The Real Applications In Life (Luke 14:26) ­ Part 2 By Warren E. Berkley
Reprinted from the February, 1998 issue of the Expository Files.
(http://www.geocities.com/~expository/)
3. Discipleship without cost or obligation is not New Testament teaching.
In the time of Christ and still today some people are looking for the easiest, most convenient kind of religious association. They seek to have their social needs met; they want friendship and fun. But they do not want to be preached to; they will not give up their bad habits and reform their character; worship is just a ritual - and they have no interest in participating in spiritual work.
Certain words and concepts immediately turn these people off: Bible Authority, Obedience, Work; personal zeal, sacrifice and study. Without a doubt there are those who seek a convenient, comfortable, easy sort of religion. JESUS DOESN'T ANSWER THAT NEED; He doesn't respond to that call! Look at all Jesus said.
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "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. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. "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? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
While some want a religion that doesn't cost anything, Jesus told the crowds: "Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has, cannot be My disciple." Let me ask, would you put your very life and all that you have in this world at risk, to follow Jesus Christ? In the New Testament, when we read about obeying the gospel and living as a follower of Christ, this is the loyalty and commitment necessary.
4. Then I believe it should be said - All of this needs emphasis before baptism.
In this context, Jesus tells of a builder constructing a tower. Also, a king estimating his military strength. This illustrates the wisdom of considering, calculating and counting the cost of what you are about to do. An emotional, impulsive decision to be baptized is not recommended. Urgency is recommended but Jesus wants us to know the cost, the involvements of discipleship.
This is why He spoke so plainly to the crowd about the loyalty that would be necessary. And we need to take this kind of teaching and use it carefully when we are teaching people who are not Christians. In being a Christian there is a price to pay; duties to perform; and there is this loyalty that is greater than family loyalty. This needs to be part of that teaching we do; we have called "first principles."
Conclusion:
When Jesus came, there were Jewish families involved in religious traditions which were human in origin and not pleasing to God; later, when the gospel was taken to Gentiles, there were Gentile families involved in idolatrous religion. Believing in Christ and following Him meant: leaving all sin behind; leaving all false religion behind, even if sanctioned and practiced by one's family.
I am a third generation Christian so it may be, some of you have more personal experience with this. You know how hard it is to break away from family tradition; you have been through the strain and may still suffer the consequences. God honors your loyalty and zeal; and those who are willing to forsake all to follow Christ ... those who bear His cross and carry His name with pride - will find indescribable and eternal joy at the end of the journey.
Have you counted the cost? Will you be His disciple?
Angels by Allan Turner
(http://allanturner.com/angels.html)
Angels are spiritual beings created by God (Psalms 148:1,5), who are on a higher order than man (Hebrews 2:7), and neither reproduce nor die (Luke 20:35,36). They are mentioned some 273 times in the Scriptures and often functioned as agents of destruction or blessing (Genesis 19:13,16). As such, they were involved in God's providential care for His people (II Kings 18-19). It is our firm conviction that they still function in this capacity even today.
Modern-day Sadducees
Unfortunately, too many of us have become modern-day Sadducees, in that we do not believe in angels (cf. Acts 23:8). Many have assumed that because miracles have ceased, angels are no longer in business today. This would seem to be an obvious contradiction of Hebrews 1:13,14, which says angels are "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation."
Although we are not living in the miraculous age, this must not be taken to mean that God is not still exercising control over His creation. In Matthew 5:45, the Bible teaches the general providence of God, and in Matthew 6:33, the child of God is taught to trust in God's specific providence toward His children. In Romans 8:28-31, we are taught that "all things work together for good to them that love God." Does this not suggest God's providential care?
We Do Not Live In A Totally Chance Universe
Both Hebrews 1:3 and Colossians 1:17 make it perfectly clear that God's creation has not been left to mere chance. God is still in control. God still rules in the kingdoms of men and this is verified by such passages as Romans 13, Acts 17:26, and Daniel 4:17, 32. To believe, as some do, that God has taken on a "hands-off" position with reference to the affairs of mankind is not only a contra-diction of Scripture, but is tantamount to dethroning Jesus Christ, who now reigns as King of kings (Revelation 1:5; Ephesians 1:20,21).
It is, indeed, comforting to know that angels are sent forth by God to minister unto us for "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 1:18,19). Our prayers to God are not exercises in futility, but are, in fact, requests based on a faith that God can and will help us, and that angels are His agents in these matters.
Lord, Open Our Eyes
Paul prayed that Christians would have the eyes of their understanding enlightened so that they could see "the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe" (Ephesians 1:18,19). If we will, by faith, open our eyes, we can see that "they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (II Kings 6:16).
We have not undertaken to explain how angels minister to the saints, only that they, in fact, do.
[Editor's note: Over the next few months we will attempt to cover the subject of Angels in greater detail and try to determine just how Angels minister to the saints.]
PARTING THOUGHT
If faith has done nothing for your temper, it has done nothing for your soul. "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice." Eph. 4:31 (NASB)
THE BOTTOM LINE ­ Nothing ruins the truth like stretching it. (Pr. 19:9)