Someone Worth Losing Everything For – What radical abandonment to Jesus really means.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt

This book came to my attention through various acquaintances. A friend suggested I read it. It has been sitting on my end table these few months waiting for me, but each book at its proper time. I’m used to being among the first to read a book, juvenile that is. I apologize if this is old news to you. Hopefully, my own reactions to this book will be interesting if not enlightening.

First off. Is a book really the best way to start a movement? I’m sorry to be snarky, but I’ve heard of the book, but I haven’t heard of any radical movement to deny the world, and follow Christ. If it’s really happening, wouldn’t that be something that we would be hearing about? Again, perhaps I just don’t run in the proper circles. But that says something in and of itself.

“The youngest megachurch pastor in history.” That’s the opening line. It’s not even a sentence. It’s an appositive meant to follow the author’s name. Those of us whose work revolves around books, know the importance of an opening line. It’s what sucks you in. It’s what makes you want to hear more. It’s not supposed to automatically offend you.

“The youngest megachurch pastor in history” versus “Jesus Christ – the youngest minichurch pastor in history.” Okay. Now my attention is captured. What we live today is NOT what was intended. We don’t need 500 Facebook acquaintances. We need twelve loyal and dependable friends that we are willing to live with. We don’t need a New York Times Bestseller of the moment. We need a compilation of the books of the Word of God. We need a Gospel that wasn’t even written until after the first wave of THE WAY hit.

This first chapter points out that when Jesus’ followers came to Him and asked Him what they needed to do in order to follow Him; it was almost as if He was trying to dissuade them through His answers. If you follow Me, you will be homeless. If you follow Me, you must leave the burial of your father to others. If you follow Me, you do not even have time to tell your family good-bye. If you follow Me, you must sell everything and give it to those in need. Did Jesus even want followers?

I feel trapped. I have a house that is too big for me to responsibly manage myself. And if I attempt to take better care of it, I will be spending an awful lot of time on material possessions. I tend to spend money on luxuries that I want, but do not need. When I talk myself out of it, there is always a good Christian telling me that I, in fact, do need to treat myself – that I deserve some attention. How did we get so topsy-turvy?

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God”

John 6:66-69 (ESV)

Ironic isn’t it? We sing these same words maybe once a month in church, and yet we have walked away …