Follower Or Consumer? - Part 1

Today on the Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhart challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. What happens with a disciple which of us will be the greatest night before he was crucified, they were still arguing about that when the kingdom comes with one of us are going to be the greatest. I know he's number one, but was good to be number two member James and John their own mother payments as soon as one. I want my boys right beside you see the been accused Jesus. That's what consumerism does. I know what I want from you and I want you to deliver what it is that I want from you joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhart Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana going faster now once again he shows us how God's word meets our world times, Judas was a very common name Jesus had a brother named Judas Judas was a companion of Paul. In fact, when Paul went to Damascus, the man who hosted him. Their name was Judas there was a revolutionary and Galilean. His name was Judas in acts chapter 5, but today Judas is not a very common name.

See, it's all because there was another man named Judas in the New Testament's name was Judas Iscariot Iscariot was in his father's name or his last name Iscariot means where he is from. He was Judas of Carrie off Carrie off a small village about 15 miles south of Hebron.

In fact, that made Judas the only disciple who was from Judea that Jesus had. Luke says in chapter 6 and verse 16 of his gospel that Judas became a traitor. In fact, he betrayed Jesus. It's not the normal word by the way for betrayed it. It's not that kind of word it means he gave Jesus over and we know the story also well he was known as the son of perdition, which shows the eternal ramifications of the choices that he made Judas didn't start out as a traitor.

He was one of the 12 but somehow he went from being an apostle to an apostate George messenger right this. He said Judas was never in tune with Jesus. What is clear is that Judas was self-serving.

He was a man who followed Jesus for personal gain by the relationship he had not in tune, self-serving for personal gain. Judas's relationship with Jesus was that of a consumer rather than a follower.

Sadly, there's a little of Judas and all of you including me and there was even a little of Judas and the other disciples, open your Bibles to Mark chapter 8 and rarely will you find in the Bible anywhere that in about 67 versus you go from really good news. Do really bad news. Things that seem like they're going well, and then they really serve get out of hand. In verse 27 it says Jesus went out along with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he questioned his disciples and he said little people say that I am and they told him, saying, while John the Baptist and others say you're Elijah but others. One of the prophets and the continued questioning them but who do you say that I am and Peter answered and said to him you are the Christ.

You're the Messiah we know any other accounts.

It also you're the son of God. He warned them to tell no one about him at that stage and then watch what happens. There is the good news, and he began to teach them. He said the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests, then describes and be killed, and after three days rise again while they were all excited.

You know when Jesus affirmed by gain. I got a right I got it right. He's the Messiah he's the son of God Bobby phone pretty good and she's okay now want to teach you something, and when the teacher the way it's going to work. I'm going to be arrested and vinegar taken again to kill me in minutes like the disciples are about no, wait, wait, wait, wait, we didn't sign up for that week. That's not what we're here for. We don't like that idea. You see, what are they, the consumers they wanted Jesus to be what they wanted Jesus to be just like you often do I want Jesus to be the way I want Jesus to be. You see, it doesn't fit their agenda. So what what happens and he was stating the matter plainly love that Matthew said he couldn't of been clear on this.

He said notice rejected he says killed and then I'll arise. He said it could be clear, he says, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him now that were rebuke is almost always the word that Jesus is the one doing the rebuking. He's rebuking you know the scribes and Pharisees, but here Peter takes him aside and rebukes them. It's a really harsh word.

It sort of like what you talking about, there's no way that's going to happen is that doesn't fit our agenda. That's the way consumer looks at Jesus. It's amazing that he could rebuke him well turning around and seeing his disciples. Jesus wants to make sure they all hear this, he rebukes Peter and says get behind me Satan he says, for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's really put another way, you are not setting your mind on my interest, but yours.

Notice how stern the rebuke is get behind me Satan couldn't be more embarrassing for Peter than that the consumer mentality what is in this for me.

You see, how can God or how can Christ meet my agenda that's kind of what I'm hoping for. Sadly enough today. There are whole ministries that are dedicated to that proposition that God exists to support your agenda and people flock to it. We love this.

Now I know what Jesus is 40s for me to help me fulfill all my dreams those are the words of a consumer certainly not a follower in America. It's incredibly rampant Peter Ward in Christianity today wrote this when we approach Christianity as consumers rather than seeing it as a comprehensive way of life and interpretive set of beliefs and values as well. Christianity becomes just one more brand we consume along with Apple and Starbucks to express identity and emotion of Jesus from Lord to label means to live as a Christian no longer carries an expectation of obedience and good works, but rather the perpetual consumption of Christ. Ultimately we shouldn't be surprised that American Christianity has succumbed to pervasive power of consumerism, Alan Wolf, a leading sociologist and the director of the Bossi center of religion in American public life has concluded that in the United States culture has transformed Jesus, as well as all other religions from within the shores in every aspect of religious life American faith has met American culture and American culture has completely triumphed consumerism.

This idea that one Jesus. What we want them to be, but it's not new and is not just in America. Listen as I read the Matthew 19 what Peter says Peter said to Jesus, behold, we have left everything and followed you. And then he says will, what will there be for us. We'll left everything and follow you know when we get that's what I want to know what am I gonna get out of this, there's the words of a consumer you see that's what happens when you want to use Christ in a sense, for your own agenda.

It may be pervasive, but it's extremely shallow.

When Jesus was arrested and tried and sentenced and executed all but John unfollowed were out of here. That's the way it is with consumerism.

That's the way it works. I think there are two different types of consumers among us, there is the minimalist consumer. Are you probably are here this week you'll be her next week. Okay that's that's going to be your big day you'll be out there got a new pair pants on their shoes and you walk into a church and your thinking. This is the minimum that God would ever expect of me if I can just show up on maybe two holidays Christmas and Easter. If I can just show up and I've got it covered. Whatever bad could happen to me. God will cover it because I showed up twice now you may wonder like this and I only ever preterm birth and resurrection.

Does he ever preach on anything else, because in your Christmas and Easter.

That's pretty much what you going to get.

That's the minimalist approach you're just trying to cover yourself up so that if something bad could happen. I just need God here for that.

Then there's the sort of maximum consumer and that is what we end up doing in the way if you want to know if your maximum consumer just really listen to your prayer life this now you pray, you end up praying constantly for your agenda. It's constantly for you, Lord, I need this to happen. I want this to happen. I need this to happen. I need at the happen over and over again you're going to pray in that way, and as long Lord I love you as long as you meet my needs of what I want to have happen in my life but I want to go back to him to Judas and wonder about him what happened to Judas. Well, I think, like the other 11 Judas all Jesus as the Messiah.

Just as Peter and said Messiah means King he's coming back and he's going to throw the Romans out and then as the son of David.

He is going to set up the messianic kingdom out of Jerusalem and all of us who are close to him.

You see all of us are close to him are really going to get good jobs. By the way, read the Gospels, what happens with the disciples over and over again. Which of us would be the greatest bit the night before he was crucified, they were still arguing about that when the kingdom comes which one of us are going to be the greatest. I know he's number one, but who's going to be number two member James and John their own mother payments a book when you sooner thought I want my boys right beside you is either going to use Jesus. That's what consumerism does.

I know what I want from you and I want you to deliver what it is that I want from you. I think Judas believed that he was going to throw out the Romans.

But then, as he went and walk with Jesus for 3 1/2 years he saw something she didn't like. There was a Roman of all kinds of stentorian and he came up to Jesus. This Jewish rabbi.

He said can you help me and Jesus should've pronounced a curse on him or something. He didn't Jesus just said sure about the help what can I do for you then had to bother Judas, why is he doing that, the woman's our enemies. Why would he be nice to the Romans. Then, on the other side of the coin. It's just exactly the same way. We all know that the people who are most important.

Those who sit on Moses seat. Those are going to tell the whole country that Jesus is the Messiah and make it stick are the scribes and the Pharisees that the priests you see, we need to tumble behind us and knew what Jesus is doing for three and half years. Every time he meets with those people he insults them every time he's around him. He ends up in conflict.

He belittles them in public.

How long can this be a man who is nice to a Roman centurion, and yet he is so sharp in the grading to our spiritual leaders. Everything seems to be moving so slow for him and then I think there's an incident that brings about what I would call the straw that broke the camels back and back bear that would even sound better. The straw that broke the camels back because obviously they had camels would go with me to Matthew 26 and verse six.

The context occurs in the first five verses it's the passion week. This is the last week before Christ was crucified. In fact, in a first five verses we see something is going on.

It says in verse one when Jesus had finished all these words he said to his disciples.

You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion.

Notice he tells them once again exactly what's going to happen. He even tells them exactly how is going to die and then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest named Caiaphas, and they plodded together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill him, but they were saying not doing the festival otherwise. A riot might occur among the people they had a problem. Jesus was so popular that one is finally here. The Passover will always tens of thousands of people in Jerusalem. Everywhere that Jesus went he is right in the epicenter of hundreds of my thousands of people who want to hear them teach who want to touch him who hope to be healed by him. They said if we go in and arrest him in the middle of all those people that people turn on us now.

Matthew goes backward to the previous Saturday. He says now when Jesus was in Bethany.

Now that's back to the previous Saturday.

The week before the passion that Saturday.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper know by the way, I think he if you want to say more accurately when Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon who was a leper. If Simon was a leper. Jesus might not have any trouble with her, but no one else go in his house.

In fact if he was a leper reply would be allowed own house, but he will. That's what he was apparently Jesus had healed him of leprosy.

He is one of the men that was healed by Christ and totally out of gratitude and love for Christ invites him into his home. It says a woman came to him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume will find at a moment.

It was nard but and that would be a vow that would be about this round at the bottom and then have a real skinny narrow neck on it because you never wanted more than a few drops to come out when you find out that it was worth a fortune.

It was worth one year's wages. So whatever your wages are for a year, you get an idea that's what this cost and so she has this and it says that she poured it on his head and as he reclined at the table. So you see this amazing scene. I can imagine a drop of this can probably be smelled anywhere in the room she's pointing she obviously probably inherited this.

This has so much wealth to it that that she would have to be extraordinarily wealthy as a person or as part of an inheritance. She's taking it all just borrow Jesus, but the disciples and who they are again, they were indignant when they saw this and they said why this waste indignant aga not capital really an interesting word. It's a word.

It is used for intense grieving so this wasn't just a little and they were they were like a person who was intensely grieving. What are you doing, what a waste because of the disciples.

This the week before the crucifixion.

They spent all this time with Christ and are still indignant. They said for this perfume might've been sold for a high price than the money given to the poor. How it's in a great those guys always thinking about other people but notice it's the disciples doing this but you know what it's like in any small group and whole small group of people were saying something together. Somebody started.

Somebody said it first, hold your placer cousin coming back and go with me to John chapter 12 John chapter 12 and now we know who when we know little more verse one Jesus.

Therefore, six days before the Passover, that's that. Saturday he came to Bethany, where Lazarus was from Jesus and raising the dead and so they made him a supper there and Margaret was serving so we know Simon the leper and Lazarus that family or close mother was serving the Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him and Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume, pure nard and anointed his feet. The feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair in the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples who was intending to betray him said this. Why was this perfume not sold for 300 and Mary and given to the poor while now we know started this Judas and why not remember, he's the right guy because he was the guy they most trusted, with money can imagine when I had to have a treasure because people gave them money from time to time and kept all 12 of these guys out on the road for three and half years. They say look one of the guys is going to have to be the guy who handles the money we need a treasure. Now I don't know what the discussion was like someone probably said will not Matthew okay he's not going to be the treasure that who's the most trustworthy guy I said Judas. He's the guy. By the way, when Jesus even said in the upper room. Some is good, betray him. No one said Judas. In fact, most of the guys realizing just how shallow they were said is it me. You see, it's a different kind of thing but Judas is the one that says this now notice what John writes now. He said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief and he had the money box and he used to pilfer what was put into it.

Therefore Jesus said letter alone so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.

He said for the poor you will always have should not always have me now want to go back to Matthew passage Matthew again back where we were. Matthew 26. This is astounding.

Judas's personal agenda.

His idea as a consumer to use Jesus was so strong that he could be with Jesus. 24 hours a day seven days a week for 3 1/2 years and still use Jesus to pursue his personal agenda. Look, I got the money I can make here she's going to give this to us.

I can make a lot of money off of this. So back here in verse 10. Now Jesus speaks again a little different but similar. He says Jesus is aware of this said to them, why do you bother the woman, for she has done a good deed to me for you always have the poor with you but you not always have me for when she poured this perfume on my body. She did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel was preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will be spoken in memory of her. That's amazing what I just read that last verse you know what I just spoke it. No member Jesus is the son of a carpenter. He's from Nazareth. He is nobody and he's kinda from nowhere. He's never been more than 50 miles from the epicenter where he was born. It's currently it doesn't have a passport all the countries visited no one's ever heard of Jesus at all by the way in the future when they tell the story more than tell the story so couldn't tell the story the whole everyone is heard Pastor Bill Gebhardt on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world. If you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just listen to the message one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio program is at Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. Yes, all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help with radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting a monthly report just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor Bill delivered during a Sunday morning service of fellowship monitored visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and oh LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds pastor Bill sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sermon series you're looking you can search by title. Once you find the message you're looking for. You can listen online or if you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own.

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