Follow Up, Follow Through, Follow Jesus
If you don't follow up, you won't follow through and you will fail to find assurance of your faith.
Some medical clinics have no show rates as high as 55% for follow up appointments. I polled a friend of mine who does the scheduling for a physician group, and she said their rate was about 30%. For whatever reason, a patient doesn't go back, failing to return to the doctor can be as detrimental to one's health as not having gone in the first place. We need to keep our follow-up appointments so that our doctor can make sure that the prescribed treatment has the desired effect.
Jesus healed ten lepers. Luke 17 tells their story. Despite having healed ten lepers, only one came back to Jesus. The other nine missed a very important follow up that was critical for their faith.
Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."
Luke 17:15-19
The one healed leper's return to Christ is a wonderful example of a sinner's response to salvation.
- He turned back - repentance.
- He praised God with a loud voice - worship.
- He fell at Jesus' feet - surrender.
- He gave Jesus thanks - gratitude.
So what of the others? Why didn't they do the same? Jesus asked, "Where are the nine?"
We cannot speak for the nine, but we can say this of the one. He didn't just want a cure. He wanted Christ.
Unfortunately, we see this all the time. People want Heaven, but they are not interested in Jesus.
They seem sincere in their desire for salvation. They cry out. They come to Jesus. But there's no follow up, and there's no follow-through.
The salvation they wanted requires no repentance. They wanted a salvation void of surrender. Like a spoiled child who gets what he wants, there is no gratitude.
And that's not salvation at all.
I'm not here to tell you who got what and who didn't get it. I'm not God. But I do think Jesus' question is sobering if we are failing to follow up and follow through.
"Where are the nine?"
What happens to those who don't follow up?
So what happened to the nine? What happens to the ones who don't follow up and follow through?
All Jesus had for them was a question. He gave them no assurance. But for the one, Jesus gives great assurance.
"Your faith has made you well."
For your physician, the follow-up is important as it gives assurance that the prescribed treatment is working.
When it comes to salvation, Jesus only gives assurance to those who follow up, follow-through, and follow Him in discipleship.
Where are you?
Bible Study
Read Luke 9:23-27.
- What do you learn from this passage about what it means to follow Jesus?
- List any promises you find in this passage. Remember, even negative and difficult statements can be promises.
- What principles do you need to apply from this passage?
Challenge
Is there something in your life that is keeping you from following through and following Christ? Is it keeping you out of church? From reading the Bible daily? From being able to give generously and obediently? If so, get rid of it. Notice what Jesus says in Luke 9:23-27. It's not worth keeping!
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