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Luke 14:27-33
Jesus is explaining what it means to become a disciple of His. As in Luke 14:26, Jesus proclaims that one must put Him first, before one’s own family members and even before oneself. In the remaining part of this passage, Jesus explains that one must “bear his cross” which indicates that there will be persecution and ridicule from the world throughout one’s journey as a disciple of His. Jesus explains that one must consider the cost of following Him. In a culture that puts family before everything, this teaching would have grasped the intentions of all who choose to believe in Him and the importance of putting Him first.
This is a command, example, and promise of what it means to follow Jesus.
This command, example, and promise from Jesus is the requirement to put Him first in one’s life before family, friends, hobbies, or anything else. This may seem like it requires one to give up everything in one’s life to follow Him, but that is what Satan wants you to think. The truth is that following Jesus and putting Him first in your life is to put Him before everything else in your life. This will allow the decisions that you make in life to become more fulfilling when you seek the will of God through salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Satan wants us to think that we have the greatest fulfillment in life by seeking our own way, but that is because he wants to keep us from finding the way, the truth, and the life, which is the true fulfillment to life. Putting Jesus first in one’s life will allow the plan of our Creator God to become active in our lives and the true fulfillment of one’s heart to be satisfied. Putting Jesus first in our lives will allow family, friends, hobbies, and everything else to become so much more when we seek His will for our lives.
Dear Lord,
There is a cross to bear when we choose to follow Jesus. He said in John 15:20 that if the world persecuted Him, they will also persecute us. The Apostle Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that there is no temptation that we cannot overcome if we will keep our focus on our Savior Jesus. Please give us the strength to put our total belief in Jesus so that we may experience the true life that You have waiting for us – In Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.