Count the Cost of being a Disciple of Jesus

Jesus is YHWH · Sep 14, 2020

When Jesus carried His cross up Golgotha to be crucified, no one was thinking of the cross as symbolic of a burden to carry. To a person in the first-century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by the most painful and humiliating means human beings could develop.

Two thousand years later, Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. But in Jesus’ day, the cross represented nothing but torturous death. Because the Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of crucifixion, bearing a cross meant carrying their own execution device while facing ridicule along the way to death.

Therefore, “Take up your cross and follow Me” means being willing to die in order to follow Jesus. This is called “dying to self.” It’s a call to absolute surrender. After each time Jesus commanded cross bearing, He said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:24-25). Although the call is tough, the reward is matchless.

When Jesus began teaching that He was going to die at the hands of the Jewish leaders and their Gentile overlords (Luke 9:22), His popularity sank. Many of the shocked followers rejected Him. Truly, they were not able to put to death their own ideas, plans, and desires, and exchange them for His.

Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly; our true commitment to Him is revealed during trials. Jesus assured us that trials will come to His followers (John 16:33). Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost.

In Luke 9:57-62, three people seemed willing to follow Jesus. When Jesus questioned them further, their commitment was half-hearted at best. They failed to count the cost of following Him. None was willing to take up his cross and crucify upon it his own interests.

Therefore, Jesus appeared to dissuade them. How different from the typical Gospel presentation! How many people would respond to an altar call that went, “Come follow Jesus, and you may face the loss of friends, family, reputation, career, and possibly even your life”? The number of false converts would likely decrease! Such a call is what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

If you wonder if you are ready to take up your cross, consider these questions:
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of your closest friends?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of your reputation?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?

In some places of the world, these consequences are reality. But notice the questions are phrased, “Are you willing?” Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean all these things will happen to you, but are you willing to take up your cross? If there comes a point in your life where you are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?

Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, even your very life if need be for the cause of Christ. Only if you willingly take up your cross may you be called His disciple (Luke 14:27). The reward is worth the price. Jesus followed His call of death to self (“Take up your cross and follow Me”) with the gift of life in Christ: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25-26).got ?

hope this helps !!!

Jesus is YHWH · Sep 14, 2020

The Great Commission
16 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

So being a disciple is not an option its the beginning point in the great commission. One cannot be a follower of Jesus without being His Disciple. A Disciple is the starting point of a believer, a christian.

Jesus is YHWH · Sep 14, 2020

Who is the Lord ?

Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28). From then on, the apostles’ message was that Jesus is Lord, meaning “Jesus is God.” Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost contained that theme: “Let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36). Later, in Cornelius’s house, Peter declared that Jesus is “Lord of all” (Acts 10:36). Note how in Romans 10:9 Jesus’ lordship is linked to His resurrection: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

The statement “Jesus is Lord” means that Jesus is God. Jesus has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). He is Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5). He is “our only Sovereign and Lord” (Jude 1:4). He is, in fact, the Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14).

Jesus referred to Himself as “Lord” many times (e.g., Luke 19:31; John 13:13). And when we compare the Old Testament with the New, we find several times when the “LORD” (Yahweh) of the Hebrew Bible is equated with the “Lord Jesus” by the apostles. For example, Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the LORD is good,” and that passage is alluded to in 1 Peter 2:3, except there Jesus is the “Lord” who is good. Isaiah 8:13 says that “the LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy”; in 1 Peter 3:15 we are commanded, “In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy” (ESV).

Amazingly, the Lord Jesus left His exalted position in heaven and came to earth to save us. In His Incarnation, He showed us what true meekness looks like (see Matthew 11:29). Just before His arrest, Jesus used His power and authority to teach us humility: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). The last will be first, according to our Lord (Matthew 19:30).

In saying, “Jesus is Lord,” we commit ourselves to obey Him. Jesus asked, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). An acknowledgement of Jesus’ lordship is logically accompanied by a submission to Jesus’ authority. If Jesus is Lord, then He owns us; He has the right to tell us what to do.

A person who says, “Jesus is Lord,” with a full understanding of what that means (Jesus is God and has supreme authority over all things) has been divinely enlightened: “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3). Faith in the Lord Jesus is required for salvation (Acts 16:31).

Jesus is Lord. It’s the truth, whether or not people acknowledge the fact. He is more than the Messiah, more than the Savior; He is the Lord of all. Someday, all will submit to that truth: “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11).got?

hope this helps !!!

Carl Emerson · Sep 14, 2020

I have noted that common among believers is a fear of total commitment.

What is not taught is that full surrender to Jesus is not the ultimate feek out - loosing control -

It is allowing a God of order to do a much better job of living through you than you ever did !!!

splish- splash · Sep 14, 2020

Before i gave my life to Christ, i had always been a churchgoer from when i was a kid but, i never at any point wanted an actual relationship with Him, because i had always believed it to be hard work and a very huge burden indeed. E.g.the sleepless nights from fasting and praying, meditating on His word everyday and living a Christ centered life which obviously would mean, giving up on sinful habits and whatnot that i wasn't ready to give up on.

Looking back now, i just wish i had come to Christ sooner. It is very sweet to know the Lord. Very very sweet indeed..

Jesus is YHWH · Sep 14, 2020

Cheap Grace !

The term “cheap grace” can be traced back to a book written by German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, called The Cost of Discipleship, published in 1937. In that book, Bonhoeffer defined “cheap grace” as “the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.” Notice what is emphasized in Bonhoeffer’s definition of cheap grace and what is de-emphasized. The emphasis is on the benefits of Christianity without the costs involved; hence, the adjective cheap to describe it.

Jesus, in His Great Commission to the 11 remaining disciples, commanded them to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that He had commanded them (Matthew 28:19-20). Evangelism and discipleship go hand in hand. A disciple is one who observes (keeps, obeys) all that Jesus has commanded. There is no two-stage process in Christianity—first, be saved; then become a disciple. This arbitrary distinction is foreign to the New Testament and therefore foreign to Christianity.

To play off the title of Bonhoeffer’s book, let’s look at what Jesus said to His disciples about discipleship in Luke 14:25-33. In that passage, Jesus says to the crowds that no one can be His disciple unless they first hate their family (v. 26). Furthermore, the one who cannot bear his own cross cannot be His disciple (v. 27). Two conditions are given by Jesus in order to be His disciple. The first is to be willing to renounce family in order to follow Jesus. The second is to be willing to die, both literally and metaphorically (“die to self”) in order to follow Jesus. Jesus then gives two examples of “counting the cost.” The first is an example of a man who desires to build a tower without first counting the cost of building the tower. After realizing he cannot complete it, he gives up in shame and embarrassment. The second is that of a king preparing to go to battle and making sure he can defend against the superior foe. The point Jesus is making is that discipleship has a cost.

Furthermore, discipleship requires repentance and obedience. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, the message He preached was a message of repentance (Matthew 4:17). The message of the apostles after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension was also one of repentance (Acts 2:38). Along with repentance comes obedience. Jesus told a crowd of listeners that salvation and obedience go hand in hand: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). Jesus then goes on to differentiate the one who builds his house on the sand from the one who builds his house on the rock, that is, the man who not only hears the words of Jesus, but does them, too.

Cheap grace seeks to hide the cost of discipleship from people. It seeks to claim that as long as we make a profession of faith, we are saved. God’s grace covers all our sins. Again, that is a wonderful truth! The apostle Paul says as much when he writes, “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20-21). Yet, right after writing that, Paul follows it with this: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). Salvation by grace alone through faith alone is so much more than simply mouthing the words “Jesus is Lord.” We are not saved by a profession of faith. We are not saved by praying the Sinner’s Prayer. We are not saved by signing a card or walking an aisle. We are saved by a living and active faith (James 2:14-26), a faith that manifests itself in repentance, obedience and love of God and our neighbor. Salvation is not a transaction; it’s a transformation. Paul says it best when he says we are “new creations” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). There is nothing “cheap” about grace! got?

hope this helps !!!

Jesus is YHWH · Sep 14, 2020

Matthew 10:24-39

The Meaning of Discipleship

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!

26 “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.

37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

bling · Sep 15, 2020

Jesus is YHWH said:
When Jesus carried His cross up Golgotha to be crucified, no one was thinking of the cross as symbolic of a burden to carry. To a person in the first-century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by the most painful and humiliating means human beings could develop.

Two thousand years later, Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. But in Jesus’ day, the cross represented nothing but torturous death. Because the Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of crucifixion, bearing a cross meant carrying their own execution device while facing ridicule along the way to death.

Therefore, “Take up your cross and follow Me” means being willing to die in order to follow Jesus. This is called “dying to self.” It’s a call to absolute surrender. After each time Jesus commanded cross bearing, He said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:24-25). Although the call is tough, the reward is matchless.

When Jesus began teaching that He was going to die at the hands of the Jewish leaders and their Gentile overlords (Luke 9:22), His popularity sank. Many of the shocked followers rejected Him. Truly, they were not able to put to death their own ideas, plans, and desires, and exchange them for His.

Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly; our true commitment to Him is revealed during trials. Jesus assured us that trials will come to His followers (John 16:33). Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost.

In Luke 9:57-62, three people seemed willing to follow Jesus. When Jesus questioned them further, their commitment was half-hearted at best. They failed to count the cost of following Him. None was willing to take up his cross and crucify upon it his own interests.

Therefore, Jesus appeared to dissuade them. How different from the typical Gospel presentation! How many people would respond to an altar call that went, “Come follow Jesus, and you may face the loss of friends, family, reputation, career, and possibly even your life”? The number of false converts would likely decrease! Such a call is what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

If you wonder if you are ready to take up your cross, consider these questions:
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of your closest friends?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of your reputation?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?

In some places of the world, these consequences are reality. But notice the questions are phrased, “Are you willing?” Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean all these things will happen to you, but are you willing to take up your cross? If there comes a point in your life where you are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?

Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, even your very life if need be for the cause of Christ. Only if you willingly take up your cross may you be called His disciple (Luke 14:27). The reward is worth the price. Jesus followed His call of death to self (“Take up your cross and follow Me”) with the gift of life in Christ: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25-26).got ?

hope this helps !!!

You said one thing I would like to discuss:

“Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly…”, but is it?

I might say: “Giving the appearance of “following Jesus” is easy, when things are running smooth.”

What do you think?

Jesus is YHWH · Sep 15, 2020

bling said:
You said one thing I would like to discuss:

“Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly…”, but is it?

I might say: “Giving the appearance of “following Jesus” is easy, when things are running smooth.”

What do you think?

Thats what the majority of churches teach that all one has to do is "accept Jesus" and you will experience the abundant life and everything will be great and God will bless you with the desires of your heart. And we wonder why the " church" in America has no influence in our culture. The fact is Jesus made it hard to follow Him and said it might very well cost you your life, family, friends etc..... He said to count the cost before attempting to follow Him and many turned away from Him. In fact Jesus said if the hate Me they will hate you and you will suffer persecution on My behalf. Gods word promises believers that they will face various trials but God will be there will you so that you might stand up under those trials. this easy believism in our culture has no effect on it whatsoever but those who count the cost and Jesus is their Lord will endure under hardship and He will sustain you. Most want to go to a church that makes them feel good, build up their self esteem with the prosperity gospel, heath and wealth, name it and claim it false teaching that are prevalent on TV and many churches not only in the US but abroad. Its a sad case how those teachers are leading people away from the Living God with their heresies.

bling · Sep 15, 2020

Jesus is YHWH said:
Thats what the majority of churches teach that all one has to do is "accept Jesus" and you will experience the abundant life and everything will be great and God will bless you with the desires of your heart. And we wonder why the " church" in America has no influence in our culture. The fact is Jesus made it hard to follow Him and said it might very well cost you your life, family, friends etc..... He said to count the cost before attempting to follow Him and many turned away from Him. In fact Jesus said if the hate Me they will hate you and you will suffer persecution on My behalf. Gods word promises believers that they will face various trials but God will be there will you so that you might stand up under those trials. this easy believism in our culture has no effect on it whatsoever but those who count the cost and Jesus is their Lord will endure under hardship and He will sustain you. Most want to go to a church that makes them feel good, build up their self esteem with the prosperity gospel, heath and wealth, name it and claim it false teaching that are prevalent on TV and many churches not only in the US but abroad. Its a sad case how those teachers are leading people away from the Living God with their heresies.

For many years, I experienced and believed Christianity had no real down side. It was a happy, easy and rewarding life, everyone should jump at.

I use to teach “we (Christians) all sin lots of times and cannot keep from it, but we are constantly being washed by the blood of Christ, so we are without sin in that case.” That was before I met a group of Christians that risked death for themselves and others by sinning, just any sign of not doing what Christ would be doing in that moment. Here is what happened:

I got thrown into (volunteering if needed) with the youth (13-21 age) prisoners program teaching Bible (one hour on Sunday morning to a group of 14 with three other Christians teaching groups of 14) and I was teaching three groups of “Christians”. The first group were guys (going to school it is called) that start out causing trouble and getting thrown in the tank. Then they start increasingly attending the Bible services, carrying their Bible, being nice, eventually being baptized and saying they are Christian. By the time the parole board meets they have this glowing report showing continued improvement tied to their increased spirituality and are released and they were fun to teach. These guys still carry weapons, are members of a gang, and every prisoner knows they just “went to school” to get out. The second group were converted before they went to prison (grandma conversions), but on the first day they are watching raunchy TV, hanging with a loss group, laughing at off colored jokes, were not always talking about Jesus and were not trying to convert others. Their first day in prison the snitches see this, the snitches talk to the Bulls that approach these “Christians” saying you are not a Christian (doing everything Christ would do) and make them a slave (often sexual) or at best a gang member. They still come to Bible study on Sunday, good students, so they can tell Granny (who visits them Sunday afternoon) what they learned, but they are slaves (sometimes sexually) to some bull. The third group is fanatical, they stick close to each other, they: study, pray, witness to everyone, and avoid even a hint of insincerity that the snitches could see. They carry no weapons, but step between those that are being beaten especially persecuted. This group had grown over the last 3 years from just a couple of guys to now 42, but it came at a high price. Each convert had on the day he was baptized given up the protection of his gang membership, turned over his weapons along with all his possessions (the gang owns everything including them), they were beaten if not by the gang they left, then by other gangs looking for payback and then they were watched constantly looking for any sign the snitches might interpret as weakness (anything less than what Christ would do in the situation, would result in a beating and it could be to death). There is absolutely no privacy and these Christians never wanted to be found alone. They slept in barracks where at least one stayed awake all night praying over the others, so they could sleep without the fear of being smashed in the head in the middle of the night. These guys believed and counted on power from the Holy Spirit, I did not know existed. They come battered and bruised each week hungry for some real meaningful Christ like lesson that goes beyond their group study of 40+hours that week on the same subject, which I could not provide. They mostly helped me with my poor example of Christianity and lack of knowledge and lack of wisdom. They mentored me even though they were only Christian for a few months, but I was a poor disciple and could not keep up with them.

SANTOSO · Sep 16, 2020

Have you heard before what Jesus Christ have said THIS and try to ignore and find it to be irrelevant for you?

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:26

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:27

When we kept silent, do you think that make us right?

Or do we just say we are Follower of Christ not His disciples? Do that make us right before Jesus when eventually we meet Him?

For we have also heard in the bible :
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. -Proverbs 25:2

If Jesus Christ, Son of God, have spoken to us and conceal THIS,
He must speak to us who search what He means by what He have said.

Is Jesus concerned about us hating our own father and mother? It cannot be!

Jesus would not contradict with God’s commandments to revere our parents.

As Jesus have spoken Himself:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. -Matthew 5:17

Jesus are not telling us that it is right to hate brothers and sisters!

For Jesus have strongly spoken:
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment;
whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council;
and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. -Matthew 5:22

Does Jesus talk only of His disciples when He first come to earth? No !!!

As it is written:
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, HAVING LOVED HIS OWN WHO WERE IN THE WORLD, He loved them to the end. -John 13:1

Yes, we were once in the world but we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord, Savior and also Teacher !

For Jesus have said :
You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. -John 13:13

How do we understand what Jesus have spoken:
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate wife and children,.... he cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:26

As we have also known what Jesus have spoken:
And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. -Matthew 10:36

Does it mean right to hate your own wives and children and make them enemies? No !!! Why for Jesus have also spoken:

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, -Matthew 5:44

so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.-Matthew 5:45

Then what does Jesus mean :
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:26

Likewise, Jesus has also spoken:
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. -Matthew 10:37

What Jesus is strongly concerned those who come to Him who LOVE THEMSELVES OR OTHERS MORE THAN HIM is not worthy of Him.

It is THIS “SELF LOVE” that cause much sinning !
It is that those who have this
SELF LOVE is that hinder many to come to Jesus and cannot become His disciples!!!

It is this “SELF LOVE” that make many unworthy of Jesus.

Then what it takes to be worthy of Jesus?

Let us first try to understand when Jesus have said:
Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:27

Why Jesus is so concerned about us bearing the cross and come after Him?
Why Jesus is so concerned about us becoming His disciples?

Likewise, Jesus have also spoken:

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not WORTHY of ME. -Matthew 10:38

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. -Matthew 10:39

Why by not taking the cross that we are unworthy of Jesus?
Why by just following and not taking the cross that mean we are unworthy of Jesus?
Why Jesus is so concerned that we lose our life for His sake ?

Jesus is so SERIOUS about THIS!!!

Have we not noticed and take heed ? How do we face Him when He comes the second time to earth?

Remember the Lord’s Prayer that He taught us:
and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us." -Luke 11:4

Taking the cross Jesus speak is about bearing the sins that others have done to us ; just like Jesus bore our sins:

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. -1 Peter 2:24

When we bore the cross, we bore the sins of others in our body on the tree, just like Jesus.

How are we able to bear this cross ?
That is why Jesus tell us to come after Him:
But I will sing of Your strength; I will sing aloud of Your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. -Psalms 59:16

We need to acknowledge God is our strength by singing and praising His steadfast love everyday and trusting that God is our fortress and a refuge in the day of our distress.

When we bear the cross and follow Jesus, we come to be worthy of Him.

When other hurt us, offend us, trespass against us, sinned against us ; when we are suffering for what is right, we suffer for Christ’s sake.

That is what Jesus means by losing our life for His sake; when we lose our life for His sake, we find this ABUNDANT life - life that is rooted and grounded in Christ’s love.

This NEW LIFE that is worthy of Christ’s love for eternity.

That is why the church is reminded:
Hear, O daughter ( the church), and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father's house, -Psalms 45:10
and the King ( Jesus Christ) will desire your beauty ( beauty of holiness ). Since He is your lord, bow to Him. -Psalms 45:11

That is why apostle Paul have said:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. -Romans 8:18

That is why David, the son of Jesse, who run after the heart of God have said:
Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. -Psalms 63:3

When Jesus come the second time, may He find us that have put off SELF LOVE and to be renewed in the spirit of our minds and put on the NEW LIFE of LOVE IN CHRIST , which created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. -Ephesians 4:21-24

Let us look forward to the day when it is announced:
"Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. -Revelation 19:6

Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His Bride has made herself ready; -Revelation 19:7

Hallelujah
Amen

Jesus is YHWH · Sep 16, 2020

SANTOSO said:
Have you heard before what Jesus Christ have said THIS and try to ignore and find it to be irrelevant for you?

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:26

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:27

When we kept silent, do you think that make us right?

Or do we just say we are Follower of Christ not His disciples? Do that make us right before Jesus when eventually we meet Him?

For we have also heard in the bible :
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. -Proverbs 25:2

If Jesus Christ, Son of God, have spoken to us and conceal THIS,
He must speak to us who search what He means by what He have said.

Is Jesus concerned about us hating our own father and mother? It cannot be!

Jesus would not contradict with God’s commandments to revere our parents.

As Jesus have spoken Himself:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. -Matthew 5:17

Jesus are not telling us that it is right to hate brothers and sisters!

For Jesus have strongly spoken:
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment;
whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council;
and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. -Matthew 5:22

Does Jesus talk only of His disciples when He first come to earth? No !!!

As it is written:
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, HAVING LOVED HIS OWN WHO WERE IN THE WORLD, He loved them to the end. -John 13:1

Yes, we were once in the world but we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord, Savior and also Teacher !

For Jesus have said :
You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. -John 13:13

How do we understand what Jesus have spoken:
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate wife and children,.... he cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:26

As we have also known what Jesus have spoken:
And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. -Matthew 10:36

Does it mean right to hate your own wives and children and make them enemies? No !!! Why for Jesus have also spoken:

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, -Matthew 5:44

so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.-Matthew 5:45

Then what does Jesus mean :
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:26

Likewise, Jesus has also spoken:
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. -Matthew 10:37

What Jesus is strongly concerned those who come to Him who LOVE THEMSELVES OR OTHERS MORE THAN HIM is not worthy of Him.

It is THIS “SELF LOVE” that cause much sinning !
It is that those who have this
SELF LOVE is that hinder many to come to Jesus and cannot become His disciples!!!

It is this “SELF LOVE” that make many unworthy of Jesus.

Then what it takes to be worthy of Jesus?

Let us first try to understand when Jesus have said:
Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:27

Why Jesus is so concerned about us bearing the cross and come after Him?
Why Jesus is so concerned about us becoming His disciples?

Likewise, Jesus have also spoken:

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not WORTHY of ME. -Matthew 10:38

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. -Matthew 10:39

Why by not taking the cross that we are unworthy of Jesus?
Why by just following and not taking the cross that mean we are unworthy of Jesus?
Why Jesus is so concerned that we lose our life for His sake ?

Jesus is so SERIOUS about THIS!!!

Have we not noticed and take heed ? How do we face Him when He comes the second time to earth?

Remember the Lord’s Prayer that He taught us:
and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us." -Luke 11:4

Taking the cross Jesus speak is about bearing the sins that others have done to us ; just like Jesus bore our sins:

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. -1 Peter 2:24

When we bore the cross, we bore the sins of others in our body on the tree, just like Jesus.

How are we able to bear this cross ?
That is why Jesus tell us to come after Him:
But I will sing of Your strength; I will sing aloud of Your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. -Psalms 59:16

We need to acknowledge God is our strength by singing and praising His steadfast love everyday and trusting that God is our fortress and a refuge in the day of our distress.

When we bear the cross and follow Jesus, we come to be worthy of Him.

When other hurt us, offend us, trespass against us, sinned against us ; when we are suffering for what is right, we suffer for Christ’s sake.

That is what Jesus means by losing our life for His sake; when we lose our life for His sake, we find this ABUNDANT life - life that is rooted and grounded in Christ’s love.

This NEW LIFE that is worthy of Christ’s love for eternity.

That is why the church is reminded:
Hear, O daughter ( the church), and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father's house, -Psalms 45:10
and the King ( Jesus Christ) will desire your beauty ( beauty of holiness ). Since He is your lord, bow to Him. -Psalms 45:11

That is why apostle Paul have said:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. -Romans 8:18

That is why David, the son of Jesse, who run after the heart of God have said:
Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. -Psalms 63:3

When Jesus come the second time, may He find us that have put off SELF LOVE and to be renewed in the spirit of our minds and put on the NEW LIFE of LOVE IN CHRIST , which created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. -Ephesians 4:21-24

Let us look forward to the day when it is announced:
"Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. -Revelation 19:6

Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His Bride has made herself ready; -Revelation 19:7

Hallelujah
Amen

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this important topic of being a disciple.

SANTOSO · Sep 16, 2020

Jesus is YHWH said:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this important topic of being a disciple.

May the sharing of our faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. -Philemon 1:6
Amen

GDL · Oct 9, 2020

This thread is a refreshing breath of fresh air!! Thanks for pointing it out to me "Jesus is YHWH." Some very good content!

bling: your story is a wake-up to the reality some face for their Faith. Thanks for telling it.

I'm going to throw something out here in response to what was said near the end of post #6 re: "faith alone in Christ alone." I hope it's taken in the spirit it's given.

Firstly, the explanation surrounding this is excellent! In my view it takes this statement away from the way it is usually used and applies truth to it.

I came to not like hearing this statement, because of the way it is used by so many. But my dislike was not due only to the way it is used by some, but also because there's so much to be said to explain it, which was done nicely by Jesus is YHWH.

One of the counters to the way this statement is usually used, is that: Faith is never alone. I agree with this and after much observation, interaction & study, I came to see that many who say this phrase do not know what Biblical Faith is & how much is attached to and a part of it. For example, to talk about Biblical Faith without talking about obeying our Lord & our Father is ultimately, virtually meaningless.

Also, re: the "Christ alone" part: Have you ever sat down & read the NT Gospels just to focus to see how much Jesus refers to and glorifies our Father? Then read verses like:

NKJ John 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

My point is simple but not liked by many, who like traditions. I strive for accuracy in understanding our Text. And our Lord just said it's not just Faith in Him, but also in our Father who sent Him. To have the focus on our Father that our Lord has is another level of realization in my view & experience.

"Faith alone" is not the true Biblical Faith in the minds of some who use this phrase. Their view of Faith is greatly over-simplified, and Faith is virtually undefined in them.

"Christ Alone" has great meaning, which can never be taken from Him, but I'm certain He would have us understand that belief in Him is belief in our Father who sent Him to do for us what we could never do for ourselves. Our Text glorifies all members of the Godhead. We should follow it and do the same.

For me, I've mostly dropped the phrase. But, from what I'm reading here, I'd pick it back up for a discussion with Jesus is YHWH, because I think we'd be thinking on the same lines in using it.

Thanks again.........

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