LEARNING DAILY

 

Luke 14:27, And whoever does not bear His cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

 

I have probably written on this verse before. It would be good for you to open your Bible to Luke 14:25-31 to read the entire parable Jesus spoke on discipleship. Today’s thoughts come from the last thoughts about counting the cost of following Jesus. At a different time, Jesus told one who had lots of wealth that he needed to sell everything he had to follow Him (read Matthew 19:16-22). The young man went away sad because he had so much wealth.

 

Dietrich Bonhoffer has written, “Salvation is free but discipleship will cost you your life.” Jesus was clear when He said following Him meant to give up everything we own. Bonhoffer referred to the meaning of discipleship as “self-denial, suffering, voluntary forfeiture of civil rights”. I tried to find the quote in order to write it correct, but could not find it. You will know what I mean. It is okay to have things; don’t let the things have you. Do you tithe to your church? Do you give from your abundance to the church or another in need? Or, do you hold on tightly to what you have when a need comes before you?

 

There are going to be different views on this subject. I want each of us to examine what Jesus said and apply it to your life; count the cost of following Him. Why does God give abundance to a person? It seems to me, that Jesus is speaking to us to provide for our families and others and to be willing to give up anything He asks us of us. The key is what He asks of us! Our commitment to Him must be nothing less than that.

 

When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, they left everything behind and followed Him. Paul left everything behind to follow Jesus. In return, he was imprisoned, stoned, and eventually beheaded because of following Jesus. The disciples were given the task to spread the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ and teaching those saved about the cost of following Him.

 

Today, His disciples are to do the same thing; we are to lay down our lives, pick up our cross and follow Jesus. Every day we battle against sin by crucifying our sin nature, our sinful desires. We must take a stand against false teachings – and there are plenty around us – that distort the truth found in God’s Word. Many around the world suffer the hatred and ridicule of worldly philosophy; that hatred and ridicule is growing in the society here, around us.  We not only believe in the saving grace of Jesus Christ; we must commit to sacrificially follow Him. That simply means choosing to deny ourselves or living for our own selfish desires each day.

 

Read Luke 9:24. When we choose to make our happiness and pleasure the goal of our life instead of living in the will of God and by the principles found in His Word, we will find disappointment and loss in the end. We only find true happiness and a fulfilled life when we live our lives on the teachings found in God’s Word, by walking the narrow way to eternal life in His Kingdom!