"FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST"
LUKE 14: 25-35
This is not a foreign topic that we hear anymore, but this time we will go deeper into understanding it. Hence the text for this time's devotional from Luke 14: 25-35.
After we read the text, we will see the text which is the extraordinary word of God which can be our strong and solid foundation. Does entering into the days ahead of us really do have a firm and strong following for Jesus? In a real sense, as the Lord Jesus requires according to the word of God? Once again I want to explain to us, namely:
1. What is following Jesus?
2. Why do we follow Jesus?
If we look at our context these days, of course there are so many reasons why we follow Jesus. As we can classify, there are so many people who say "I follow Jesus!", But it could be because they just joined in or just because they wanted to get a job, or also just wanted to get a blessing or also because they wanted to get a position. If we pay attention to this part of God's word, especially verses 25-35, we will see the context of the background of Jesus speaking while turning to Jesus' disciples and also to the multitudes who followed Jesus. Of course the Lord Jesus Himself knew what motivated these people to follow Him, for example in chapter 14: 1 someone followed Jesus just to observe him. So if we are like that, then we are followers of Jesus who only place themselves as a loyal audience to what is done in his ministry, but could also because he wants to get a position (see chapters 14: 7-11) for example like the debates that occur. among the disciples, about who has the right to be at the right hand of Jesus. We can also see that there were people who deliberately refused to follow Jesus, for example, chapter 14:18. The reason put forward is the classic reason, namely because the property owned by a person is more valuable than just following Jesus (Luke 14:14). The second, in verse 19, is the reason for refusing to follow Jesus because of work (Luke 14:19). Third, we can see the reasons for refusing to follow Jesus for domestic reasons (Luke 14:20). Thus, we do not judge anyone through this Word of God, but it is a reality that there are certain groups or people who emphatically refuse to follow Jesus for reasons of ownership, for reasons of employment, or for reasons of marriage or household is more than all. -everything than just following Jesus. Now that we have looked at this background, "what does it mean to follow Jesus?" In verses 26-27, two important things explain in parallel what it means to follow Jesus, namely:
1. Carrying His Cross (not the Cross of Jesus but the cross of the person),
If we look at this reading, there are two understandings. The first is the Lord Jesus Christ, who firmly says: "if someone comes to me, he does not hate his father and mother and follow me .....". In this case, we should not misunderstand, it is not as if we should not love or love our family, but what it means is that the Lord Jesus must be a priority. The second thing that is meant by "taking up the cross" is bearing the suffering that one has to experience for doing the righteousness or God's will, not suffering because of sin (1Pet 2:19).
2. Become a Disciple of God. In this case there are consequences and there is a learning process that must be faced when we follow Jesus, which means the process of discipleship (someone who learns to be a disciple). In fact, this process of discipleship is also found in the Old Testament, where even a prophet actually positioned himself as a disciple (Isaiah 50: 4). As a student, he must have a plan to produce mature decisions and must go through a process that develops potential or power. Thus, following Jesus is not a shortcut but a long process that one has to go through (Luke 14: 31-32). This is the consequence that we must go through, because in the end there is eternal life that has been prepared for us.
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