Jesus Is Not A T-Ball Coach

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” -Matthew 7:13-14-

All through my ministry, in my preaching and teaching, I have tried to talk people into following Jesus by portraying discipleship as appealing, comfortable, and convenient. My intentions were good, but my interpretation was bad.
One of the reasons we are doing this series based on Kyle Idleman’s book “not a fan.” Is to consider how Jesus defined what it means to follow Him, to be more than just a fan of His. It’s also why we should keep looking for new ways to encourage people to seek Jesus daily, instead of waiting for someone, even a pastor like me, to spoon-feed them. Most of our praying should involve sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to His strong words with a humble heart and open eyes.
I really hope that as we go through this campaign and these devotionals, that you are not looking for stories about Jesus, the T-ball coach, who will pat you on the head at the end of each game and tell you not to forget your free snow cone before you go home. Because when Jesus described the life of a follower, he described a risky adventure down a narrow and difficult path that only a relatively few will take. The Jesus I know and will preach about, is unsettling. He is counter cultural in an uncool way. And He loves you so much that He tells you the truth even when it is hard to hear. It’s because He loves you that He talks more about repentance than forgiveness, more about surrender than salvation, more about sacrifice than happiness, and more about death than life. Following Jesus is anything but easy. When we read in the Gospels about Jesus inviting people to follow Him, we see that some people signed up, but many decided to take the easy way out and walk away.
So, how about you? Are you ready to follow this Jesus? It is the road less traveled, but it’s not a road we travel alone. He is with us every step of the way, giving us exactly the grace and the strength we need as we follow hard after Him.

FOLLOWING TODAY
Describe some ways in which it is hard for you to follow Jesus today. Write down a truth, lesson, or teaching of Jesus, that is especially difficult for you to act on. How is Jesus specifically challenging you to follow Him in a more uncomfortable way?