Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
A few days ago I got up out of bed, and then reached into my top dresser drawer for my hair clippers. For the last thirty years, I have never been to a barber because I have always cut my own hair, along with the hair of all of my children. I have spent a lot of time with high school students and some of them would occasionally show up at the house for a free haircut. Now in my older age, I basically shave my head every month or two, making sure to trim up my beard at the same time. But something happened to me just the other day that has never happened to me before. I got halfway through my haircut when all of a sudden my hair clipper gave out on me. Although I tried to fix it, it was beyond repair and was thrown into the the scrap bucket. For the next few days, each time that I glanced into the mirror, I was constantly reminded how foolish it looked, because the truth is that the haircut had only been done halfway.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Making the decision to follow Jesus isn’t something that you can do halfway. You are either all the way in or all the way out. There are no excuses because failure is not an option. If you are going to build a tower, you had better count the cost to make sure that you have what it takes to complete it, otherwise, you’re going to look just as foolish as my halfway haircut.
Luke 14:16-35 16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
So again, when you choose to become a Christian you had better count the cost, because you can’t do it halfway. There’s no turning back and there is no turning around. A lot of people aren’t going to make it, simply because they won’t be able to endure the suffering and tribulation that comes along with it. Just like soldiers in the military, some of them are going to wash out. High schoolers my tryout for the football team but some of them are going to miss the cut. Suffering will come, take it from somebody who knows. Just as the scriptures foretold, I have suffered vicious betrayal at the hands of my own family, and it has come from all sides, including relatives, in-laws, friends, and false brethren. They have cast out my name as evil, falsely accused me, and hated me with a fervent passion. But I know that when they hate me, they are hating my beliefs in Christ Jesus and the true teachings of the New Testament. But no matter how many people walk away from you, no matter how many of them separate their company from you, no matter how alone in the wilderness you may be, you must always remember that Jesus sees everything, and God is on your side.
2 Timothy 4:16-17 (KJB) At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Another example is that David was all alone when he fought against Goliath, surrounded by vicious Philistines who wanted him dead. But even though he was all alone, God was on his side and completely delivered him.
When you live as the world does, most people seem to like you because you are just like them. But when you become a Christian watch out, because everything is going to change in a big hurry. Once you begin to preach the truth, once you begin to walk in the light, once you begin to stand as a Saint, you will begin to be hated by impenitent sinners. You’ll be hated by h false prophets, and you’ll be hated by all of the enemies of BIBLICAL TRUTH! This will inevitably happen when you choose Christ Jesus as your greatest love and above all others. But always remember that at that point, those who fight against you fight against Christ, and He will fight the battle for His true servants! But there are going to be many people who will attempt to follow Jesus and will not be able to handle when these things begin happening to them.
Mark 4:16-17 (KJB) And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
You either take a stand for Christ or you stand for nothing at all, and the more you preach the truth of the Gospel, the brighter the light is going to shine out into the darkness. As I said already, you are either all the way in or you are all the way out because there is no halfway Christianity that is going to save your soul.
Revelation 3:15-16 (KJB) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Don’t start what you can’t finish, because as a Christian, things are going to get tough. Batten down the hatches and furl the sails, because the storm is coming, and from directions that you will least expect. Hold fast in your sufferings, and endure all the way to the end, proving yourselves worthy of Christ and His coming Kingdom. Make sure that you have what it takes, to finish the job all the way through, otherwise you will look just as foolish as I did, looking into the mirror at……
……My Halfway Haircut
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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