Forsaking All to Follow Christ
This morning our men met for a holiday Bible study, so we started at 8 AM, instead of 5 AM, and we had breakfast together, as well. It was a great time of fellowship and study. Not everyone was off from work, so we missed a few, but we had a few holiday folks to take their places. We studied the end of Luke 14. It is an incredible passage, literally.
Jesus laid it all on the line to the multitudes beginning in Luke 14:25. The Bible does not give the reaction of the crowd, but I can imagine the response to His statements on being a disciple of His. He offended some. Others walked away, because they could not handle that level of commitment. All of them probably felt like He had verbally slapped them in the face to get their attention. What He said was shocking to say the least. However, all of it was true, and it remains true today.
A disciple of Jesus must hate his family and his own life. A disciple of Jesus must take up his cross and follow Him. A disciple of Jesus must for sake all that he has. Sounds incredible doesn't it? However, it only makes sense. Jesus is Lord, so why would we put anyone else before Him? To love is to give preference to another person over yourself and others. To hate is the opposite. It is not to give preference. We should not honor our family or ourselves over Jesus. We should die to self, since we can do nothing without Him. (John 15:5) We must depend on Him for everything not ourselves. Finally, all we have comes from Him, and it is His, so why would we not be willing to forsake all of our things to follow Him wherever He says to go? It is incredible, but true.
Jesus was only being blunt to tell them and us that life is found in Him alone. He wanted us to be fulfilled and full of joy. He knows people, and He knows this is the only way.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Exodus 7-9.
Jesus laid it all on the line to the multitudes beginning in Luke 14:25. The Bible does not give the reaction of the crowd, but I can imagine the response to His statements on being a disciple of His. He offended some. Others walked away, because they could not handle that level of commitment. All of them probably felt like He had verbally slapped them in the face to get their attention. What He said was shocking to say the least. However, all of it was true, and it remains true today.
A disciple of Jesus must hate his family and his own life. A disciple of Jesus must take up his cross and follow Him. A disciple of Jesus must for sake all that he has. Sounds incredible doesn't it? However, it only makes sense. Jesus is Lord, so why would we put anyone else before Him? To love is to give preference to another person over yourself and others. To hate is the opposite. It is not to give preference. We should not honor our family or ourselves over Jesus. We should die to self, since we can do nothing without Him. (John 15:5) We must depend on Him for everything not ourselves. Finally, all we have comes from Him, and it is His, so why would we not be willing to forsake all of our things to follow Him wherever He says to go? It is incredible, but true.
Jesus was only being blunt to tell them and us that life is found in Him alone. He wanted us to be fulfilled and full of joy. He knows people, and He knows this is the only way.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Exodus 7-9.