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Counting the Cost - in verses 25 - 33 Jesus gives His audience some hard words. In verse 27 He tells the "And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple." In that day they all knew what it meant to carry their cross. The cross was the symbol of a painful death at the hand of the Romans. A criminal was forced to carry his cross to the place where he would die. Jesus is asking us to carry our crosses to the place where we die to our old self, our old habits, our old sins. Having just finished Easter I have a vivid picture of Jesus being beaten and forced to carry His cross. Yet he could not and Simon of Cyrene carried it for Him. He died that day on the cross and He rose again three days later.
In thinking about this I thought of a YouTube video I saw a few years ago, thanks to my friend Nona I found it. Enjoy who our Jesus is!
I also read somewhere that, when Jesus tells us to "hate" our family, He actually meant being able to be willing to turn from family tradition in order to follow Him.
ReplyDeleteThis whole passage is a tall order, but one that He promises will be worth any burden.
Luke 14 The Message
ReplyDelete11 Humility
"But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."
Losing our "self-importance," we will truly become who He has created us to be; being open, putting others before ourselves, we honor Him.
Figure the Cost
25-27,33 One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one's own self!—can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple... Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple."
Putting the Lord first, all creation and created are to become secondary in comparison to our personal relationship with Him. He gives far more than our earthly plans. We free others who can never fill our needs or expectations. Our void can only be filled by Him. We walk alongside each other. Following Christ, taking responsibility to grow daily as we trust Him.
34 "Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it's useless, good for nothing.
"Are you listening to this? Really listening?"
We are to become salt and light. Seasoning and showing the way to Him, giving Him the glory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEbKLv79jZY
"You Deserve The Glory" ORU Worship