Luke 14:25-33

No room for compromise
What does Christianity have to offer that's worth giving up everything else for, including one's own life? More than we can fathom! Jesus offered his disciples a priceless treasure - true happiness, peace, and joy unending with the everlasting Father in his heavenly kingdom. And what does it cost to be a disciple of so generous a Lord who wishes to share everything he has with his beloved disciples? Jesus was utterly honest and spared no words to tell his disciples that it would cost them dearly to follow after him. To gain all, one must be willing to give all. There can be no room for compromise or concession with God. We either give our lives over to him completely or we keep them for ourselves. Paul the Apostle says, ‘We are not our own. We were bought with a price' (1 Cor. 6:19b,20). That price is the blood of Jesus shed for us on the cross.
Is your life given over to God?

Count the cost
Why does Jesus say we must ‘hate' our families and even ourselves? The expression ‘to hate' often meant to ‘prefer less'. Jesus used strong language to make clear that nothing should take precedence or first place in our lives over God. Jesus knew that the way of the cross was the Father's way to glory and victory over sin and death. He counted the cost and said ‘yes' to his Father's will. We, too, must ‘count the cost' and be ready to follow Jesus in the way of the cross if we want to share in his glory and victory. What is the ‘way of the cross' for you and for me?