What's the Catch?

“You’re cancer free!”
“We’re giving you a raise!”
“Congratulations!” These are all phrases that would be good news that we’d love to hear. How about “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joys of heaven” (Matthew 25:23)?

What makes that such great news? Because something I didn’t deserve was given to me. Something I had no hope of obtaining on my own was made possible through Jesus’ sacrifice. When we really begin to realize the weight of our sin and the gift God gave us, that is what typically causes us to want to follow him. (Romans 6:23)

Regardless of what compelled us to follow him and trust in the words and instructions of Jesus, there’s a catch! Usually when someone says, "I have good news, but there’s a catch," that means it’s not as good as it sounds. However, in the case of the good news of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, “the catch” isn’t bad or tricky.

It’s about sharing our good news with others and helping them see how that good news can be theirs, too! Many times, WE get in the way of that process. We let our ego, our pride, our fears, or our laziness dominate our responsibility to promote God’s gift to the world.

Perhaps for that reason Jesus said in Luke 9:23-26, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it…” And He tells some potential followers in Matthew 8:18-22 that the “Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” As a follower of Christ, we must be willing to sacrifice just like He was AND for the same reasons. He gave up all so that He could reach more people and be less encumbered by the things of the world.

Consider the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” We can look at this as a command (which we should), but we can also look at this as our opportunity to talk about the good news of God’s grace by sharing with others what makes the good news, our good news.

The book of Mark starts out with Jesus’ first words, “Follow me,” and they end with “Follow me.” Even though “follow me” may not be included in the Great Commission, we know this is exactly what Jesus devoted His life to doing – “follow me” in sharing the hope of eternal life.

Our biggest challenge as a church is to be faithful to the last words of Jesus’ earthly ministry. How far will we go to share our faith? Will we give into fear? Will we make excuses? Rather than focusing on how you might not do it perfectly, instead reflect on how God did something perfect in your imperfections by making eternal life possible.