A Study of Luke 9: 23
Are You Anyone?
Jesus starts out in Luke 9: 23 with, "If anyone." The question comes to me, am I one of the anyone's? Can I be included in what Jesus is offering? Back in my younger days, there was a man in our town the same age I was, who was a very respected and successful businessman. Trouble was, at that point in his life, he was not known as a man of virtuous values. He was a hard driving businessman and he lived his personal life much the same way. Just before I was introduced to him, he had one of those miraculous experiences with God. He was flying his plane back from a trip to Florida, when he became lost over the sea. This rounder, this wild man, suddenly realized that his life was coming to an end if he did not find his way. He did like a lot of folks do in those situations, he prayed and told God if He would lead him safely back, he would surrender his life to Christ. God did lead him back, and not like most, my friend kept his promise and surrendered his life to God. He became a vibrant, totally committed follower of Jesus. Those of us who became his good friends, would joke with him that before he accepted Christ, he was so bad even the Devil did not want him.
Have you ever done anything wrong? Do you have a past life that you wish you did not have? Romans 3: 23 states, " For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Unfortunately, that not only included my friend, but it also includes you and me. Fortunately, Romans 5: 8-9 provides us a deliverance from all that we have been and done, "But God proves His own love for us (you and me) in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, since we have been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath." John 3: 16 says "whosoever". That to is ANYONE, no matter what, who, why, or when. I don't know about you, but that makes me want to shout - glory to God!
When Jesus ask us to follow, many will drop back on their past, or even their present, and Satan will drive into us that we are not worthy. Well, we are not, but Jesus opens the door for anyone. "Listen, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him and he with Me." Revelations 3: 20. (Anyone)
In the ninth chapter of Matthew there is the account of a man who Jesus is calling out, "follow me." His name was Matthew and he was sitting in a tax collectors booth as Jesus passed by. Here is a man who was raised from his birth to be a devout Jew. In the book of Mark, he is referred to by his Jewish name, Levi. Somewhere along in his adult life, Levi turned his back on his people and became Matthew, a tax collector. Tax collectors were despised people. They were known to be crooks, cheating everyone, Jews and Romans, in order to make themselves rich. They were a social outcast. Normally a Rabbi, as Jesus was called, would never associate with a person of Matthew's profession. But Jesus goes to his house for dinner with him and other tax collectors. So, why would Jesus ask this guy that was so bad the devil probably didn't wont him either, to follow Me? Because the life that Jesus provides is available to anyone.
I would imagine that you and I can have a lot in common with Matthew and my friend I spoke of earlier. Maybe we haven't been stealing from others, turned our backs on our family and friends, or been that wild man, but most of us have something in our lives that we regret. Maybe we look at our lives and we have disappointment written all over our hearts. The "what if's" of our lives convince us that we are unworthy to be called by Jesus to follow Him. The invitation to follow Jesus is just not for the religious, the righteous, the clean wholesome folks we know. It is for all of us who have those regrets that we don't want anyone to know about.
Matthew's account of his life, as written by him, tells us that he got up from his tax collectors booth and "followed Him." From the pits of hell, came one of the most devoted followers recorded in the Bible. What would the scriptures be without Matthew? My friend also became one of the most influential leaders in our community for the cause of Christ. Many lives were turned around because he made the decision to follow. That decision did not make Matthew perfect, nor did it make my friend perfect. For all of us, we will always need God's grace and mercy in our lives. There are plenty of days where we fill unworthy or not qualified, but that same invitation issued to Matthew and my friend is issued to you and me - follow me.
Who is anyone? Absolutely anyone!
