Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them He said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even their own life-such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
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Wow…this is such a tough passage. The reason, is after this Jesus has left us no excuse not to completely surrender and be sold out for Him. Family can’t hold us back. Our own life can’t hold us back. In fact, He takes it so seriously that He says we need to really consider whether we want to follow Him or not. We have to be willing to give up EVERYTHING. He compares us to salt. Salt is good…but if we aren’t making a difference in our world based on our commitment to Christ, then we are no good for anyone. If all we are going to do is sit in a pew, complain about the music or sermon, sit in some Sunday school classes, give some money, and pray before meals…then Jesus says we have nothing to give the church or the world. If you say you follow Christ, then your life better prove it. If you say you follow Christ, then there better not be anything standing in between you. It’s a great cost, but the reward is guaranteed and greater than anything we can imagine. So….who’s in?
A Journey With Jesus 