His Terms And Conditions: 1 – An Overview

To say Jesus is an interesting figure is a great exercise in understatement.

One moment He’s expressing concern for the harassed and helpless. The next He’s pointing out the standard that His Father expects when it comes to the treatment of our enemy. One moment He sees those who weary and worn and offers them rest for their souls and a yoke that is easy. And another moment …

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Matthew 16:24 (ESVUK)

There’s more to it than that for sure and I hope we’ll get to explore that, but just consider this opening for an invitation to discipleship.

His terms and conditions. This is the yoke that is easy, this is the burden that is light, this is on offer – and indeed when that offer was made it was with the understanding that to experience all of that we had to come to Him – and we had to learn from Him. Now in the light of what He’s just shared with His disciples about what His focus was all about, Jesus makes sure those who come to Him understand what it takes. It’s not the only time He’ll lay out what it takes, but this one is fascinating in its own right.

Three elements to it – deny self, take up the cross and follow Him. Those three elements we’ll consider further in upcoming entries. For the time being, though, notice how this has no appeal to anything we recognise today as being a great marketing strategy. You can imagine the public relations consultants and image advisors checking Jesus’ release and suggesting one or two (or ten or twenty) adjustments.

Maybe you need to ease up on the cross talk, Jesus. That’s a bit too close to an ugly image of our time.

Denying self? Are you sure about that, Jesus? Surely we want to affirm self. Make you feel good about yourself. Work towards the ultimate in self-actualisation. Maybe you need to just pitch it in a way to appeal to the audience so you don’t come across as such a killjoy.

The follow me bit doesn’t sound so bad if you work on those first two bits, Jesus. After all, you just look at the millions who follow celebrities and icons of today and all because they have that look and that appeal and that wonder. You put that to the people, Jesus and they will follow you in their millions. No worries.

Yet those are not Jesus’ terms and conditions. And as He will explain His terms and conditions actually work out to have the best outcomes if you’re really in it to get the best out of life. That does not come easy, though. And it does not come without a cost.

Before we get hung up on the cost, it’s worth remembering the reward ahead. That reward is even better than eternal life. That reward is even greater than a pain-free life on the best plain of existence ever. That reward is eternity with the Son, enjoying the Father eternally by the same Spirit that gave life. Being with Jesus – what a great reward. If we truly treasure the glory and wonder of that prize … if we capture a vision of that in a world of competing visions that are so much less. If we but see that greatest of all great rewards – it will give us a fresh view on considering the cost.

Now about that first bit – what on earth is this denying self all about?

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden