Prophetic Word 2024 - Day 28: No cross, no discipleship.

“Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”“

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭17‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The fact is, Jesus spoke many things that were/are controversial. Indeed—as the apostle Paul instructs—the mind of the flesh is against the things of God.

“Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever—because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God—both now and forever]; the mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot,“

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭AMP‬‬

So it’s “natural” that many of the things Jesus said, when analyzed by the mind of the flesh (as opposed to hearing by way of the Holy Spirit), are hard to hear, hard to understand, and impossible to put into practice.

Jesus—having gathered a crowd—turned to them and said something astonishing.

“Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, "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.“

‭‭Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

He said that to follow Him, the disciple would have to “hate” their relatives and everyone else, including themselves?

Now we know that the same Lord Who instructed that we honor father and mother in order to have a long life, would not be promoting what we think of in terms of “hate.” And indeed, some other translations of this verse, indicate that this is a reference involving a comparison. In other words, if what the Lord wants is not what the parents, friends, family and so on, including what oneself, wanted, then the choice must be to forsake family, friends, and the old life, to continue following the Lord. And, this forsaking of all others, will be taken by some as indicating total disregard, even animus, towards those who have been “rejected.”But looking at this verse in its context, gives a fuller understanding of what Jesus is conveying to those who would follow after Him.

”"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. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.“

‭‭Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭26‬-‭33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Jesus is talking about being willing to lay everything aside that would keep one from following Him. And, the would-be disciple must understand that that is the requirement; that is the cost of discipleship.

In another place we hear this instruction—in terms of being His disciple—phrased a little differently.

”"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come 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 person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.“

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭34‬-‭39‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Just before the above passage Jesus has been telling the people that the Lord is the One to be feared, rather than men. As well, if they allow themselves to be intimidated into remaining silent about their relationship with the Lord, then He will not confess them before His father in heaven.

Indeed, the cost of discipleship—if need be—is everything we are, everything we have, as well as all of our old ways of being and doing. Yes, all of our being and doing have been placed at Jesus’ feet.

Now, as Jesus was on the Earth, those who would be following Him, would literally have to leave what they were doing, leave what they had, who they were with, in order to follow Him in His earthly ministry.

Certainly, the requirement for discipleship has not changed over these many years since Jesus departed the Earth. But, now our following the Lord may or may not require that we leave all we hold dear. Of course, people called into the mission field are still forsaking all that they were before, to fulfill that call.

But, make no mistake, the willingness to be separated from anyone and anything—if that would keep us from being obedient to the Lord—must still be the attitude of the follower of Christ.

Notice, in the above examples, the Lord references taking up OUR cross.

In our opening scripture, we see the story of the rich young ruler who wanted to follow the Lord; but when he found out what the cost of his discipleship would be, he was unwilling to let go of his riches to take hold of his cross.

Yesterday we discussed that Jesus’ cross was the will of the Father. Today we understand that our cross, the one we are required to pick up and carry in order to be His disciple, is also obedience to the Lord’s will for us.

Yesterday we also noted that the Lord fulfilled the will of the Father concerning Him, even to His death on the cross. Additionally, the work of His cross is a finished work.

On the other hand, our cross-carrying is ongoing. But, we have assurance that we will not be carrying that cross alone.

We will talk more about this tomorrow.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

#resolveforhim