Humbled and Challenged (Again) by Jesus
"So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."
"...though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
"Jesus does not ask us to do that which he has not done himself."--Some wise, spiritual dude
At the end of Luke 14, Jesus reminds his listeners of the cost of discipleship. It most likely was an opportunity to "weed out" those on the Jesus bandwagon who didn't really consider all Jesus was asking of them. In our small group last night, we we're chewing on this verse and dissected it twofold: one, we are renouncing our own agendas for a love for God, supreme pleasure and fulfillment in Him (you Christian Hedonists out there are eating this up); two, as Jesus speaks this, he lives it, giving up all he has (equality with the Father, face-to-face presence with the Father in Heaven, becoming a man) and willingly paying the penalty for our sins, satisfying the wrath of God by his work on the cross.
It is a difficult statement to consider renouncing all for Jesus. Am I willing to die for Jesus' sake? Not only a physical death, but death to my own agenda, dreams, desires, pride, sins, to then passionately and wholeheartedly love God, pursue his Kingdom and set others above myself, loving Jesus above all else. Verse 33 reminds me that Christ did that for the Father's glory and our gracious benefit. A while back I asked what it looked like to follow Jesus where he leads, and it is here in the truth that "Jesus never asks us to do that which he has not done himself." If I follow his example, loving God, glorifying God, denying myself, identifying with Jesus and am allowing the Holy Spirit to fuel this work in my life, then I believe that is following Jesus.
Praise God! We serve a God who rolls up his proverbial sleeves and gets in the dirt with us and shows us how to live. And for that, I am eternally thankful.
--Jesus (Luke 14:33)
"...though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
--Philippians 2:6-8
"Jesus does not ask us to do that which he has not done himself."--Some wise, spiritual dude
At the end of Luke 14, Jesus reminds his listeners of the cost of discipleship. It most likely was an opportunity to "weed out" those on the Jesus bandwagon who didn't really consider all Jesus was asking of them. In our small group last night, we we're chewing on this verse and dissected it twofold: one, we are renouncing our own agendas for a love for God, supreme pleasure and fulfillment in Him (you Christian Hedonists out there are eating this up); two, as Jesus speaks this, he lives it, giving up all he has (equality with the Father, face-to-face presence with the Father in Heaven, becoming a man) and willingly paying the penalty for our sins, satisfying the wrath of God by his work on the cross.
It is a difficult statement to consider renouncing all for Jesus. Am I willing to die for Jesus' sake? Not only a physical death, but death to my own agenda, dreams, desires, pride, sins, to then passionately and wholeheartedly love God, pursue his Kingdom and set others above myself, loving Jesus above all else. Verse 33 reminds me that Christ did that for the Father's glory and our gracious benefit. A while back I asked what it looked like to follow Jesus where he leads, and it is here in the truth that "Jesus never asks us to do that which he has not done himself." If I follow his example, loving God, glorifying God, denying myself, identifying with Jesus and am allowing the Holy Spirit to fuel this work in my life, then I believe that is following Jesus.
Praise God! We serve a God who rolls up his proverbial sleeves and gets in the dirt with us and shows us how to live. And for that, I am eternally thankful.
posted by Mr. Purdy at
11:23 AM
3 Comments:
And, we don't just do it because Jesus did it....OR just because he SAID to do it...but ALSO because THAT is how our life will be the most full and we will be the happiest....God always has our best interest at heart and knows what's best for us. He knows living this kind of life is the BEST kind of life possible for his followers.
Great point. Jesus said that he came that we would have abundant life in Him. That looks distinctly different from what our culture claims as abundance. If we miss out on this notion, we miss all that GOd has for us.
NC, This is a good point. I forget who said it among the many, but if one truly lives the Christian life and gives their lives to loving others as themselves, at the end of their life, what can you regret? Even if there is no God, by considering the needs of others, and living a Godly life, this is a life that is truly fulfilling. And, knowing that God is very real, this just reassures us that God will honor those who live for Him! His blessings are so much more than we could ever imagine! Who are we that He richly blesses us and includes us as heirs to His Kingdom!
May we continue to die to ourselves and leave room for God to fill us with His life! This alone is a concept that is baffling. That God would choose to give us life and give us His treasure even though we are the sinners that we are. Praise God for His redemptive work that was accomplished on the cross!
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