Total commitment. That is what most companies and employers want from their employees. They want them to be totally committed to their job and the projects they work on. That is also what our spouse and family wants from us, as well. They don’t want an absentee father or mother, or one whose heart and mind is off somewhere else. We would also like total commitment from the athletes on our favorite sports teams. What about total commitment by Christians to the Lord Jesus? Is that reasonable for Him to ask of us, or is it okay to be a “casual Christian”? Our Gospel reading for this week takes a look at that question.
As we read this Scripture passage, right away we are confronted with a verse that seems rather harsh, and difficult to swallow. Jesus is speaking to the crowds around Him, and He tells them that if they don’t hate their father or mother, their wife or children, brothers or sisters they cannot be His disciple! (vs. 26). On the surface that sounds terrible! Why would Jesus want me to hate my parents and my spouse? How can I possibly hate my children? What we need to realize as we read this verse is that Jesus is using hyperbolic language - an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally. It is like saying that you are so hungry you could eat a horse or an elephant. Everyone knows you would not eat those! It’s just to say how hungry you are. We know that this is that type of statement because of other verses in the Bible. God told us that we can’t love Him unless we love others, which would include family (I John 4:7-8). He also told us to honor our parents (Ephesians 6:2-3). This verse emphasizes supreme loyalty to Jesus. Our love for Jesus must far exceed our love for anyone else. No earthly relationship should rival our devotion to Him.
We see this sometimes played out in families, where the adult child feels called to go overseas as a missionary, but their mother gets all upset because she doesn’t want them to move away. Or they tell the family that they are going to become a pastor, and the father gets upset and tells them they should pick a job that makes more money, like a lawyer or doctor. Will he do what the Lord wants, or will he follow his father’s directives, or give in to his mother’s tears? Who does he love more? We cannot truly be a disciple unless we place Jesus as our top priority, which might very well upset family members. We are not to love anyone more than Jesus.
Jesus tells us that we need to bear our cross and follow Him, otherwise we cannot be His disciple (vs. 27). This means dying to self, enduring persecution for His sake, and living sacrificially. Carrying our cross symbolizes death to our former sinful lifestyle, and, if necessary, a willingness to die in order to remain faithful to Jesus. True discipleship involves suffering and separation from the world (II Timothy 3:12).
The Lord then proceeded to give an example of someone deciding to build a tower (vs. 28-30). A wise person would first check his bank account to see if he has enough money to cover the cost. No one wants a half-built building that had to stop construction because of lack of money. A second example is a king going to war with another kingdom (vs. 31-32). He needs to consider beforehand whether his army can defeat the other. Salvation is free, however discipleship is costly. Many people make a profession of faith, but then fall away when trials come. This passage urges people to give serious self-examination before committing.
Jesus finishes His teaching with the statement that whoever does not forsake everything that he has, he cannot be His disciple (vs 33). This is a call for total surrender. Nothing - neither our possessions, ambitions, or any relationships, can be held back. This is a tough call, but Jesus does not want any half-hearted disciples with divided loyalties. We cannot serve both God and our belongings, desires, or relationships (Matthew 6:24).
Have we submitted to Jesus’ authority in our life? Discipleship demands a break from all worldly values. If we want to be a genuine disciple of the Lord we must crucify our flesh every day (Galatians 2:20). It is a lifelong commitment which requires endurance (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Have you counted the cost of being a true disciple of Jesus, and are you ready and willing to make a total commitment to Him? This is a difficult Scripture for some. The Lord Jesus did not make His message more appealing in order to gain a larger following. There is a high cost of discipleship. However, it is worth it in the end when we hear Him say “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
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