THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

103Notice that Jesus did not want a blind, naive commitment that expected only blessings.As a builder estimates costs before building or a king evaluates military strength before he goesinto battle (14:31), so a person must carefully consider what Jesus expects of His followers.But why did Jesus give such a serious warning? It was because of the radical demandsof discipleship.Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was a theologian and pastored an underground church duringHitler’s regime, and who was put to death by Hitler’s henchmen for his allegiance to Christstated:“When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die. It may be a death like thatof the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow Him, or it may bea death like Luther’s, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world.But it is the same death every time—death in Jesus Christ, the death of the oldman at his call.” 5 (Emphasis added)Jesus put it:“‘If anyone comes after Me and does not hate his father and mother, his wifeand children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot beMy disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannotbe My disciple” (vv. 26-27).Jesus comes first!Jesus makes it clear that our relationship with anyone else must be second to ourrelationship with Him. The use of the word “hate” is a hyperbole meaning that our love for Himmust be so deeper that in comparison to our love for others it seems like hatred.In the parallel passage in Matthew we see this clearly:“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me;anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; andanyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me” (Mt 10:37-38).This means that when we wake up in the morning, He is the first thing in our thoughtsand that when we go to bed at night, He is the last thing we think on before we fall asleep.