Psalms 31:1-3, 8:1, 5:1-3, 20:1-5
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Luke 14. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind in the passage beginning at verse 25 and to the end of the chapter. I’m going to present my devotional thoughts in segments. The first is verses 25-27, the second, 28-30, the third, 31-32, and the conclusion, verses 33-35.
Along the still waters, I pondered:
Luke 14:25 ¶ And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
When the people began to mass in multitudes to follow Him, Jesus would challenge them with a “hard saying.” My favorite example is John 6:53-67. Perhaps the most challenging call to discipleship is found here, where He requires any who would follow Him to “hate … his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also” (Luke 14:25-26).
Indeed, who can hear this? Only those who have “ears to hear” (Luke 14:35b). Even so, even the most dedicated disciple will wonder at the seeming severity of Jesus’ demand.
One of the most important principles of proper interpretation is to keep reading. The word “for” begins the next segment and indicates that what follows is the reason or cause for what was said. The reason Jesus said no one could be His disciple who did not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brother, and sister is understood in the context of two examples.
The first example is a man who builds a tower. He will first count the cost to know whether he has what is needed to finish.
Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Luke 14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
Luke 14:30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
The second example is a king contemplating war with another king, when the odds are 2-1. Care is taken to determine whether he has sufficient force to conquer an army twice the size of his own:
Luke 14:31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Luke 14:32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
Then Jesus clears it all up:
Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
We must count the cost of discipleship. That cost could include the loss of the people you hold dearest. Unless you are ready to lose them and your own life also, you cannot be His disciple.
Jesus said, “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal” (John 12:25). Often, the disciple who chooses Christ over all not only keeps his own life to life eternal, but also the lives of those he cherishes in this life. One thing is certain, all who make this sacrifice in service to Christ and His kingdom are promised: “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30).
In the valley, my heart knelt in the shadow of His Cross, and I considered the cost. I asked whether I was indeed willing to lose all to follow Him. I fully assented to release all to His care and control. Verse 27 includes the ultimate commitment required of every disciple: “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). The embrace the cross is to embrace death, and death separates us from all things in this world. Jesus spoke: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
The cost is worth the prize! Jesus thought so! Let us follow Jesus as instructed: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
At the table, my Shepherd anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy came along to follow us into the harvest.
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live asap.
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