‘Rather have Jesus!’
- May 1
- 5 min read
Following Jesus is not an event, it’s a way of life!
When Jesus invited someone to follow Him, He used the word 'akoloutheō'. When He spoke this word, He meant a continuous, lifelong, permanent commitment. It would mean to be in an up-to-date relationship with Him.
J. I. Packer said, “Knowing Jesus Christ still remains as definite a relation of personal discipleship as it was for the Twelve.”
He has to come first!
The Christian life is a life of radical discipleship. Following Jesus means saying to him, “I want you to be in charge of every part of my life.”
It’s COSTLY
Luke 9: 23 - “must deny themselves”
It’s a question of loyalty between the Lord and yourself. NB. it says anyone can come but they must know it will cost. Jesus turned to the disciples and told them what following Him would mean; it has to be Jesus’ way.
In verses 23-25, Jesus points out the level you need to make. He could have picked on less sensitive areas, but this is non negotiable! We must “deny self!”
We ‘deny self’ when we surrender ourselves to Christ and determine to obey His will. From the human point of view, we are losing ourselves, but from the divine perspective, we are actually finding ourselves. (See v24!)
By the way, the same verb is used of Peter’s denial of Jesus. In a sense, we’re to disown ourselves as completely as Peter sought to disown Christ. Self-denial is not about denying things to myself, but of denying myself to myself. It’s simply giving Christ first place in my life.
John Stott says, "He [Jesus] does not call us to a sloppy half-heartedness, but to a vigorous, absolute commitment. He calls us to make him Lord."
The call of Jesus continues in verse 24: "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it."
The word ‘lose’ is about establishing the priority in relationships; I die to self and I become raised with Him. Disciples have no greater priority in their life than Christ. We must love Him supremely. In dying to the self-life, we discover an “abundant life” with God, who provides much more than we can imagine.
Can we say Jesus is number one in all our relationships?
It’ll require COMMITMENT!
There’s something you keep hold of!
To follow Christ we are to carry the cross. This means identifying with Him and accepting the scandal of that identification every day.
AW Tozer said, "A strange thing under the sun is crossless Christianity."
Christ can never be Christ without the cross, and we can’t be what Jesus wants us to be without either. "Follow me," said Jesus, then He summed it up by saying, "take up your cross and follow me." But paradoxically, Jesus insists that the cross is about life, not just about death.
What does it mean to “take up your cross”? It means daily identification with Christ in surrender to God’s will. It means death to self, to our own plans and ambitions, and a willingness to serve Him as He directs (read John 12:23-28).
A “cross” is something we willingly accept from God, as part of His will for our lives. To “take up the cross” does not mean to wear a badge, it means to daily confess Christ as Lord and live that way.
When the Roman Empire crucified a criminal or captive, the victim was often forced to carry his cross part of the way to the crucifixion site.
Carrying his cross through the heart of the city was the admission that Rome was right and you were wrong.
When Jesus calls His followers to carry their crosses and follow Him, He was referring to a public display before others that Jesus is right and as His disciples they were following Him. It meant surrendering one’s will to God and so “losing” the old life in exchange for one that is different and new.
The Message Bible says, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.”
A.W. Tozer said, “Bear your cross, follow your Lord and pay no heed to the passing religious vogue. The masses are always wrong. In every generation the number of the righteous is small. Be sure you are among them.”
To follow Him means continuing to choose Him: "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him" (Col 2:6).
This must be the direction of our life on a daily basis. Every day, we must give up our lives, pick up our cross and it’s then we find true LIFE!
Right CHOICES
Jesus is not saying you can’t possess anything. What he is saying is that things are not to possess us, and the end results are well worth it.
Florence Nightingale, as she ended her life of service, was asked how she had accomplished so much. She said, "I can give only one explanation and that is this: I have kept nothing back from God."
That is following Christ in a nutshell, keeping nothing back from God!
People must be taught to make wise choices. Jesus knew this when He said in Luke 9:25, "what good will it do gain the whole world forfeit self."
Discipleship is a matter of gain not loss; it’s whether we waste our lives or invest our lives. You may “gain the whole world” and be a success in the eyes of men and women, and yet have nothing to show for your life when you stand before God.
King George VI, in the course of his duties went to Canada, and his official visit took him to British Columbia. The Canadian officials thought that King George might like to meet a native-born Indian chief. The one chosen for the honour was a well-known and influential Indian known as Chief Whitefeather. Chief Whitefeather was asked to sing something for the king, perhaps a native song, one that was popular.
Chief Whitefeather began to sing: I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold. I’d rather be His than have riches untold, I’d rather have Jesus than houses or land, I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand—than to be the king of a vast domain, or be held in sin’s dread sway; I’d rather have Jesus than anything, this world affords today.
The stunned officials waited to see what King George VI would do. The king went over to the Chief and taking his hand the king said, “I’d rather have Jesus, too!”
For many people, the barrier to spiritual growth is not lack of commitment, but over-commitment to the wrong things.
Rick Warren said, “The reason we have so many weak Christians today is because they are half-committed to dozens of causes rather than being totally committed to the things that really matter.”
Following Christ is a radical thing and the call in verses 23-25 encourages us to set our mind on things above, and therefore re-evaluate life's priorities, and as a consequence, live life differently ensuring all the glory goes to Him.
I'd rather have Jesus! You may have made that vow years ago, how is it now?
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