Luke 14:33, "In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."
I've been preparing the first message in the Radical series this week. In my preparation I came across this passage. Take a moment and consider the implications if this passage were taken literally. Everything. In the Greek, it means...um...everything. I can't get away from this thought. As I analyze American Christianity I see a group of people who are content with sacrificing so little. We are very comfortable with the professionals, such as ministers and missionaries, to make great sacrifices for the Kingdom. In fact, many people are Christians for what they perceive they can get from it, such as: stability, morals, Heaven, peace of mind, a good marriage, moral kids, etc. The idea of sacrifice is foreign because we want the sacrifice to be made for us. What does your Christianity cost you? Maybe that's why I get frustrated so many times as I see Christians not taking the initiative to give of themselves or to share of their resources. People want to receive more than sacrifice.
Everything. Think about the sacrifices Jesus asked of people wanting to follow Him. To the rich man, He told him to sell his possessions and follow Him. To the family man, He told him to hate his family or leave his dying father in order to follow Him. To the religious man, Jesus asked him to recant the error of his religious ways and start over. To the living man, Jesus warned that he would die for his faith. So what might Jesus be asking of you? I wonder what my reaction would be today if Jesus turned to me and asked me to leave the treasures of my life? I've been working through my life this week, analyzing what I've been holding back from consideration...and actively giving those things/people over to Jesus in my own way. Everything has to be on the table in a conversation like this. Is there anything you've kept off the table from Jesus? Why wouldn't you offer it to Him? Just some thoughts...
