Disqualifying Would-be Disciples
"Whosoever doth not [?] cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26,
27, 33).
Some people just couldn't do some of the things Jesus
expected (John 6:66). Jesus excludes prospective disciples
who cannot do three things. What are these three things?
First, He said that if you don't hate your family and even
your own life then you cannot be His disciple (Luke 14:26).
"Hating" is this context is figurative. It means that you
must love Jesus more than your family and more than you love
yourself. It suggests that, for some people, family may get
in the way of their following Jesus.
Second, Jesus said that if you don't bear your cross and
come after Him then you cannot be His disciple (Luke 14:27).
This means dying to your plans for your life and walking
(living) the kind of life that Jesus lived (Luke 9:23). When
Peter spoke of following in Jesus' steps, he did it in the
context of suffering. This is choosing to live a life for
others in opposition to whatever you could have gotten out of
life if you were living for yourself.
Third, Jesus said that if you don't forsake all you have
then you cannot be His disciple (Luke 14:33). This covers
everything. Jesus wants to be first in every area of our
lives, and He knows that we won't finish the race unless our
eyes are totally fixed upon Him.
If we really want to follow Jesus, we have quit saying
things like: "my life, my family, and my stuff." Jesus knows
that if we don't love Him more than everything, then it's only
a matter of time before we drop out. Don't drop out as
disciple of Christ. Be among those who will say, I can love
Him more than my friends, my family, my plans, and my stuff.
