“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” -Jesus
Our first response to this statement is that he doesn’t mean hate. He means “to not love as much as,” right? How can the one who exemplifies love to a broken world truly say that anyone should hate their immediate family? How can the one who said that he fulfilled the commandments make such a statement about hating father and mother? How? It makes no sense to the thinking mind. It makes no sense to any natural mind. It only makes sense when you look at it from a super-natural mind, or from an eternal perspective.
To follow Jesus is not about him fitting into your life but him being your life. He said the greatest commandment was to love God. Before you can ever have a proper relationship with other human beings you have to selflessly and unconditionally love God. The first four of the top ten commandments were about a Hebrew’s relationship with almighty God. The only proper relationship that anyone can have with God has such a love for him that when you look at everything else it seems like you hate them compared to your love for Him.
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.” - Jesus
It is interesting that most assume that Jesus came to bring a peace and harmony that would result in a warm fuzzy feeling in the lives of his followers. What needs to be understood is that the life that humanity lives is guaranteed destruction. As in his proverbs Solomon states, “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” Jesus came into a world that guaranteed death to call each person out of this inevitable destruction and offer them a promise of life. The harsh reality is that a divided love cannot realize the promise of life. He put this into words when He spoke about money.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.” – Jesus
Even family can divide a person’s love and sabotage the promise of life in Christ. Both cannot win in the struggle for allegiance. Only the true and holy One merits and deserves the allegiance of a life. Love Jesus and hate family or be devoted to family and despise Jesus. Applying his words is not easy but it is crucial to being who Jesus calls his followers to be. An important question: “Does Jesus advocate hate?” BY NO MEANS! What he teaches is loving others in truth as he defines it. Love mother, father, wife, children, and siblings as Jesus would but not at the cost of denying, despising, discounting, or neglecting Jesus. He is everything before family. He is everything…period. Do you love him with an undivided love? Do you seek to allow your love for him to define all other relationships in your life?
Luke 14:26; Matthew 10:34-36; Proverbs 14:12; Matthew 6:24
Monday, August 31, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
The Daily Design
“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” -Jesus of Nazareth, called the Christ
A disciple would naturally be fully in tune to what the teacher instructs. Jesus is speaking of much more than learning the content of His word. It is crucial that the disciple remember where he, himself, comes from. Any disciple of Jesus is a sinner seeking to be transformed in Jesus. The transformed life is only made possible in Jesus. What He teaches is not only for understanding but for authentic life change. Continuing in Jesus’ word means that the disciple remains consistently focused on living out the teaching of Jesus. Living out? Not understanding! Living is Jesus’ goal!
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” -Jesus
Many people know about the teachings of Jesus. Fewer live them out on a daily basis. Continuing in Jesus’ word is a focal point to how he works in the life of his disciple. Only when the disciple of Jesus approaches life from Jesus’ perspective will change take place that brings an impact that everyone longs for but few are willing to seek. Freedom. The disciple’s way of life before Christ was all about self. Trying to get through life on one’s own understanding and wisdom. Trying to decide what is the best way to have life in a broken and disappointing world. On the surface this seems to be a very valid and hopeful approach to life. It doesn’t take long for one to realize that we mess it up as bad as everyone else has. A wise but flawed king once said, “There is a way which seems right to a man. But its end is the way of death.” –Solomon. Now Jesus offers a different way and this time this way leads to a life of freedom from failure born in selfishness and shortsightedness. Instead of being focused only on an immediate need. Jesus says that man can live for so much more.
‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” -Jesus
His words are infused with an eternal quality that transforms the disciple’s life. It would be enough to change the way in which a disciple lives but it continues on with much greater blessing. When a disciple lives the quality of an eternal life then he begins to see everything from truth-sightedness (seeing things as they really are). Continuing in, obeying and living Jesus’ words turns into “knowing the truth.” Instead of living based on what one wants the disciples begins to live based on the truth he knows. This knowledge of truth brings freedom from the mortal result of life lived for self. Now his call is to take this same focus to others as his disciples live free from the knowledge of truth realized by an obedient life.
“…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…” -Jesus
John 8:31; John 10:10; Proverbs 14:12; Matthew 4:4; Matthew 28:20
What do you continue in?
A disciple would naturally be fully in tune to what the teacher instructs. Jesus is speaking of much more than learning the content of His word. It is crucial that the disciple remember where he, himself, comes from. Any disciple of Jesus is a sinner seeking to be transformed in Jesus. The transformed life is only made possible in Jesus. What He teaches is not only for understanding but for authentic life change. Continuing in Jesus’ word means that the disciple remains consistently focused on living out the teaching of Jesus. Living out? Not understanding! Living is Jesus’ goal!
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” -Jesus
Many people know about the teachings of Jesus. Fewer live them out on a daily basis. Continuing in Jesus’ word is a focal point to how he works in the life of his disciple. Only when the disciple of Jesus approaches life from Jesus’ perspective will change take place that brings an impact that everyone longs for but few are willing to seek. Freedom. The disciple’s way of life before Christ was all about self. Trying to get through life on one’s own understanding and wisdom. Trying to decide what is the best way to have life in a broken and disappointing world. On the surface this seems to be a very valid and hopeful approach to life. It doesn’t take long for one to realize that we mess it up as bad as everyone else has. A wise but flawed king once said, “There is a way which seems right to a man. But its end is the way of death.” –Solomon. Now Jesus offers a different way and this time this way leads to a life of freedom from failure born in selfishness and shortsightedness. Instead of being focused only on an immediate need. Jesus says that man can live for so much more.
‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” -Jesus
His words are infused with an eternal quality that transforms the disciple’s life. It would be enough to change the way in which a disciple lives but it continues on with much greater blessing. When a disciple lives the quality of an eternal life then he begins to see everything from truth-sightedness (seeing things as they really are). Continuing in, obeying and living Jesus’ words turns into “knowing the truth.” Instead of living based on what one wants the disciples begins to live based on the truth he knows. This knowledge of truth brings freedom from the mortal result of life lived for self. Now his call is to take this same focus to others as his disciples live free from the knowledge of truth realized by an obedient life.
“…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…” -Jesus
John 8:31; John 10:10; Proverbs 14:12; Matthew 4:4; Matthew 28:20
What do you continue in?
Monday, March 23, 2009
A Life Focus
“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.”
-Jesus*
The journey a disciple takes is one that seeks to be just like Jesus. The greatest pursuit of Jesus was to “DO” the will of His Father. It was the very thing that sustained him. His food? If he did nothing else in life it would be to fulfill the desires of his Heavenly Father. When Jesus walked the planet there was finally an individual who sought the purposes of heaven on earth. He was not divided in his thinking. He was not compromised or jaded by the inconsistencies of this fallen world. He was not influenced by poverty or wealth. He had a single focus, His Father’s desires. Therefore it meant something when He said that the kingdom of God was near. It was standing right in front of them. In effect Jesus had diplomatic immunity even though He never invoked it. He was living and breathing only for the kingdom purposes of heaven. This was the Jesus who spoke these words to his disciples (students).
And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said,
“Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” – Jesus**
Jesus indicated that the same priority that existed in His life would exist in the lives of those who were his disciples. They would seek above all else to “DO” the will of His Father. They would come to live by the desires of the heavenly Father. They would forsake the conflicting desires of this present world. They would forsake the conflicting desires of even their own hearts. They would have a single focus of fulfilling the desires of His Father. It makes sense that He would teach them to pray such as He did, “Thy kingdom come and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10).
*John 4:34
**Matthew 12:49-50
What is the single most important focus of your life?
-Jesus*
The journey a disciple takes is one that seeks to be just like Jesus. The greatest pursuit of Jesus was to “DO” the will of His Father. It was the very thing that sustained him. His food? If he did nothing else in life it would be to fulfill the desires of his Heavenly Father. When Jesus walked the planet there was finally an individual who sought the purposes of heaven on earth. He was not divided in his thinking. He was not compromised or jaded by the inconsistencies of this fallen world. He was not influenced by poverty or wealth. He had a single focus, His Father’s desires. Therefore it meant something when He said that the kingdom of God was near. It was standing right in front of them. In effect Jesus had diplomatic immunity even though He never invoked it. He was living and breathing only for the kingdom purposes of heaven. This was the Jesus who spoke these words to his disciples (students).
And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said,
“Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” – Jesus**
Jesus indicated that the same priority that existed in His life would exist in the lives of those who were his disciples. They would seek above all else to “DO” the will of His Father. They would come to live by the desires of the heavenly Father. They would forsake the conflicting desires of this present world. They would forsake the conflicting desires of even their own hearts. They would have a single focus of fulfilling the desires of His Father. It makes sense that He would teach them to pray such as He did, “Thy kingdom come and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10).
*John 4:34
**Matthew 12:49-50
What is the single most important focus of your life?
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Purpose
It is amazing to me that followers of Christ get wrapped up in so many activities and do not fulfill the simple teachings of Jesus. He really focused on a few key things. First and foremost was perfectly reflecting the Father and doing what he had seen the Father do. A student's highest goal is to become like his teacher. Followers of Christ should be becoming more like him each and everyday. How do you do that and what does that mean? This is the purpose of the Disciple's Journey. How do 21st century individuals become like the master who walked the planet 21 centuries ago? Evaluate what you read here. Think about it. Pray about it. Read what Jesus said and did in the gospels and then respond. God bless you in your journey to be his disciple.
Matthew 10:24-25
Who are you becoming like each day?
Matthew 10:24-25
Who are you becoming like each day?
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