Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for April 11

THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS

From: April 11, 2024

“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 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 14:27-28 ESV).

Jesus gave the example of counting the cost before building a tower to illustrate the importance of doing the same before making a decision to follow Him. It’s true that Jesus has paid for our salvation, so we may receive it freely by faith. Yet saying yes to so great a salvation, let us not forget to calculate the cost to our former life.

For if we are to be raised with Christ to new life, then we must be crucified with Him in His death. In other words, we must count ourselves dead to our former life in the flesh and be born again spiritually to God.

The one who thinks he can cling to his old life of sin and still call himself a Christ follower has not considered the cost of discipleship. For following Jesus means leaving the former life behind. The one who thinks otherwise, will turn away when Christ asks him to choose, thus proving that he was never a true follower to begin with.

But the one who has decided to take up his cross daily, the emblem of his death and dying to the flesh, is ready to follow Jesus wherever He leads. As the the martyred missionary Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

PRAYER: Dear Father, we have put our yes on the table to You. Where You go we will go. Where You lead we will follow. Strengthen us by Your Spirit for the journey. And help us to travel light, setting our eyes on eternal things. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 14:11 NLT).

From: April 11, 2022

THE LOST ART OF HUMILITY

Jesus taught this timeless spiritual principle promoting humility over self-promotion. He illustrated the principle with a parable concerning seat selection at a wedding banquet. He observed that it would be better to take a “lowly” seat at the table and have the master elevate you to a better one, than vice versa. A similar instruction to this principle is “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth” (Prov. 27:2).

Tooting your own horn used to be frowned upon by an earlier generation. However, in this self-promoting, Facebook world that we live today, is this still true? Don’t the humble go unnoticed, while the loud get the spotlight? How in the world does taking the seat at the kid’s table get you elevated to the head table?

I suppose it depends on the host. It depends on the master of the banquet. For the world’s head table is filled with braggerts and puffed-up imposters. But the order is turned upside down at the Lord’s table. At the Lord’s table the humble are exalted and the prideful, laid low. As we read in the book of James, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

Consider the meekness and humility of Jesus. He is the King. He is the Host and Master of heaven’s table. Yet, He stooped to wash the disciples feet. He is both our model and our Master. Let’s allow Him to choose our seat at the table.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we humble ourselves before You. For You alone are God. We put to death our desire for approval and praise and direct all praise to You alone. For our heart’s desire is to be seated with the saints at the wedding supper of the Lamb. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:28 HCSB).

From: April 11, 2021

THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS

Jesus gave the example of counting the cost before building a tower to illustrate the importance of doing the same before making a decision to follow Him. It’s true that Jesus has paid for our salvation, so we may receive it freely by faith. Yet saying yes to so great a salvation, let us not forget to calculate the cost to our former life.

For if we are to be raised with Christ to new life, then we must first be crucified with Him in His death. In other words, we must count ourselves dead to our former life in the flesh and be born again spiritually to God.

The one who thinks he can cling to his old life of sin and still call himself a Christ follower has not considered the cost of discipleship. For following Jesus means leaving the former life behind. The one who thinks otherwise, will turn away when Christ asks him to choose, thus proving that he was never a true follower to begin with.

But the one who has decided to take up his cross daily, the emblem of his death and dying to the flesh, is ready to follow Jesus wherever He leads. As the the martyred missionary Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

PRAYER: Dear Father, we have put our yes on the table to You. Where You go we will go. Where You lead we will follow. Strengthen us by Your Spirit for the journey. And help us to travel light, setting our eyes on eternal things. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘”When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”’ (Luke 14:12-14 NLT).

From: April 11, 2018

WHO ARE YOU INVITING TO THE PARTY?

While seated at a dinner, Jesus took note of the people the host had invited. He observed that he had invited his own circle of family and friends. The host must have been surprised to hear the advice that Jesus gave. Invite people that are different than you. Invite those who can’t invite you back. And the Lord will reward you.

The implications of Christ’s word to the host of the dinner are very troubling to us, aren’t they? Invite people to the table that are different than you. People that can’t pay you back. People that will not advance your social standing. In fact, invite people that will probably cause those of your own family and social class to shun you for even hanging out with these “other” people.

Why did Jesus teach this? Because that’s what the Father has done for us. He is the Host of Heaven and He has invited us–– “the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” of this world to His banquet table.

“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11 NKJV).

From: April 11, 2017

Jesus taught this timeless spiritual principle promoting humility over self-promotion. He illustrated the principle with a parable concerning seat selection at a wedding banquet. He observed that it would be better to take a “lowly” seat at the table and have the master elevate you to a better one, than vice versa. A corollary to this principle is “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth” (Prov. 27:2).

“Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!” (Psalm 80:3 NKJV)

From: April 11, 2015

This is the repetitive chorus of Psalm 80, perhaps written after the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon (“broken down hedges” – v.12). The psalm is a prayer to God, begging Him to “restore us” to Him. They recognized their inability to restore themselves. They needed God to restore them, to bring them out of captivity and return them to Himself. This is a powerful prayer: God restore us. God show mercy on us. God save us. And He did answer their prayer, especially the part found in verse 17 about the “son of Man.” This points to the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, who is the fulfillment of their prayer for restoration and salvation.

“Turn us again to yourself, O God. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved” (Psalm 80:3 NLT)

From: April 11, 2014

This is the repetitive chorus of Psalm 80, perhaps written after the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon (“broken down walls” – v.12). The psalm is a prayer to God, begging Him to “turn us again” to Him. They recognized their inability to turn themselves. They needed God to restore them, to bring them out of captivity and return them to Himself. This is a powerful prayer: God restore us. God show mercy on us. God save us. And He did answer their prayer, especially the part found in verse 17 about the “son of your choice” (“Son of Man”). This points to the Messiah, who is Jesus the Christ, who is the fulfillment of their prayer for salvation.

“And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the LORD shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing” (Joshua 3:13 ESV)

From: April 11, 2013

Joshua had replaced Moses as leader. God wanted to “exalt” Joshua so that the Israelites would respect his leadership, so He called him to part the Jordan much as Moses had been called to part the Red Sea. God instructed him to have the priests carry the Ark into the Jordan and as their soles touched the river, the waters would stop, so that the people could cross on dry land. I wonder if this is where the saying “Sometimes you just have to get your feet wet” came?

“So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full'” (Luke 14:23)

From: April 11, 2012

The Master wants a full house at the banquet. When every seat is taken the banquet will begin. Have you RSVP’d to reserve your seat?

“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full'” (Luke 14:23)

From: April 11, 2011

We have been commissioned to deliver Christ’s Kingdom Banquet invitations. Are you giving them out? Because Jesus wants His house full.