Following God's Will

Following Jesus is not for wimps.

Following Jesus is not for the inflexible.

Following Jesus is not for the self-centered.



For fifty years, since I was eighteen years old, I have intentionally been following. Since I was twenty-three years old, I have been given the responsibility and privilege to help lead God’s church. Since 1993 I have had the privilege to pastor God’s church. And, in all honesty, these last six weeks have been hardest time in knowing how to follow Jesus and how to pastor and lead His church.



Let me share with you the tension that I, and I believe many others pastors and leaders in God’s church, have been walking in.



Romans 13:1-2

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.



The one side is that a man of God inspired by God writes that I as a follower of Jesus am to obey the governing authorities. That those authorities are instituted by God and that I will come under God’s judgment if I resist these authorities.



I am a rebel at heart. God has been transforming me and my heart for over fifty years now. He has allowed me to retain that part of my God given personality that is unique and goes against popular opinion (in the world and also at times in the church).



As a person who has given the authority of running and directing my life over to Jesus, I do not want to intentionally disobey Jesus. So, I cannot just dismiss or ignore this passage.



Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as in the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.



The other side is the command of God for us as followers of Jesus to meet together. It is a command born out of need. God created humans for relationships. We as followers of Jesus were called into relationship with Him and with each other. We were called in a community, a community of faith in Jesus.



If we try to live a “long ranger” Christianity, isolating ourselves from other believers, we will be discouraged, cold in our passion for Jesus, and a weakened in desire to obey Jesus.



So, how do we as followers of Jesus balance these two commands when we are being told that the best things and the thing the governing authorities are telling us to do seems to be elevating one of these commands over the other?



There are three passages I have been using to guide me.



Philippians 2:3

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.



Do nothing out of selfish ambition. I don’t want anything I do to be done to exalt me or enhance my position. My calling as a follower of Jesus and a pastor is to exalt Jesus.



Do nothing from conceit. I am not to do things because I want to. As a follower of Jesus, I gave up my right to control my life and have turned that over to Jesus. I want to do what Jesus wants me to do.



Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is doing it Jesus’ way, not mine.



Galatians 6:2

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.



Jesus bore our burdens on the cross.



Jesus bore our sins.

Jesus bore our trespasses.

Jesus bore our iniquities.

Jesus bore our failures.

Jesus bore our diseases



As Jesus’ followers, He wants us to bear each other’s burdens. Jesus wants us to bear our neighbor’s hurts, fears, and sacrifices.



Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being willing to love others enough to bear their burdens.



James 4:6

But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”



I will humble myself before God and do want God wants, His will, and not want my old nature tells me to do. I want to receive God’s grace and never be in opposition to Him. Humility will allow me to experience God and His grace. Pride puts me in direct opposition to God because pride will never lead to do God’s will.



Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is in all things humbling ourselves before God and doing His will.



Without Jesus, it is impossible to operate from true love and godly motivations. But as we grow in Jesus, our motives grow to be like His and we are increasingly compelled by His love, which is poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.



Only in Jesus can we exhibit humility and be motivated by biblical love rather than our own desires.



Mask or no mask motivated by God’s will

Stay isolated or open up motivated by God’s will

Follow guide lines or don’t follow guide lines motivated by God’s love



Never let anything separate you from God’s love and never let anything cause disunity in the body of Christ.



Following God’s Will Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                              Joe