In The Word
Read: Luke 14:25-35
Discipleship Tested
25 Now large crowds were going along with Him, and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who are watching it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build, and was not able to finish!’ 31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to face the one coming against him with twenty thousand?32 Otherwise, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and requests terms of peace. 33 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.
34 “Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? 35 It is useless either for the soil or the manure pile, so it is thrown out. The one who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
This passage of scripture we read today has the title of “Discipleship Tested” in the Bible version I read. That is a good title to summarize what Christ is communicating here. Let’s observe the truth He gives us today.
First, you can’t put anyone above Christ, not even yourself. You must love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. You can’t love your wife, children, or relatives more than you love Him. This is so we will put His ways above everything in our lives. If we truly love Him more than everything else, then everyone in our lives gets the fruit of that obedience to Him.
Second, being a disciple doesn’t just happen by chance. To become a disciple, which is a student of Christ, takes intentionality. Just like Christ taught, there was a commercial building in the city I used to live where it was started and framed, but never completed. This building was the joke of the city for many years until someone bought it and completed it.
We need to daily take up our cross and count the cost of what it takes to be a true disciple of Christ. It will take discipline, labor, and complete obedience, but fear not for we have the Spirit of the living God inside us to give us power and strength for each day. Let us all walk each day according to the Master’s ways, and we will be a temple of honor for Him and not one of shame and ridicule.