When I first decided to follow Jesus it was for personal reasons. I didn’t decide to follow him because I loved him. I decided to follow him because of what He offered me, access to heaven and I surely did not want to go to hell. Maybe that was childish, but it was my initial reasons. What was yours? You probably decided to follow Jesus with your own agenda in mind just as I did. Not so much because you loved him but rather because you needed him.

Eventually every person who decides to follow Jesus will discover that there is a difference between using Jesus and following Jesus. Eventually there will be conflicting agendas. Eventually you will have to decide if you’re in this for yourself or decide if you will surrender to God’s agenda.

Matthew 27:1-4

Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 2So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor. 3When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”

Judas had decided to follow Jesus, but eventually just as the rest of the disciples he found himself in between competing agendas. Judas decided to take matters into his own hands. The rest of the disciples decided to surrender their agendas in order to follow Jesus. Eventually Judas realized the gravity of his mistake and attempted to undo his choice by attempting to return the silver coins to the chief priest and the elders. He said to them: “I have sinned, for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”

Its simple, when you say no to Jesus you are responsible for the results. But when you say yes to Jesus no matter how absurd and even impossible the road might look, he takes full responsibility for the end results.

Lord, you are the one who made me and you are the one who saved me. My life belongs to you. I surrender my own agenda for the sake of fulfilling yours.