Follower or Consumer? Part 2

Today on Summit life with Judy Greer. He followed me to be with me is really following Mimi's going with me for the highs and lows, not because what you can get out of it before you get to be with Peter, is there a limit to.

Is there a condition on your surrender to me write this down. Salvation is free. The cost is nothing but following Jesus will eventually cost you some life with Pastor Arthur and theologian JD Greer. As always, I'm your host Molly benefits today. We've come to the end of this short teaching series called phantom faith. Pastor Jay's been talking about zombie Christian people who look and act like you really saved just like a zombie there already dead and just going through the motions of looking alive in their Christian life.

So the question is to describe you if you've missed any of the previous messages you can hear them online@jdgreer.com and make sure you listen all the way to the end today because it is the final day to request our new 15 day devotional called devotions for the distracted family and the matching set of conversation cards.

Now here's Pastor JD with the final message in our teaching series.

He calls it followers or consumer. I want to look at what is perhaps the biggest contributor of the Malta vent faith is the idea that you can be partially committed to Jesus. The misconception begins with how most people came to God.

Most of us are seeking to God as a consumer.

We felt like God had something that we needed. God uses our need to show us that we can't make it on our own. That's the way that he works for there was a mistake that we made. We thought that Christianity primarily consisted in us getting something from Jesus, rather than surrendering ourselves to Jesus. We assume that Jesus was someone that we could add to our lives rather than someone to whom we offered our lives. Jesus seems to have dealt with all the time. The reason I say that is because over to look at today March every is a series of statements that every single gospel writer includes which should be a minimum, it is significant to you but it draws how many things didn't get included in all four Gospels. John 316 only appears 1.God's will the world he gave his only son.

I'm trying to make sure that you don't lose the shock of what Jesus said because Jesus uses this image to confront a satanic perversion of faith, the one that is still commonly held by Christians Christians rabbits crossed had to do their body forward around her neck rabbit heading up in the home. A satanic perversion of faith, one that is held even by Peter at this point in his life is called consumer faith consumer faith and has three elements, they are for taking notes number one you have consumer faith if you expect Christ to remove all hardship from your life when you discover when you find out that he may not remove every problem from your life you're going to go through a defining moment in your faith to go to a test like Peter did and that test that defining moment is, essentially, this question why are you following Jesus.

Are you following Jesus because of something that you thought that he could do for you or you following him because you believe knowing him was more valuable than anything else that life could give you see every single one of us has certain expectations will become the Jesus your your expectations are not the same as Peter had made Peter believe the Messiah would overthrow Rome and give freedom to Israel. Most of you didn't grow up dreaming about war with Rome.

Much like a video gamer and then you probably thought about a lot, but most of us did grow up with a view of Jesus that corresponds to our American consumer is the culture or American consumer listed.

Jesus was part genie in a bottle. These part therapist to support life coach personal cheerleader and part financial advisor is a Jesus who exists for our purposes, a Jesus who completes our life a Jesus who makes everything better Jesus. It was at her beck and call. Here is the question what are you going to go, what are you going to do when Jesus done quite live up to those expectations, there's going to be a moment of truth. If you haven't gone through it already. You're going to go through it. Are you cannot drop your hands and walk away record this here, but another point in the Gospels. When Jesus said this, a lot of Jesus disciples turned around and left.

But quit following him and Jesus turns the Peter John chapter 6 as Peter eunuch. What followed me to know if it's honestly not very inspiring. Peter goes where else might you go out about the fishing business. I got nowhere else to go. You're the one with the words of eternal life.

In other words know you have about them expectations and there's some things I don't understand why you didn't do them and honest and why you say them and understand why he didn't do this, but I don't know anywhere else I can go because I know that ultimately life means knowing you and everything without you is nothing and I got to know you, even if it means it cost me everything. Peter passed his test.

Are you going to pass your test because if you haven't gone through it yet. You're going to go through it where he doesn't do something you thought he should do the cancer doesn't go into remission. The marriage never gets better. Your husband never comes back. Your kids don't quite turn out the way that you thought they were gonna turn out you don't get the job you don't get the raise. Whatever it wasn't you thought he was going to give you and that you can't understand why he didn't give you if you love me.

Why would you give me this and at that point it's going to be a defining moment.

Why are you in this because it's a test for him are you in it because you're in it for him for you in it because of something you thought he could give you the greatest gift he gives us himself.

Here's number two you have consumer faith if you think of discipleship in terms of self-fulfillment instead of sacrifice. Follow the crisis somebody would make his life better but now Jesus is talking about willingly picking up across why you in this fear are you thinking of following me.

Complete your life.

Are you thinking of following me as being an offering of your life for others the way I'm offering mine for you when you came to Jesus. Are you ready for this to be the picture of your life what you think Jesus purpose was in saving you. Many people assume that it's just becoming a Christian means you clean up your life a little bit, morally, and in response you get. God's help, he takes you to heaven. Jesus said that coming to him means offering your life to him without restriction, offering up your life for the world in sacrifice and service the way that Jesus did his here is my question.

I know you say you come to Jesus. Have you ever offered yourself to God. This way is he some of you came to Jesus, could you like. I need the song to Shauna my career the son to Shauna my family be dishonest on my relationship Jesus at night.*But that's not anywhere close to being complete. You don't come to me to add me to your life. You come to offer me to your life, you'll come to get me an orbit in your life you come to say God everything I have belongs to you and I want to know what you want to do with it. I have no expectations because I'm laying it down as a sacrifice in front of you. Consumer faith says God I need you to give me this discipleship says it all exist for you and offer my life as a blank check to you for the quote my friend on David Platt. Jesus did not save us to disinfect us and put us on the sanctified shelf. Jesus saved us to put us into service. My question for you is have you ever offered yourself to God.

This way is Jesus someone that you tried to add to your life or is Jesus somebody to whom you offered your life.

Here's number three you have consumer faith. If your obedience to Christ as limits your your consumer faith. If you are obedience rises as Peter had been excited about following Jesus women healing the power and popularity. If you remember even want to pay a hefty price to be identify with Jesus. He walked away from a lucrative fishing career. He's not JV he's left everything but now Jesus is talking about following him into a life of suffering a life of sacrifice a life of service life.

Would you give everything a get nothing back.

So Jesus confronted Peter with a question.

You following me because of what you thought I could do for you. Are you following me to be with me because really following Mimi's going with me to the highs and the lows, not because of what you can get out of it before who you get to be with Peter, is there a limit to. Is there a condition on your surrender to me write this down. Salvation is free. The cost is nothing the following Jesus will eventually cost you everything or at least a rephrasing following his will eventually cost you something, maybe everything. Salvation is free is a gift that gives you a cost you nothing but following Jesus will eventually cost you something, maybe everything is he at some point your desires are doing a one way Jesus is gravitating on the other and at that point you have to decide how valuable Jesus is to you. Jesus said when you come you don't come with a bunch expectations you will come with a bunch of conditions. You come delayed on your life and at some point, I'm telling you, salvation is for you, cost you nothing but at some point following Jesus is gonna cost you something in obedience to Jesus is going to take you in a direction hundred and 80� opposite of what you want and not moment. You have to answer the question that I come to Jesus to get something from them.

What I can't offer myself fully to him, Jesus demands on you are total and y'all that's huge. It's huge.

It's the biggest thing that you ever been asked in your life and if it doesn't scare you to death. You haven't taken it seriously. And so Jesus uses three motivations to try to move you to it. That's the last several verses there are three motivations of persons in verse 35 BC whoever would save his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for my sake go in the Gospels will actually save it may focus on the last part of that verse. Here's A. The first motivation God brings life through obedience, did you think you're losing your life. It feels like death, but actually it's how you gain your life. It's how I give life. Obedience to Jesus y'all listen sometimes feels like death, obedience to Jesus sometimes feels like death, but through that obedience.

God brings life. I don't want to be a part of a community that has problems and is messy but God uses that as a way of bringing life to you and your family. Obedience sometimes feels like death, but it is through that death that God brings life to you. That's his first motivation. Here's the second one, verse 36 brought as a prophet, a man anyway to gain the whole world. If he loses his soul. What would a man give in return for his soul.

Here's a second motivation B.

You can hold onto it anyway.

Whatever your old nonsuit.

It keeps you from full surrender to Jesus. Inevitably, at some point you to lose as a limit is ask you a very logical question.

Why would you what would you hang onto now that you're going to say then was worth your soul. Fast-forward your life to five minutes after you die, what is there. You held onto in life now that you would not benefit yet that was totally worth it. I'm glad to forfeit a muscle for eternity so I can hang onto that wall was alive.

Whatever you hang onto your even end up losing anyway are a guy say of days. As you know when to bury the bridge in a death suit. Does it look like real close, but a few never visited Nava back due to an empty pockets.

As you can put in her pockets and carry with you into the grave.

Whatever you're trying to hang onto your not to be a little hold onto anyway eternity listening to a message titled Delaware number here on Senate life with Judy Greer will rejoin this teaching in just a moment that I wanted to tell you about a daily email devotional available from Pastor Jamie. I know the busyness of life can quickly check out any joy they feel in our walk with God infused each morning with the word from the Lord devotional even follow along with our current teaching here on the program you can stay plugged into teaching regardless of your schedule to sign up for this free resource. Visit us@jamiegreer.com/resource JD GR are.com/resources. Now let's get back to the conclusion of our series again here stating Jim Elliott the missionary who was martyred in Ecuador that the famous statement he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep the game what he cannot lose you not afford to give up what you could never hang onto to gain what you can't lose. You are a fool. However, you're a fool. However, if you give up your soul in order to hang onto something that you can hang onto anyway. Essentially what Jesus says in Mark 837 is a lot of people who were given out far, far more to gain far far less what you holding on to that you can say is worth your soul. You know the answer. They had the answers.

Nothing is nothing is worth your soul.

Jesus pushes that logic on you.

Now he says think about it now while you onto that is really worth the cost of your soul rejecting the Lordship of Jesus as a final motivation that he gives you. It's there in verse 38 for whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed he comes in the glory of his father, with all the holy angels third motivation C.

Jesus is not ashamed to you.

As you know some irony in this verse, and that irony is that Jesus who should have been ashamed of us. One Jesus are diminishing to Peter, Jesus, and ashamed of all the disciples he should have been ashamed of you and me with the cross that he picked out the cross was voluntary.

Jesus was the only one with nothing to gain and everything to lose. I have to obey Jesus because he's God. Jesus did not pick up a cross for me because I was at the rebel he could've destroyed me. Yet, out of love for me. He identified himself with me and said I refuse to be ashamed of you and he picked up the cross to save me and the implicit question what Jesus says this is not this a God worth leaving everything for. What else would you want to give your life to here's God you didn't have to pick it up. I love for you. Why would you offer your life without restriction to him. That's a God, you can trust that the God is worthy of your life time. I felt like I understood this again to go back to the mission field. A been there about a year, no, she may I own in about four months and I got a call from a friend who was a Christian live three hours south of me is a man I need your help with something.

I so what is it is a Kantian phone so he said come down to where I am set on the bus that night and I drove three hours down to where he was. We had me meet him at a coffee shop after midnight in a back room. It was just me and him one of the guy that I'd never met my friend says that Scott tell him your story and this other guy said he said is in my name is tell me his name is 32 years older than a Muslim all my life I had no ambitions of being anything but a Muslim. He said about a month ago he said II just had the strangest and most disturbing dream he said in this dream he said III woke as it were in this field where as far as I can see in front of me, behind me.

To the left of the rice.

It was just an expanse of nothingness, and I walked what felt like years. As you know this of this kind of felt like my life. I just walked with nothing.

He said man so I just kept walking and kept walking. He said after what felt like years. Suddenly heard a voice behind me call my name is as a turned around there was somebody there who hadn't been there before. It was a man he said he said he was dressed in radiant white clothing. His face was shining, spot them at the height like the sun, and he said he called my name, and he reached inside of his robe and he pulled out a copy of the NGO which is, there were the Arabic word for gospel recess out to many handed to me and he said that this is the only thing that will get you out of this field. Is it immediately.

I recoil because that's a Christian a Christian book and I didn't want anything to do with a Christian book, he said, and when I record immediately. I woke up it was 3 o'clock in the morning. I knew that I made a terrible mistake. He said the second I don't want to sleep and I had the exact same dream same deal wall for what seemed like days. Again he calls my name. I turned and he hands me the copy of the gospel and he said this time though this time I wanted to take it easy, but I just could not couldn't do it. I couldn't get the willpower to reach my hands up and take it. So I just stood there paralyzed. He said, and then I woke up. He said it was again middle the night and I knew that I was making a terrible mistake. The third night I went to sleep. He said there was no walking to the field.

This time I just appeared in the field and there he stood right in front of me and he called my name and he said this is the last time I will tell you this is the only thing that can get you out of this field is at this time I watch my hands shaking at your site was in volunteer is reached up and took this copy of the gospel and I took it and acclimate to my chest. He said men I woke up as I woke up I was in a cold sweat. He said no, my friend here tells me that you are from America and you are an expert at the gospel at the end you he says can you tell me what my dream means. Now I wrote really conservative Baptist. When enrolled all dreams and visions.

Think we have a class and at a seminary and so I was like well bro, you are so would like dream interpretations. My spiritual gift and for the next the next two hours. Two hours on the southern explain what the gospel line. I got to the part about God dying on the cross for our sin, he memories Tommy said you mean you're telling me that the creator God. All will actually you're saying he died on the cross for what I did wrong to guess what the Bible teaches memory, at least here's what up in his eyes and kind of just looked up and said he said a lot of walkabout which means God is the greatest not explain Swing with the gospel is what a man after again about two hours, said man said you want one trust Christ as your Savior.

He said I do so well on every about every eye closed and I guess we do the same wherever your bowed his head and I begin to leave them in the sinners prayer, which is what I do with you almost every weekend.

Here you a chance go to the familiar phrase is Lord Jesus, and know that I'm a sinner.

I know that you got from us and I got about two phrases in constant stop. Is it me I'm sorry I have a computer at Manhasset. You know what this means, right. This means that Jesus is Lord and the first command he gave us for you to be baptized and you know in just a minute after this is over you but I need to get baptized and you know you and I both know that sometimes in your country that leads to you being kicked out. Your family, it probably can mean you lose your job and that you and I both know stores of people lost their lives when so you sure you want to do this is all yeah I'm sure the cement aren't you scared you're like the worst evangelist I've ever heard you scared. I'm scared what you think it took me a moment to work up the courage to talk to you is and here's what I decided in that month, I knew you wouldn't tell me that that was Jesus that appeared in the dream I knew that I knew enough what Christians believe, and I knew I knew that Christians believe Jesus was somehow God. What I decided in that month is if Jesus really did do what the Christian said he did and that is, he died for my sin and you died to save me and he was calling me to follow him that I would go with him no matter what I had to leave behind.

And if I lose my family want that if I lose my job. I don't want that either want to lose my life but I rather have Jesus than any of those things and if I can have Jesus and those things I'll take him over those things we said that I was like like I need to receive Christ. Could you pray for me. I know your conversion was not that dramatic, but the substance of it is the same. What it means to come to Jesus is that you calm saying I'd rather have Jesus than anything I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold. I'd rather have Jesus than riches untold.

I'd rather have Jesus houses or lands. I'd rather be led by is now starting. I just rather have him and I don't care what I leave behind is just a blank check because I just want him to come to Jesus. That way she for Peter. They would pass this test, one that you actually get a real cross matching die on the cross upside down cost you something eventually where people Mr. Prince that I can't believe you asked me to switch services again seriously, my small group is no longer meeting on the night that is preferable for me. I'm a quick going. I can't believe this church talk volunteer in the nursery. The nerve of those people by parking cars. Given some of my money are you crazy how much are we even have in the same conversation you're talking about. I don't want to follow Jesus through inconvenience and meeting on a different matter. Going to a different service or make a financial sacrifice.

Jesus is talking about having your hands nailed to a cross and leaving and giving up your life and I want to say.

Do you even understand the conversation that were having a little to get right when run a bunch of people in my family for like you're serious, yet you can't follow Jesus into a tub of water that you certainly can't follow him to the ends of the earth of the gospel. If any man will come after me, let him pick up his cross and follow Jesus bids amend the following bids him, and I are you prepared to surrender everything most of us have never truly had to face the question because we live in a culture where Christianity is at least accepted. But the question remains what you if you had to today we wrapped up the teaching series called phantom faith here on Senate life with JD Greer. If you've missed any of the previous messages you can listen again online, free of charge.

Just visit JD Greer.com Katie now that we completed this study can you take a step back and remind us what this teaching series.

Phantom faith was all about phantom faith is the idea that it's not enough to simply go through the motions of Christianity you've actually got to possess the new heart that Jesus forms at us like most people in church know how to act the part but there's no real joy or life in their face. Something seems missing. This series is going to show you what that is and help you trade out that phantom faith for the faith that that truly lives the fate that is alive. Our new resource that we do not provide along with the series is focused on helping you and your closest community dialogue about your faith is one of the ways that it becomes real you, for whatever reason, talking about our faith even with our close relationships or family or close friends can schedule awkward at times.

We got a set of conversation cards that will help you begin that dialogue you can find that not only is your knowledge of the Bible and rich but the joy you feel sharing that with those closest to you that's in a deep and, as well. I would love to give you a copy of of these two things these conversation cards along with a set of 15 devotionals on faith rest and hope that we would would love to give to you if you go to JD red.com and you can become one of our gospel partners and get this resource and a lot of other things that would love to partner with you, so good. JD would I come today and I will start that start the conversation. Remember this is your last chance to get this resource and request devotions for the distracted family and your set of conversation currently thinks 335-5220. You can donate online here.com don't want to miss out contact today. I'm only benefits encouraging you to join us tomorrow and pick up new teaching theories in the book of Judges Friday right here on my