COSTLY DISCIPLESHIP

In the Gospel of Luke (14:25-33), Jesus makes it clear that following Him comes with a high price tag. He takes precedence over all else. He does not need quantity but  quality discipleship. He said, “If anyone who comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple!” His  words are shocking. They sound anti-family. Jews value close family ties. The fourth command is honor your father and your mother. So, what is Jesus saying here? This is the scandal of hatred that guides to love. He is using hyperbolic language or exaggerated language to make a point. Hate is not literal. Our loves must be placed in Him and redefined in Him. Faith does not diminish love but makes it deeper, holier and freer. God demands first place in our lives because He is the foundation of all love. He is the supreme good, the absolute treasure and the source and author of steadfast, boundless, excessive and perfect love. When we are anchored in His love, all our actions fall into the right place. Jesus is making straight our priorities. He wants us to be persons of integrity. He said, “Seek my kingdom first and the rest will be given unto you!” (Matthew 6:33) The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, with all our soul and strength. When we are grounded in God’s love then we can truly love Him, ourselves, our families and others. Jesus said, “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple!” (Luke 14:27) The cross is the instrument of death yet it is the key, doorway to life and the heart of God through which we glimpse the mystery of the divine love. The cross is not optional. It is the shape of Christian life. Faith calls us to integrity. To truth instead of convenience. To honesty instead of profit. To justice instead of comfort. The cross always leads to resurrection. Jesus also said, “In the same way, anyone who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple!” (Luke 14:33) It is a call to embrace the spirit of attachment. Our true worth comes from God alone. We are loved not because of what we do, not because of what we have, not because of what others say about us. We are loved because we are the beloved sons and daughters of the Father. This is costly grace because we are bought at a high price, the blood of Jesus. For what has been costly to God cannot be cheap for us. It is costly discipleship because to be a true follower of Jesus is a full time job.