“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?”
Luke 14:28
It is not uncommon for Jewish parents to hold a funeral for a son or daughter who does the unthinkable. When a Jew comes to faith in Jesus they are now, in the Yiddish, a “meshumed.” A traitor! A turncoat! An apostate! To be a follower of the Jewish Messiah costs something dear.
As Jesus was walking down the road in ancient Israel, a Jewish man said to Him, “I will follow you wherever you go” (Luke 9:57). But Jesus explained to the man that following Him would be costly. He told the man that he might not have a place to sleep. There will be discomfort and loneliness. There will be separation.
In fact, Jesus goes so far as to tell His Jewish disciples, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Following Jesus as a Jew is hard, and sometimes we will lose important relationships. But the willingness to give up everything is an essential requirement of following the Jewish Messiah.
As Jesus was walking down the road in ancient Israel, a Jewish man said to Him, “I will follow you wherever you go” (Luke 9:57). But Jesus explained to the man that following Him would be costly. He told the man that he might not have a place to sleep. There will be discomfort and loneliness. There will be separation.
In fact, Jesus goes so far as to tell His Jewish disciples, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Following Jesus as a Jew is hard, and sometimes we will lose important relationships. But the willingness to give up everything is an essential requirement of following the Jewish Messiah.
Scripture Focus
Luke 9:18-20
Insight
“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1937)
Bible In A Year
- 2 Kings 1-2
- Proverbs 11
- James 1
