Are you really a disciple of Jesus?

"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26-27 KJV

I ask you today, "Are you a disciple of Jesus?" Considering Jesus' words in Luke 14:26-27, do you love the Lord Jesus more than your father and mother, your spouse and your children, your brothers and sisters, and even your own life? Are you willing to suffer the hatred and persecution which goes with being a true follower of Christ and His Word, and are you willing to follow Him and hold fast to all that His Word teaches even if it means suffering or death? Jesus said that if you do not put Him first and foremost, you cannot be His disciple. If you are not willing to suffer with Him and follow after Him in all that He teaches and wherever He leads, you cannot be His disciple!

Before one commits to following Jesus and being His disciple, Jesus urges him to count the cost and consider the burden. He said in Luke 14:28-33: "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath 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, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."

Indeed, there are many fair-weather followers of Jesus. As long as all is well and there are no storms to endure, no difficulties to bear, no controversies to test their faithfulness, no persecutions to suffer, they are happy to follow Jesus; but let trouble come or persecution, and they are quick to turn back and forsake Christ and faithfulness to His Word. In such cases, Jesus' words in verses 34-35 are so fitting: "Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Not a single one of us would or could be a disciple of Jesus apart from His gracious working in us through His Word. We were dead in our trespasses and sins, lovers of ourselves and not lovers of God (cf. Ephesians 2:1ff.; Titus 3:3-7). As Jesus said in John, chapter six, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (v. 44); and, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (v. 63; cf. John 6:22-71).

By God's grace alone, we were brought to see our utter sinful and lost condition and to see God's mercy and grace offered to us in Christ Jesus -- for the sake of His atoning sacrifice upon the cross for the sins of the world. It is by God's grace alone that we were brought to trust in Christ Jesus, our Savior.

The Bible tells us: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

It is by God's grace that we were made disciples of our Lord Jesus. By the Holy Spirit's gracious working, we continue in His Word, have learned the truth and are His disciples indeed (John 8:31,32).

And, as a result of God's gracious working in us to bring us to know and trust in Christ Jesus as our Savior, He has also created in us a love for Christ which supersedes our love for spouse or children or family. He gives us the strength and willingness to suffer all rather than forsake Christ Jesus and lose the blessings of forgiveness and life which Christ won for us. He gives us a willingness to live and even sacrifice our own lives in this world for the sake of Christ and to carry on His work in this world of reaching out to lost and dying souls with His grace and mercy.

By His grace, we have been made disciples of Jesus.

O gracious and merciful Savior, grant that we truly be Your disciples -- that we trust in You alone for forgiveness and life and submit to the teaching of Your Word in all things. Keep us faithful unto you that we might receive the crown of life You have won for us by Your holy life and innocent sufferings and death upon the cross in our stead. Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]