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| Take Up Your Cross and Follow courtesy photobucket.com |
Pastor Jerry was reading from
Luke 14:25-33 where Jesus told his disciples to hate father and mother and
follow him; and to take up their cross or they could not be a disciple.
Some words are lost in the
translation process, and Pastor suggested that the word HATE meant to separate
yourself from family. To be able to
detach from family, and to love Jesus MORE than anyone or anything else.
Jesus did not mean to NOT
love your family, but to love him more. In those days family was extremely close knit
and the familiarity of family might complicate a ministry to follow Jesus. Some could not let go of mommy and daddy, to
leave home and follow Jesus.
Jesus was asking them to,
“Count The Cost.” We toss those and many
other words over our shoulders and do not consider that they might apply to us.
Hundreds of Christians are
being killed today in Egypt and other countries, those who have severely
counted the cost.
We count the cost when we go shopping, and for our medical needs. We tally the cost for involvement in social problems and, even in politics.
Regarding Syria, we must
count the cost and pray for clear minds to prevail.
Are we ready to pay the
price? Not too many here in America are
wanting to kill Christians or run us out of town so that we become refugees.
Emergency workers daily count the cost to save lives at the risk of their own.
Discipleship for us is not
largely risk taking, but there is a cost to taking up the cross. Not a wooden cross, but to bear the Gospel in
our ministry to those in our community
and in our missionary projects.
Jesus has already paid the
price for us by his suffering, death, and resurrection.
Pastor Jerry told a story of
a farmer and his hound dog. A rabbit ran
by and the hound howled and took off after the rabbit. Neighborhood dogs heard the noise and
decided to join in. They ran, howled and
barked too, but soon tired and went home.
The farmer was asked why the other dogs gave up and quit so soon. The answer was obvious. They had not SEEN the rabbit.
May we keep our eyes on Jesus
and pick up our cross and follow.
Matthew stated, He who looses
his life shall surely save it. We must
keep our eyes on Jesus, for he is the one to follow.
* * * * * *
This post is also Linked with
Michelle’s Hear
it on Sunday Use it on Monday
6 comments:
Dear Hazel
Your words remind me of Jesus' words that if the world hated Him, it will hate us too! Yes, it is not easy, but so rewarding to follow Him and Him alone!
Blessings XX
Mia
Wow, Hazel! You have shared some challenging and yet encouraging Scriptures! You are so right in saying that we have experienced very little percussion here in the U.S.. but I have a feeling this generation will experience much suffering, because of our faith and beliefs. We do need to be ready to possibly even face death in these last days before Christ's return!!
Blessings to you, my friend and sister in Christ!
Ann, @ Christ in the Clouds
I love the title of your post, Hazel. There are several things I wish Jesus had never said too, either because they're too hard to understand, but more likely, because they're too hard to do. Without him. But with him, I have to remember that all things are possible. Thanks for sharing this lesson today.
That's a great story of the dogs who "didn't see" the rabbit. We live by faith, but it's more real than the flesh on our bones. Proof is that people are willing to die for He whom they haven't seen. The whole world hates God's truth... and all of us who carry Him within. Excellent post, Hazel.
Thanks for this. Very important. Focus our eyes on Jesus.
Have a nice day Hazel:)
Hazel, I appreciate this reminder. I think those words were difficult for the disciples to understand at the time too. I live in an area of the world that has seen some pretty tough persecution in the not so distant past. Thankfully we have freedom now but you never know when it might be required of you to pay the price for being a disciple. I hope I'm ready!
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