Luke 14
January 20, 2022
“Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”
Jesus does not hide the cost of being his disciple in the fine print - like a complicated phone carrier contract, one that looks cheap, but is more costly than first realized - the more you look at the fine-print. Jesus is up-front about the cost of following Him - such that potential followers knew the cost… and could ‘count it’ (v28). In a similar way, Jesus has been honest (with me) about the cost of following Him - and that it means holding onto nothing as my own. And yet, I can still slip into getting frustrated when life doesn’t go my way, as if Jesus ‘owes’ me something. Yes, He’s promised me a glorious kingdom in the next life, but He’s also told me that I am entitled to nothing in this life.
Lord, thank You for always telling us the truth. Thank You, that unlike our society that is marked by duplicity and hiding the truth in the fine-print, You are honest and up-front about who You are and what it means to follow You. Forgive me for my spirit of entitlement. And open my eyes to Your gloriousness and the value of Your coming kingdom - so that I see You as WORTH giving up anything and everything for!
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
