Follow Me: Warning

Read: Romans 14:1-4 Jesus told his followers right before leaving to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  Over the course of the next few months, we will be looking at what it really means to obey the commands that Jesus has given us by breaking them down into eight main categories.  However, we must cautious of the danger of focusing on just keeping a bunch of different  rules or commands.  This is called legalism and is why Jesus called some religious leaders “white washed tombs” (they looked good on the outside but were hiding rot and decay on the inside).  This can easily happen when we focus on external behavior while letting our hearts grow cold towards God.   It can also lead to us thinking that our next step in being a good follower is to apply our own list to others.  Paul wrote about something similar to the church in Rome.  The question involved eating meat that had been sacrificed to an idol in a pagan temple and then put out for sale in the meat shop in the market area.   “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?” To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Here he is talking about judging another disciple of Jesus.  As we look at the different commands of Jesus it’s important to remember He has called us into a relationship with Him by first following Him.  We are not called to become a  strict “Rules Police” for other believers.   Digging Deeper: Where do you see legalism in your life? What is one thing you can do this week to begin to follow Jesus or to follow him more closely? One great way to follow Jesus is in community.  If you’re not in a small group, why not sign up and join one right now.  ]]>