TREASURY OF SERMONS
1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
It Cost Your Life to Follow Christ
By Rev (Dr) Timothy Tow
(Preached at Life BPC, 10.30 am service, 22 April 2001)
Matt 8:19-22 "And a certain scribe came,
and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou
goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds
of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his
head. And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me
first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me;
and let the dead bury their dead."
This is a hard saying of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and many preachers will avoid speaking on it. These are the New
Evangelicals and Charismatics who choose to preach only the
so-called positive Gospel. They present to their hearers a cross
that they have smoothened. Instead of a cross that is rough and
hard, as bluntly offered by our Lord, they lure their listeners with
sweet rewards. "If you receive Christ as your Saviour He will lead
you to prosperity and riches." But this is only one side of the
story. This is a half truth.
When this scribe (Jewish Bible scholar) felt
attracted to follow Jesus, our Lord told him he must be prepared for
a life of hardship and poverty. Jesus had no certain place of abode.
When another asked for time to go home and bury his father, Jesus
said that following Him demanded immediate action and burying his
father would hinder his following. A perfect example of such a
devoted disciple is William Burns. A ready candidate for the mission
field, the time came when he was called to go. When asked when he
was ready, he said, "Tomorrow." He was literally ordained the next
day and sailed for China by a waiting sail boat in the nick of time.
Following Christ demands not only our livelihood
but life itself. In another place Jesus said to His disciples,
including Peter, "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man
will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and
follow me" (Matt 16:24). To take up your cross and follow Christ is
to go to death with Him.
This applies not only to the Apostles, but to
every humble disciple in the pew. For Jesus said this not only to
the Twelve but to all and sundry, for he says "any man" which
includes "any woman and any child." I used to think the challenge
was to the Apostles only. I used to think the challenge applied to
pastors and full-time workers. But if we examine Church history we
will discover ordinary disciples, even women and children, suffered
the same fate in order to stay loyal for Christ.
In 1900 there arose in Manchu China a great
anti-Christian uprising known as the Boxer Rebellion. The Empress
Dowager gave orders to kill Christians. A hundred and eighty five
missionaries, Protestants and Catholics, with their children, were
beheaded. The Chinese believers suffered more heavily. At least
20,000 men, women and children were killed also for their faith. Rev
Ting Li Mei, China’s first Revivalist who was called the Moody of
China and evangelist with 1,000 souls a month, escaped the Boxer’s
sword. But he was imprisoned for 40 days and received 200 lashes on
his bare back. A man with a robust constitution, he survived. Any
other person would have died.
Today there are millions of loyal Chinese
Christians who refuse to join the Communist State Church. These
worship underground in House Churches. A good number are established
by converts from Saipan. When discovered, all House Church members
are sent to prison including ordinary members, women and children.
That is what is meant by "if any man will come after me" (Matt
16:24).
Though Jesus’ requirements on us are harsh, even
unto death, He is a loving Father to His followers, and He defends
His disciples from every harm. "And fear not them which kill the
body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which
is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows
sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground
without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all
numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many
sparrows" (Matt 10:28-31).
He helps us with Divine wisdom to answer our
persecutors, "But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or
what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour
what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of
your Father which speaketh in you" (Matt 10:19,20).
The story is told by Rev Tai, missionary from
Taiwan to Singapore as follows. During Japan’s 50-year rule over
Taiwan, a Taiwanese pastor was arrested by the Police. The Police
Chief wanted to implicate him. He asked him a question to catch him,
"Tell me, who is greater, the Emperor of Japan or Jesus Christ?"
Replied the Pastor in a loud voice, "Tenno Heika." When the Police
Chief heard "Tenno Heika," which means King of Heaven, the Japanese
Emperor’s other name, he jumped up and saluted (as was required of
subjects). In so doing he was saluting the Taiwanese pastor as well.
Continued the pastor, "Tenno Heika, we are all
taught to be the greatest, how can you compare Jesus with him?" God
gave him the wisdom to outwit his captor. He was released.
With regard to Jesus telling the second disciple
not to go home to bury his father, it is a test whether we put Him
above our filial affections. What Jesus says to the man not to be
involved in his father’s burial strikes at Confucianism. The rites
for the dead amounts to ancestor worship. If it is Taoist, Buddhist
or Confucian burial, and you are the only Christian in your family,
you should stay clear of the rites. You can show your respect. But
you cannot bow or carry joss sticks. Is Jesus first in our life
above our parents, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister? When we
give Him first place, He will reward us accordingly. "And every one
that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or
mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall
receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life" (Matt
19:29).
We who live in Singapore under a Government of
law and order and given freedom to all religions must thank God for
the peace. We are exhorted to pray for kings and all that are in
authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life (I Tim 2:1,2).
But times are not always good. Especially to us
who live in the end-times. There will arise false Christs and false
prophets, and persecutions will come upon the believers. Are we able
to stand up for Christ and witness a good confession even unto
death? Have we forgotten the burning of a Church in Batam so
recently, and the death of many Christians in other parts of
Indonesia? Religious strife can flare up anywhere any time.
Should it happen to us, we must pray to stand
firm. To the Christians in Singapore Jesus says, "Be thou faithful
unto death." It costs our life to follow Christ.
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