Does it cost something to be a Christian? Does it cost something to follow Christ? In today’s reading, a large crowd was following Jesus. He turned to them and said, “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26–27, NLT) Wow, Jesus was not afraid to be plain and transparent!
This is a largely forgotten aspect of Christianity in the West. These words Jesus spoke would be considered an anti-growth strategy: unloving, exclusive, not inclusive. But the reality is that the Jesus of the Bible told the crowds to sit down and count the cost before they decided to follow Him (Luke 14:28–32). He plainly explained to them, “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33, ESV)
To be a disciple of Jesus, everything must come in a distant second to Him. Jesus must be first. What He taught must come first. His Gospel must be first. His kingdom must be first. His righteousness must be first. His commands must come first. Otherwise, we are not truly His disciples. Since the world hates Jesus, we must be prepared to be hated. Because it persecuted Him, we must be prepared for persecution. Because He was despised and rejected, we, too, must be willing to suffer the same.
So, is it worth it? Yes! Notice what Paul said: For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17–18, ESV) As believers, let us take up our crosses, for they will seem but for a moment compared to the glory that awaits us in Heaven.
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Luke 14-15.