Day 14 of 24

 Today's passage: Luke 14

Today's focus: vs. 25-33

Author: [from the archives of 2020]

This sounds so wrong! "If anyone comes to me and does not HATE his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." I thought Jesus taught us to love one another? To love my neighbor? To love my wife as Christ loves the church? And even to love my enemies! What's going on here? 

When we come to a strange passage like this, what we can do is allow another clearer passage to help us understand this one. Matthew 10:37 gives us the answer. "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."

We indeed are called to love those around us. However, the love we have for others is different than our love for Jesus. I cannot love my parents/children/wife or even my own life more than I love Jesus. The love I have for my King must be an all-encompassing love.

Passages like this remind us that when we share the Gospel, it must not be sugar coated. It is a reminder to ourselves that being a Christian is not something we check off on a survey. 

• If I do not take up my cross and follow Jesus, I am not worthy of Jesus (Matt. 10:38)
• If I do not bear my own cross and come after Jesus, I cannot be His disciple. (Luke 14:27)
• If I do not renounce everything else, I cannot be His disciple (Luke 14:33)
  
• If I do not love Jesus more than I love my family, my spouse, and myself... I cannot be His disciple. (Luke 14:26)

When we read it in full context, it makes much more sense. We must explain this cost to new believers. Following Jesus comes with a price. They may be rejected by their own families and friends. Following Jesus requires that we pledge our allegiance to Christ-- not to the flag, or any other political party. 

Following Jesus will hurt deeply. You will be "hated by all for my name's sake," says the Master (Matthew 10:22). Your family will view you as a traitor. Your political party will shame you. The words of Jesus in the latter part of Matthew 10:22 encourage us: 

But the one who endures to the end will be saved.