Luke the beloved physician wrote about Jesus, “there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first, and counts the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sits not down first, and consults whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassage, and desires conditions of peace”, and in chapter fourteen and verse thirty-three of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple” where we read:
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.
The verse reads, “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has, ...” Luke began with the words, “So likewise” or “in this manner and likeness then, therefore, accordingly, consequently and these things being so is”, “whosoever he be of you” which means “whatever person whether male or female among the crowd listening to Jesus” “that forsakes not all that he has” or “who does not set apart, separate, bid farewell and send away each, every, the whole and everything the person holds, owns and possesses”. Luke shared how Jesus said a person who does not “leave” and “say farewell” to everything they have to follow Him are like the “king” who fails to send an ambassador to negotiate a “peace treaty”.
The verse continues, “... he cannot be my disciple.” Luke added the words, “he cannot be” or “the person whether male or female is unable and incapable of existing as” “my disciple” which means “Jesus' student, pupil and attendant”. Luke shared how Jesus said the person who does not “negotiate” in advance with Him is unable to exist as His “student and attendant”.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn why Jesus used the illustration of the “kings” who were set for battle. His idea was to make “peace” in advance of the “war”, and in the same way people should “make peace” with God by believing in His Son Jesus before they meet Him face to face. Every person will have a personal encounter with Almighty God at the judgment, (“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27), and the wise person will humble themselves, yield to Jesus as their “Savior and Lord” and receive His forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life with Him.
Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “Salt is good: but if the salt has lost his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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