Are You Ready... To Be Jesus' Disciple, Pt. 2

Luke 14:25–27 (NASB95)

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 and mother and wife and children and brothers and 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.

It was common for crowds of people to travel with Jesus. Many of them were seeking to be healed. Many were mesmerized by the power he had to heal and perform miracles. Yet you also had some who were following because they honestly wanted to know Jesus. Luke is not randomly speaking about the crowds, he highlights them to set the stage for the reader learn a penetrating message from Jesus! Since it is so common that crowds formed to travel along with him, it is easy to mistake what journey they’re really on.

Application: This should cause each of us to ask ourselves, am I just going along for the ride? Along for the ride, meaning I’m here but I don’t have a serious interest. It is the pleasure and the hype that has my attention and for that reason I’m with the crowd.

Jesus knows what’s in humanity’s heart, John 2:25, and his turning around to speak to them is to grab everyone’s attention and teach them a deep lesson. He begins with a conditional statement, which presents everyone with requirements which must be met in order for another action or event to take place. Well Jesus, the main or primary action is “Be My Disciple”. But in this passage, Jesus gives 2 joint conditions which must be met in order to exist as his disciple. Now if he’s telling the crowd who has been following him physically, that shows the being a disciple means more than just following…

First condition - Comes to me. Which describes one’s desire to be a disciple, shown by their response in coming to him. Jesus knows this has to happen first, else the rest won’t even make sense.

Second condition - Does not hate. The term hate, just like any word must be understood in its immediate context, that being the passage, as well as the wider context, that being the bible. The immediate context deals with hate applied to certain people. That begs the question does hate here mean a psychological or emotional hatred, meaning I can’t stand someone. Well emotional hatred leads to other sinful behavior. Example: Lev 19:17 “17 ‘You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him.” And if you read verse 18, it immediately speaks about grudges and vengeance. Surely, this isn’t what Jesus means since he says we should love everyone, even our enemies. But looking biblically how the word is used, a good example is Gen 29:30-31 “30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years. 31 Now the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.” The word “unloved” is the same word as hate in our passage, and verse 30 says Jacob loved Rachel MORE than Leah. Thus, this speaks of a love less or rejection situation.

Example: I reject watching basketball, but I don’t have an emotional hatred for it.

Now that we have that established, see from this that being a disciple deals with what or who one loves and rejects. It’s all about loyalty!!!

Parental

Jesus begins with the two that most of us have our first memories of, father and mother. And that includes generations and any who played the role. We know the law commands that we honor and obey our parents. Yet Jesus says, when compared to him, it should look like hatred toward them.

Application: Daddy, Paw Paw, instilling all they instilled with such authority throughout my life. Mama, always demanding her respect, and providing all she has from toddler up. When you decide to come to Jesus, responding to his call, our loyalty can no longer be to our parents.

Illustration: Enlisted in the military, I’m told one of the common phrases they tell newcomers is “forget your daddy and mama”, moving forward I’m your daddy and mama.

Spousal

Jesus hits hard with this one, because this is the first human to human relationship that existed. The only one that the scriptures teach that two have become “One”. The one where the two are described as co-heirs of salvation. Yet and still, Jesus says when compared to him, spouses should be seen as if they’ve rejected each other.

Application: As high as this relationship is, it has caused many to suffer their loyalty to Christ. Consider Adam, because he listened to his wife over GOD. Paul tells young widows whose passions overtake them, they have forsaken their first faith, and that’s Christ!!! In fact, loyalty to Christ should strengthen spousal relationship.

Children

See each of these is going to touch each of us differently depending on how we relate. The loyalty to a child is typically strong because we’ve watched them grow in innocence. And some folk will do some criminal stuff over their child. Yet, Jesus says, if you can’t love your child on a lesser level, you can’t.

Example: 1 Sam 2:29 “29 ‘Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the choicest of every offering of My people Israel?’”

Sibling

These are the ones you grow up with, been in a lot of ride or die situations. Thus formed a sense of loyalty that is strong.

Application: I was taught to stand with my siblings, even if we all fell. The question is, am I ready to have a higher loyalty to Jesus?

Self

This might be the worst. Because our minds are tricky. We are like Eve, we wanna be mini gods. Controlling our lives. Desires of fame, prestige, wealth, health, and power.

Illustration: In those times, if anyone saw a person carrying a cross, typically with Roman soldiers, they know it was a one-way journey!!! Interestingly, Luke 9:23 says this must be done daily!!!

I want to leave you with two passages that depict the importance: Deut 13:6-11 and Deut 33:9.

Are we really ready to be Jesus’ disciple? Which of your relationships are standing in your way? Are you pitting yourself against Jesus in someone’s life?