, I’m the Son of Man, but do you know that the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head?”[Matthew 8:20]  Daniel speaks about glory, kingship, dominion, why is it that Jesus would have nowhere to lay his head? Because I think Jesus is saying “Before the glory, before the kingdom, there will be suffering.” So, in a sense, before the crown, there must be the cross. “Yes, I will be king but later. And if you want to follow Me, you must be willing to suffer and to sacrifice and to follow Me.” That's what it means to follow Jesus.

In other words, I'm saying, I think in this passage, Jesus is not looking for fans. I'm not talking about the fans here, I'm talking about ‘fěnsī’ (Chinese, meaning “fans”). Fans in Chinese is “fěnsī” ya? Ok, anyway He's looking not for fans, He's not looking for people who follow Him when times are nice and glamorous as if He's a celebrity. He's not looking for fans, what is He looking for? He's looking for followers.

There's a difference I think between fans and followers. Fans are people who follow you when it is hip, trendy, fashionable to do so, when it is nice and exciting. But followers of Jesus Christ, I think in the Bible describe, people who stick with Him through thick and thin, who follow Jesus when it is difficult to do so, even when it calls for you to die, to sacrifice, to lay down your life, to forsake material comforts, you are willing, because you're not a fan but a follower. So Jesus says, “You want to follow Me? Well, you got to understand it is not all about glory, glamour and fortune and success, here on earth. Following Me means that right now you are willing to suffer, like Me, I have no place to call my own.”

I think this has deep implications for people who come to church, don't you think? I mean you look around you, people all around but why did you come to church? By the way, we are glad you came for a service today. We are glad because you want, I hope, to hear God's word, you want to understand the Bible and what God has to say to you, I'm glad you came.

But I hope you did not just come because you are a fan. I hope you do not just come because you said “Following Jesus quite cool. I mean I got to have a religion in my IC, so of all I choose Christianity sounds a bit more hip and trendy, Christianity”. I hope you did not come because you just want, you heard that wah if your business got problem and your finances are not doing well, you come to Jesus He will ‘bǎoyòu’ (Chinese, meaning “bless”) you, He will bless you, He will, He will help you, He will give you success in your finances, He will solve your family problems, He will give you health, He will lead you that good life that maybe the scribe thought he would have. Because that's not what the Bible teaches.

In fact, I say to you if you really want to know this Jesus, you really want to follow Jesus, you must be prepared. Because how did Jesus live His life, in luxury and comfort and fame and fortune? No, he came to die on the cross. What does it mean to follow Jesus? Follow him to the cross.

You know we have been seeing more and more people come to Gospel Light over the past one and half years, as I think I've written also in our Shine bulletin this week. It is wonderful that we are seeing more people come to hear God's word, but I think as a church we must not be thinking, just because there are more people coming here, we are doing God's work automatically, that this is definitely divine and of God. Of course everyone brought here is brought in by God, we believe.

But we must not be too quick to congratulate ourselves because our mission is not to bring people into a building, fill this hall with fans, but our mission is to turn irreligious people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Until we do that we have not done God's work. Because Jesus is not looking for fans, He's looking for followers. And may this church never ever come to a day where we have the compromise and dangle goodies to bring people to church. No, Jesus is worth it. He is worthy. We preach Christ and we trust there will be followers, who are willing to lay down their lives for Him.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer has a famous saying and it's written here, his…his words given are “The cross is laid on every Christian. As we embark on discipleship, (discipleship is merely following Jesus, alright?) - as we embark upon discipleship (upon following Jesus), we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death, we give over our lives to death. When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.”

You know what it means to follow Jesus? It’s not about comfort, it's not about convenience, it's about commitment, it's about dying to yourself. A true follower of Jesus Christ does not come to church, is not in Christianity so that his life is smoother, easier, more successful. He comes because he says I want to, I want to follow Christ, that's all. And if Christ dies, if Christ suffers, if Christ sacrifices, that's what I'm willing to do because I'm following Jesus.

When we were thinking of or rather when we were near the time of transiting to Punggol, we were at Furama Waterfront hotel. In the last few weeks months, I was thinking, I was looking at the church, I was speaking to some of you and I was thinking that if we come to Punggol, we would lose about 20, 30% of our people in Gospel Light. And if I talked around, I asked around, people say about 100, 150, 200 people might not come. Why? Because it's very... far. Because some of you stay in Jurong, Boon Lay, Choa Chu Kang, downtown, all over Singapore.

But what is amazing, in at least that's what I think, what is amazing, after we’ve moved here, it's been one and half years. I think I can say that now, is that I don't think that many left us and most, a vast majority I would say, 90 over percent followed us to Punggol, followed God's call to Punggol and I find that extremely remarkable. I know it's a small thing in a sense but it is something still thank-worthy because I think it reflects how you think. Christianity is not about comfort, convenience, about proximity, it's about God. And if there's a place you would hear the teaching of God's Word, where you can grow as a Christian, you say it doesn't matter the distance, distance is not the issue. And I’ve seen many of you sacrifice, serve, devote your time for others because you understand Christianity is not about comfort and convenience.

I know many of you can't find car parks here in this building. You say, “Aiyah no car park.” But at least you are, you never say “Aiyah, like that, don't come already lah.” I mean, if Jesus attends Gospel Light Christian Church and He drives and says no car park, would he leave? No car park, don't come to church. No seat, don't come to church. No, that's, that's not what Christianity is, Christianity is all about, isn't it? We are thankful for many of you who have chosen to, to commit yourself to Christ and therefore all these things are way down the list. And it's so sad when a church should argue, people should fight over car parks lots and, and seating arrangements, that ought not to be. Why? If we understand following Jesus is a call to die, then these things don't matter. It’s about Him.

In fact, it's even more extreme. ‘Remember the word I said to you: “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.’ You want to be a follower of Jesus? This is what's gonna happen to you. Are you ready for that? You want to follow Jesus, then you must bear your own cross, you must die to yourself, otherwise you cannot be my disciple. [Luke 14:27]

How many people are today, described by Jesus, as the kind of a soil that is very shallow? That when the Gospel, when the seed of God's Word is sown in that shallow soil, initially it grows, there's some fruit but because there are no roots. The sun comes up, difficulty comes and it withers and dies. These are fans, not followers. They never understood what it means to follow Jesus. So, what is Jesus saying here in this story, what is Matthew teaching us?

 

I think he's teaching us, number 1: Following Jesus demands a Price. You must be willing to die to yourself. Well, Matthew then tells us the second story. He tells us: Following Jesus demands a Priority. And this is seen in this second episode. ‘Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord let me first go and bury my father.”’ [Matthew 8:21] So, this person obviously has been following Jesus somewhat casually, he's called the disciple (small ‘d’ not capital ‘D’) “Lord, let me go and bury my father.” So Jesus approached him, Luke 9 tells us ‘Jesus said, “Come follow Me” but he replied Jesus “Let me first go and bury my father.”’ [Luke 9:59]

Now this is what Jesus said in response “Follow me and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” [Matthew 8:22] “Aiyo, why Jesus like that one? Very cruel leh, I mean wah lau, no ‘kamcheng’ (Chinese, meaning “emotions” or “feelings”), no, no feelings, so hard hearted.” I mean, father died, you don't let him bury, this is, this is very unreasonable.

Actually no, most commentators would say that ‘let me first go and bury my father’ is not literally saying that the father just died, heart attack, need to bury tonight. That, that's not the case, but they understand this to be a proverbial way of saying “I need to take care of my family business first. My, my, father's not yet dead ah, he's still very much alive. But I need to take care of him, take care of family business and when he dies later on, maybe weeks, months, years, decades later on, I need to settle our family inheritance, then Jesus, I follow you.” That's the idea, so it's not a cruel denial of someone burying his father, but it's denying that excuse someone may have that I have to put my family business first.

In fact, it is more extreme than this again in Luke 14 ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.’ [Luke 14:26] Following Jesus is of such a high priority that you're willing to deny even your own life. Now let me just say this. Christianity does not teach you to hate your father and mother, okay? Some of you, “Wah, like that good leh. Huh, I hate my father, mother and wife, what a good thing!” No! That's not what Jesus is saying. I think if you are a Christian, because of the love of God, you know and that has been poured out into your hearts, you should love your family even more than when you were not a follower of Jesus. But in comparison to your devotion to Christ, it looks like you hate your father and mother, because sometimes you have to make that choice. Your father and mother doesn't want you to follow Jesus, what do you do? Okay, I stop following Jesus. No, he says, following Jesus demands a priority.

Following Jesus demands a price. Following Jesus demands a priority. If the first guy is too quick to say “I want to follow you.” The second guy is too slow to say “I want to follow you. I want to make sure everything is settled before I follow you.”

Most of you would know I studied medicine and was going to be a doctor. I was a doctor for a while and my dad is a TCM medicine practitioner, he runs a TCM business. And I'm pretty sure and I think he said that it will be a great idea in his mind that we could fuse East and West together. You've the best of both worlds. If you, if you do not want medicine, you can go for massage. And if you do not want massage and you want MC, you can come to me. I mean that's the ideal combination, alright? And I think it will be a very successful business model. You will earn big bucks I think. It's quite easy, right, just side-by-side. You cannot ah? Cannot give MC, never mind, you can go to the other shop, that one, that one, he can give you MC and so on and so forth. It will, it will, it will work beautifully.

So I'm pretty sure that was what is in his mind, that was his hope and so I was scared actually, several years ago when I had to tell him “I think, Dad, I, I want to be serving God full-time in church.” Actually I thought he would kill me, huh. I mean he paid so much money to send me to school, all those years and you go what, serve God? You’re gonna be a church mouse! You’re gonna earn nothing! But I had to make a choice, right?

I mean, my dad has helped me in my life so much. He, I owe him a debt I would never be able to pay really in my life. I think many of you will say that about your parents and I really did not want to disappoint my father. I mean, I wish I could do more, to do what he wants me to do, but I have a choice now. I believe my Heavenly Father wants me to serve Him in the preaching of the Gospel. I know my earthly father wants me to help him in his business. What do you do? I think I must have come across to my family as a, as a rather heartless son, I think so. They may not say it, but wah how can like that?

But what did Jesus say in Luke 14? So this passage was important to me. I have to give up a kind of life that I think a doctor can live and I know my friends are living. And I have to give up, in a sense trying to please my father, earthly father, that I may please my Heavenly Father. But that's what it means to follow Jesus.

Now let me just be clear, I think, I don't think following Jesus is merely about a career choice. Don't think this ah, you make this career choice means you follow Jesus, no, no, that, following Jesus is a lot more, that's just one example of it. But how are you following Jesus today? Because some of us, we are so absorbed with our school, with our exams, with our grades and we say “I cannot follow Jesus during exams because exams come first.” Really? Where does it say, “Seek first ‘distinction’ and all these things will be added to you”? You don't find that in the Bible, but “Seek first (what?) the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you.”

I think in the past, people, church people, church workers have idolized their ministry and sacrificed their families. We hear that over and over again, right? I mean, they spend so much time in church, they spend so much time serving people that their own kids are neglected, their own wives are neglected, their own husbands are neglected and that's bad. But do you know that today we equally swing to a dangerous extreme of saying I need to take care of my family and I cannot serve God. Your family has now become your idol.

Now, I'm not saying, “Neglect your family.” No! But life is about priorities. It doesn't mean you neglect something else, but you've got to be clear, we are here to serve God, follow Jesus. And we can be so easy, it's so tempting for us to use our families as excuses we think are valid to excuse ourselves from serving Him. What's your excuse today? Jesus says to you “Let the dead bury the dead, but you come and follow me.” Are you serious about following Jesus? Then number one, it demands a price, it always demands a priority.

Well, Luke then tells us a third scenario. Now this is not given to us in Matthew but for completion sake, completeness sake, let me just point you to the third point and that is: following Jesus demands perseverance. I see that in the third example ‘Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”’ [Luke 9:61] Jesus might have replied the same thing as he replied the second guy, but he didn't because I think Jesus saw another issue in this man and so ‘He said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”’ [Luke 9:62] In other words, if you want to follow God, don't keep looking back. Press on, persevere, don't be fickle.

I think this is very true for me. Like I said, I've given up medicine. It's more than a decade now and there are times throughout this decade, of course, when I thought to myself “Maybe I should have gone back to be a doctor, maybe I, it's, it's a better life anyway, maybe it's, it's more comfortable that way.” Of course it has crossed my mind. But, following Jesus does demand a certain perseverance. And so, not long after I decided not to renew my license. I don't want to pay $500 every year to renew license, I decided not to keep up with anything and now if you ask me to help you, I'll probably kill you, not heal you. I can't, but I've got to make a choice. Do I still keep currency so that maybe one day I can go back? No, maybe I had to make a choice. Following Jesus demands perseverance.

Maybe some of you, when you were teenagers, when you're growing up, you said “I love Jesus, I love God, He has loved me, given me His life to save me from my sin, I want to give my life to Him.” But what happens now? Have you forgotten that? “No but, Pastor, you don't understand. The realities of life in Singapore is very difficult, I got to have a job, I need to make sure my finances are right, I, I need to make sure I can retire comfortably, I need to make sure my family is taken care of. When all this is settled, maybe when I'm 70, 80 years old, I will be ready to serve God.” Really? 80 years old, lao kok kok (Chinese, meaning: “very old”), you serve God? I mean it's a be too late, right? I'm not saying, “Don't work, don't take care of family.” I'm saying, do all that as part of serving God. But let serving God, be following Jesus, be your priority, everything else falls into place. But if you put family, finances as first, God will not be in His rightful place. You've a choice.

See the reality today is we must never be satisfied with a hall filled with people. That's not God's mission given to us. God has told us to make disciples of all peoples, make followers of all peoples, not make fans. Jesus is not looking for fans, He's looking for followers. He’s not looking for people who would come because they want goodies and good life from Jesus Christ, but He’s looking for people who would sacrifice and lay down his life to follow Him.

And I tell you something, alright. Any and every single one of you can follow Jesus. You don’t have to be smart to follow Jesus, you know that? You don’t have to be high IQ to follow Jesus. You don’t have to be rich to follow Jesus. You don’t have to be famous to follow Jesus. Anyone of us can follow Jesus, you say “Why?” Because I read in the Bible four men who followed Jesus were extremely simple people, not rich, not smart, probably not famous. Peter, Andrew, James, John. The scribe is from MIT and Harvard. Peter, Andrew, James, John from Ama Keng Primary School. But it’s okay.

Peter, Andrew, James, John can follow Jesus very well. You say “Why?” Smart? No. Rich? No. But they were willing to, what?... Number 1: Pay the price. How do you know that? Matthew 4 tells us ‘They left their nets and their boats.’ [Matthew 4:20,22] “I’m not gonna be a doctor, it’s okay. I’m not gonna be a lawyer, it’s okay. I’m not gonna be a teacher, it’s okay. If that’s what God wants me to do, I will trust Him. But if God wants me to stay on as teacher, lawyer, doctor, I will continue to do it. Because my purpose in life not, is not about the boats and the nets, it’s about Jesus.” Well, they demonstrated their willingness to pay the price in leaving the boats, nets and their fathers. Number 2: they were willing to make this a priority. Because they left their boats and nets, what?... after 2 years? They left their boats and nets, what?... immediately. Fascinating! I mean, these simple guys did this really well. And they followed Jesus with, what?... perseverance.

You know there was an episode where Jesus did some miracles, multiplied the bread and the fish. And then He explained to the people, “You came to Me because you got ‘roti’ (Malay, meaning: bread) to eat, you got fish to eat. But let Me tell you, I am not here to give you physical bread, I’m here because I am the Bread of Life. If you feast on Me, if you eat Me and drink My blood, that means you believe in Me, I will give you eternal life.” And you know what happened? Thousands of people all left Jesus. “Hah? I thought coming to you means I have a good life, I’ve bread, I’ve fish. You said you’re not for that? I go.” And so thousands all left, except for the Apostles. Jesus then asked them, “Will you also go?” And Peter says, “Where shall we go? Who else has the words of life?” [John 6:67-68] They followed Jesus, they persevered. Now, of course, in the extreme test of Jesus going to the cross, in a sense they forsook Christ, but by and large they were people who demonstrated remarkable perseverance. That’s what it means to follow Jesus.

Anyone can follow. Jesus says, “He that comes to me, I will in no wise cast out.” [John 6:37] You can come just as you are. But let me say this, be clear that coming to Jesus does mean you have to repent of your sin, turn from the love of this world to follow Him. And that's why, He says in verse 28 “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” [Luke 14:28] “You really want to follow Me? Don't be too fast, don't be like the scribe. Think about the cost, think about the price you have to pay. That's what it means to follow Me.”

Let me ask you, do you know what happened to the three guys? After this, what happened to the three men? The scribe, the man, the man? I'm glad you do not know, because I also don't know. We are not told what happened to them. In a sense their story is left open ended, why? I think it's in a sense a reflection of... you. Doesn't matter how they respond, the question is “How will I respond to discipleship to Jesus?”

Perhaps of the three, some maybe disgusted “Hah? This is what it means to follow Jesus? I don't want, ‘mai liao’ (Chinese, meaning: “don’t want”)”. Maybe some, maybe disappointed, they said “Wah, that, that’s so difficult. I wish I can but I just can't get myself to do that.” Maybe they are disappointed. But maybe some are devoted, maybe one or two might say, “Yes I understand that and I'm going to follow you, Jesus.” I don’t know. In a sense, I do not know how you’re gonna respond to discipleship to Jesus today.

Some of you, after hearing this sermon, says “This church, don't want to come here. Wah, suffer, suffer everyday talk about suffer, I don't want. I want, I want health and wealth, I want a good life.” Some of you maybe disgusted and you turn. Some of you maybe disappointed because you say “That's so difficult I can't do that, I'm not willing to do that yet.” Perhaps. But our prayer is that you will be devoted followers of Jesus Christ, as well. Because that's what the Gospel calls for. If you really believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you believe, if you really believe that God sent His Son to die and to pay for your sins, in order to bring you back to Himself, you can't do anything else but say I want to follow Jesus, don't you think? If you really understand the Gospel, if you really believe it in your heart, won't you follow Jesus? I think that's the best evidence of salvation in Jesus, a life of discipleship to Christ.

Let me end with this illustration. About 200 years ago, there was an Indian man who lived in North East India. He heard the preaching of the Gospel from an American missionary, Baptist missionary, and he and his family came to believe in Jesus Christ. They were born again, they were saved. They publicly profess their faith in this Messiah, in this Jesus and the village chief, not Christian of course, was furious, threatened them and said, “You have to renounce your faith, otherwise you will be killed.” So when this threat was issued to the father, to the husband, to the head of the family, he replied “I have decided to follow Jesus.” The village chief took two of his children and executed them. The man, then said “Though none will go with me, still I will follow Jesus.” The village chief then took his wife and killed her and brought him to the execution board and the man says, “The cross before me, the world behind me.” He laid down his life, he was executed that day. But soon enough the village chief and others also soon came to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

These words that the man uttered, the story was subsequently adopted into a hymn by an Indian missionary. You can even read about this story on Wikipedia, it's very common. And this song is... “I Have Decided To Follow Jesus.” Well, because of God's grace in a man's heart, he can say “I have decided to follow Jesus.” My prayer and hope today is that God's grace will be in your heart today as you hear His Word and that you will by His enabling also determine in your life, “I will follow Jesus, not a fan of Jesus, but a follower of Jesus.”

Let's bow for a word of prayer together.

I have decided to follow Jesus.

No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, still I will follow.

No turning back, no turning back.

The cross before me, the world behind me.

No turning back, no turning back.

My brothers and sisters in Christ in your life, have you turned back? Perhaps when you were younger you were aspired to be a follower of Jesus, you said “I will do that, I will serve him with my life.” But soon the lures and lusts of this world have drawn you away. Maybe when you see your friend drive a nice car, when you see your friend have a nice house, when you see your friend collect a nice cheque, you say to yourself “I wish I could be like that...” and that turned your gaze away from Jesus.

But would you go back to that day when you say “I have decided to follow Jesus. I mean my Saviour decided to leave Heaven's glory, to be born into this world to suffer and die for my sins. My Saviour left Heaven's glory to woo me and to bring me back to Himself. If He has decided so, if He has paid the price, if He has made this a priority, if He persevered all the way to the cross, why won't I follow my Saviour today?” Maybe it's time for us to turn around to pursue Jesus again. Would you do that? Pray that crying out to God right here, right now, right where you are.

Perhaps some of you say “I thought I believed in Jesus, but I've always believed him for stuff, for success, for solutions to my problems in life, to some kind of a financial health or some kind of a boost in my health or curing of my disease, that's all I believe him for. But today, you are saying, following Jesus means believing Him to reconcile me to God, forgiving my sins and you mean that if I follow Jesus, it means I actually have to suffer and go through hardships?“

I say “Yes”, that's what the Bible teaches. That's what it means to really follow Jesus, would you be willing? I pray by the grace of God, you will see the amazing gift of salvation from sin, you will see the hope of glory that is to come, you will see that following Jesus is worth it because He is God and He is your Saviour. And you will right here, right now, say “Yes, I believe Jesus and I'm willing to count the cost, pay the price, not that I earn my salvation by my following but I know that is the evidence of a man who truly believes, and I want to believe.”

Maybe today you are altogether a non-Christian. I say to you folks, Jesus went to the cross for you. He did that because it was the Father's will, but he did that to die and pay for your sins and He calls you today to come. ‘Come unto me, all ye who are weary and heavy laden.’ Maybe you have tried your whole life to please God in your own strength, He's saying “Stop doing that, come to me, learn of Me, follow Me and I'll give you rest.”

This morning, you can begin this life with Jesus, if you repent and believe in Jesus today, you can be saved, right here, right now. ‘He that comes to me, I will in no wise cast out.’ You can believe in Jesus today and that will lead you into a life of amazing discipleship to Christ. I pray God will grant to you repentance and faith, that you may be saved, for His glory.

Father, so we thank you this morning for the Words we could hear, may Your Spirit, bless it to our hearts that we may, we may obey, we may respond worthily, may we respond today not in unbelief but in faith that honors You. Bless your people here, may Gospel Light not just be filled with fans, but more and more, we will be filled with true followers of Jesus Christ. We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.

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