Disciples?
Luke 14:25-33
As someone has said ( Stanley Hauwervas) and I cannot get this out of my head , “ this is not an ethic of relativism ( belief in changeable standards: the belief that concepts such as right and wrong, goodness and badness, or truth and falsehood are not absolute but change from culture to culture and situation to situation ) that Jesus espouses . In other words Jesus is speaking to us today , you and me about His love for us in the context of commitment. The word disciple I was interested to learn is exactly that. It is “learner”. In other words we must be a student in the kingdom of God and be open to His lessons in our lives. Yesterday morning I read John 10:1-18 in the Gospel morning prayer. This reminds us of Our Shepherd, “ I came that they may have life and have it abundantly . I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
The great crowd that was following Jesus were told that their allegiance to Jesus must be first. If anyone or anything gets in the way, then “ he cannot be my disciple.” 14:25 Cyril of Alexandria said , “ Jesus is not saying that we cannot love our family, but we dare not love them more than we love him.” I almost wish it were not so . However, for our salvation to be effectual ( real), we should be devoted to Him above all. Does that not make sense? Our Creator takes first place. The Ten Commandments which we hear once a month remind us, “ You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 No job, occupation, activity or other person or allegiance can be above Him. That is why Jesus goes on in this Gospel:
“ Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, he cannot be my disciple.” I often remember my own grandfather , a Presbyterian minister, Howard Moody Morgan who used to talk about the cross. He said it was not something we have already. It is something we take up in our devotion to Jesus. “ What is this cross? What is the meaning of it? A good deal of intelligent nonsense is talked about the cross in the experience of the believer. I have heard good people speak of some suffering of their own, some physical disability, some mental trouble, some loss in material things, some very real personal suffering, as being the cross. … That is not the cross. .. We never touch the realm of the Cross until our suffering is the suffering of sympathy with others, and strength is being poured out in order to help others. That is the Cross. We can only interpret our cross by His Cross…” Gospel of Luke, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan
That is why we hear Jesus talking about the counting the cost if we are going to be a disciple of Jesus. Does this not make sense? If our spiritual life in Christ is more important than anything, then we must first decide if that is what we desire. The crowd heard this. It was not enough to have a warm feeling or a warm seat in the pew. It was not enough to admire His ethical teaching as some do ( in the Sermon on the mount). Jesus was talking about making a commitment that lasts forever. If we do that, He says He will never let us go. “ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28 Does this not make sense? Why would we give our lives to someone or something that really does not have that power? Unfortunately many of us spend our lives in searching for just that kind of thing, a home, or a relationship. These things are not permanent. I wish they were. But they are not. Our loved ones are not always with us here. They leave us by death and we see them here no more. Our homes are just that, homes, here. They are not permanent either . Again, I wish this was not the case. I have lived in places and been to places where I have wished to be for the rest of my life. They are only a memory now . And those dear ones who have passed on to the larger life with God are also just that…a wonderful memory and here I miss them, but they do not answer back when I ask for wisdom. Let me end with another quote which touched me deeply. Jesus talks about counting the cost. He gives an illustration in the time of war.
“ In 1914, that dire, dark, disastrous year when the War broke out, I hastened back to London from the country on that fateful August day, and day after day I watched the sons of Britain go. Close to my church in London were the headquarters of the Guards;…and just beyond, the headquarters of Her Majesty The Queen’s Westminster Rifles. They were the first to go, and others followed, until five million went….and they went in loyalty to the call that had come to them.” Gospel of Luke, G C Morgan.
That is what Jesus wants. He wants our loyalty and our friendship. He wants our love and our allegiance. He wants it all. And if we are not willing to give Him that, He says we have not counted the cost or taken up our cross. Then we are not His disciples. A personal word as I close. I used to ask my grandfather , “ is it worth it?” He used to tell me that going to church was a habit and following Jesus was the beginning of it all. And it was worth it!
May God bless you and yours in this time !
As someone has said ( Stanley Hauwervas) and I cannot get this out of my head , “ this is not an ethic of relativism ( belief in changeable standards: the belief that concepts such as right and wrong, goodness and badness, or truth and falsehood are not absolute but change from culture to culture and situation to situation ) that Jesus espouses . In other words Jesus is speaking to us today , you and me about His love for us in the context of commitment. The word disciple I was interested to learn is exactly that. It is “learner”. In other words we must be a student in the kingdom of God and be open to His lessons in our lives. Yesterday morning I read John 10:1-18 in the Gospel morning prayer. This reminds us of Our Shepherd, “ I came that they may have life and have it abundantly . I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
The great crowd that was following Jesus were told that their allegiance to Jesus must be first. If anyone or anything gets in the way, then “ he cannot be my disciple.” 14:25 Cyril of Alexandria said , “ Jesus is not saying that we cannot love our family, but we dare not love them more than we love him.” I almost wish it were not so . However, for our salvation to be effectual ( real), we should be devoted to Him above all. Does that not make sense? Our Creator takes first place. The Ten Commandments which we hear once a month remind us, “ You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 No job, occupation, activity or other person or allegiance can be above Him. That is why Jesus goes on in this Gospel:
“ Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, he cannot be my disciple.” I often remember my own grandfather , a Presbyterian minister, Howard Moody Morgan who used to talk about the cross. He said it was not something we have already. It is something we take up in our devotion to Jesus. “ What is this cross? What is the meaning of it? A good deal of intelligent nonsense is talked about the cross in the experience of the believer. I have heard good people speak of some suffering of their own, some physical disability, some mental trouble, some loss in material things, some very real personal suffering, as being the cross. … That is not the cross. .. We never touch the realm of the Cross until our suffering is the suffering of sympathy with others, and strength is being poured out in order to help others. That is the Cross. We can only interpret our cross by His Cross…” Gospel of Luke, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan
That is why we hear Jesus talking about the counting the cost if we are going to be a disciple of Jesus. Does this not make sense? If our spiritual life in Christ is more important than anything, then we must first decide if that is what we desire. The crowd heard this. It was not enough to have a warm feeling or a warm seat in the pew. It was not enough to admire His ethical teaching as some do ( in the Sermon on the mount). Jesus was talking about making a commitment that lasts forever. If we do that, He says He will never let us go. “ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28 Does this not make sense? Why would we give our lives to someone or something that really does not have that power? Unfortunately many of us spend our lives in searching for just that kind of thing, a home, or a relationship. These things are not permanent. I wish they were. But they are not. Our loved ones are not always with us here. They leave us by death and we see them here no more. Our homes are just that, homes, here. They are not permanent either . Again, I wish this was not the case. I have lived in places and been to places where I have wished to be for the rest of my life. They are only a memory now . And those dear ones who have passed on to the larger life with God are also just that…a wonderful memory and here I miss them, but they do not answer back when I ask for wisdom. Let me end with another quote which touched me deeply. Jesus talks about counting the cost. He gives an illustration in the time of war.
“ In 1914, that dire, dark, disastrous year when the War broke out, I hastened back to London from the country on that fateful August day, and day after day I watched the sons of Britain go. Close to my church in London were the headquarters of the Guards;…and just beyond, the headquarters of Her Majesty The Queen’s Westminster Rifles. They were the first to go, and others followed, until five million went….and they went in loyalty to the call that had come to them.” Gospel of Luke, G C Morgan.
That is what Jesus wants. He wants our loyalty and our friendship. He wants our love and our allegiance. He wants it all. And if we are not willing to give Him that, He says we have not counted the cost or taken up our cross. Then we are not His disciples. A personal word as I close. I used to ask my grandfather , “ is it worth it?” He used to tell me that going to church was a habit and following Jesus was the beginning of it all. And it was worth it!
May God bless you and yours in this time !
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