Devotional Thoughts for Today
Under the same subject (denying oneself to be a Christ’s disciple), two parables with different emphasis are given.
Lk 14:26-33 (NIV): “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. [27] And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. [28] Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? [29] For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, [30] saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ [31] Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? [32] 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. [33] In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
During a service many years ago, the pastor of my church asked that if anyone was willing to foot the large bill for something the church needed, to raise their hands. After a few seconds of uneasiness, especially among the elders, several people complied. While that’s a commitment, they likely didn’t have enough time to “calculate the cost to see if [they had] enough to complete” what was promised. Some who could not give may have left the church, not wanting to be ridiculed.
There are two components to “giving up everything to be a Christ’s disciple”: rationality and faith.
First, be rational by committing to something “according to what one has,” whether it be money and/or time, “not according to what he does not have” (2 Cor. 8:12). This, however, is not necessarily borne of faith, which is “being . . . certain of what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1). Therefore, we must up the “ante” (i.e., commitment) so that “your faith grows” (2 Cor. 10:15). The increase in the commitment level must be incremental—a result of “sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Rom. 12:3) at that moment in life. Some people, pressured by those who appear more committed, who try to jump several hurdles all at once, are likely to become bitter and complain later on.
As our commitment level grows, we’ll reach a point where we may be ready to surrender all aspects of our lives to the “King of kings” (1 Tim. 6:15), which is what the second parable shows. The “kings” refer to us who are in charge of our own lives, but upon seeing that the KING, who comes to conquer, is stronger than us, then, instead of fighting, we’ll surrender. Those who haven’t added faith to their rationality will put up a losing fight; those who have will yield, allowing the KING to rule them wherein they encounter righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17).
How is your commitment level with God? Are you making the right calculation? If so, are you adding faith thereafter to ensure that you grow? Think about it and make changes.
Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 65
Lunch Break Study
Read Lk. 9:57-62 (NASB): “As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, ‘I will follow You wherever You go.’ [58] And Jesus said to him, ‘The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’ [59] And He said to another, ‘Follow Me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.’ [60] But He said to him, ‘Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.’ [61] Another also said, ‘I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.’ [62] But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’”
Lk. 16:13 (ESV): “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Question to Consider
- The first layer of commitment is developing a sense of detachment from certain good things, but nonetheless, can pull us away from God. What are these “certain good things”?
- In these two passages, is Jesus asking us to merely have a sense of detachment or act upon it? How are they responding?
- What are you struggling with at the moment? A better question is, “What is God telling you to act upon (based on your calculation+faith) to take you to the next level of commitment for Him?”
Notes
- A desire to have a nice place to lay one’s head; family relationships; economic success (the plowing); having enough money (however that is constituted in one’s mind).
- Jesus is asking those who said they wanted to follow him to act up on their sense of detachment from these good things. Understandably, they were struggling with what was asked of them. And if we are not in the habit of adding faith to our rationality, this will always be a big struggle.
- If it is money, while you don’t have to give a big chunk every time you offer (tithing will do most of the times), you may need to offer an amount that strongly symbolizes a sense detachment from it. If it is family ties, you should practice being away from them for the sake of God’s work, whether it be one day or week, or more.
Evening Reflection
Did you encounter opportunities to deny yourself to follow Christ today? It doesn’t have to be an earthshaking event. How did you handle it? Review your day; reflect and pray.
A large freshmen class was told by the professor to submit their monthly assignments on the last day of the month—from September to November. The fifty students who missed the first deadline were given a failing grade, but the professor showed them mercy when they pleaded for leniency on account of not yet being acclimated to college life. Later, hundred students missed the second deadline, but the professor again showed them mercy on account that midterm exams were too much for them. Once the word got around about the professor’s leniency, almost everyone missed the final deadline. When told that they will all get an “F,” they yelled “Unjust!” to which the professor asked, “Do you want me to be just?” When they said “Yes,” he declared, “Everyone who missed the deadline for previous assignments all get an ‘F’.”
This story and the parable above are very similar except for the people involved. The landlord goes out to the market place on several occasions to hire men for his vineyard. Like the day laborers of today, these are desperate men in need of work. The earliest hired laborers probably worked for twelve hours; the last hired, only one. Those who worked the longest, after seeing that the last hired received a denarius (a day’s wage), expected more; they were disappointed. Then the landlord, like the professor, was accused of being unjust. In response, he pointedly said to his accusers, “I’m not being unfair; I can do whatever I want with my money. You received the agreed amount; with others I’m being generous.”
Some say that Jesus was wrong since he didn’t return in the first century even though “all these things” happened during “this generation.” This misunderstanding stems from what constitutes “the end of age,” which, according to end times Bible prophesy, likely began with the restoration of Israel in 1948. However, Peter, quoting Joel, proclaimed that the “last days” were inaugurated when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost: “In the last days, God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people’” (Acts 2:17).
A few years after Buster Douglass knocked out Mike Tyson, his weight ballooned to 400 pounds. It isn’t uncommon for professional athletes to experience substantial weight gain during the off-season or after retiring. But for us, there is no off-season or retiring because “by standing firm you will gain life” (Lk. 21:19).
Matt. 25:1-13 (NIV): “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. [2] Five of them were foolish and five were wise. [3] The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. [4] The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. [5] The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. [6] At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ [7] Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. [8] The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ [9] ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ [10] But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. [11] Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ [12] But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ [13] Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
This parable, about the ancient Jewish wedding day, has the bridegroom arrive at the house of his bride’s father at midnight for the ceremony. Upon his sudden arrival, the door is closed and the late comers aren’t admitted. Afterwards, the husband would take his wife home in a wedding procession, and then celebrate the banquet that lasts for a week. Since the procession typically occurs in darkness, the guests would bring lamps to light the way; and those without it are prohibited to be on the street.
When my basset hound thinks it’s time to walk, she whimpers without ceasing. This annoys me a lot when I am busy, but I still walk her so that she won’t bother me with her persistent whimpering. And once we’re out, I make sure she has a good walk.
Keep this in mind before praying: “If you remain in [Christ] and [his] words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you” (Jn. 15:7). Those abiding in Christ won’t ask for things that contradict God’s general will revealed in the Scripture. In Mexico where Catholicism reigns, it isn’t uncommon for drug cartels to demand that a priest bless them. God will never answer prayers that go contrary to His general will; some may experience what may look like an answered prayer, but God has nothing to do with it.
I was stunned to hear that the leaders of Mars Hill Church—a mega congregation founded by Mark Driscoll—decided to cease its operation in response to highly publicized revelations about Driscoll’s questionable conduct. Among other things, Driscoll had the church pay a large sum of money to a marketing firm, so that it can make a bulk order of his book on marriage, to make it appear that thousands of purchases were made in a given week. The strategy worked as the book reached the top of the New York Times Best Seller List in “hardcover, advice, and misc” rankings. But in the following week, his book disappeared from the top 15 list; evidently the hype didn’t translate to more book sales. And, it turns out that this manipulative ploy has been used by other well-known pastors— they probably feel embarrassed seeing their name next to Driscoll, who, since, has admitted to the wrongfulness of this practice.
I experienced this in a weird manner. I don’t own a fancy phone because I don’t need it since I work mostly at home (when not travelling). But I do own a $10 cell phone which I use when I really need it. But once, when I was calling my wife to pick me up at the airport, I felt sort of self-conscious about using this low-tech phone, since everyone around me was using a Smartphone; but, I said to myself, “I need to be real; besides, Jesus thinks I am okay.”
Many years ago, I returned home to Virginia from California to work so I can save money for my seminary education; that included helping out at my father’s business. One day, I saw a customer fuming with anger, leaving the store, and discovered later that my dad had yelled at him for walking on mopped floor. So, I asked my dad, “Why do you always get mad at customers?” Not liking my attitude, he said something that really upset me; so for the next five weeks, I didn’t speak to him
In the parable, Jesus has the master cancel the unpayable debt owed to him by his servant. But when that same servant refuses to be merciful toward his fellow servant who owes so much less, the master becomes furious and punishes his servant. Now, the master represents God; the unpayable debt is the “wages of sin,” which is, “death” (Rom. 6:23); the act of cancelling it is Christ’s death that “takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1:29). The servant with the cancelled debt represents us whose good works can never atone for our sins against God and fellow men. The fellow servant, whose miniscule debt isn’t forgiven by his coworker, represents my father whose sin I wouldn’t forgive because I was being ungrateful to God who forgave me of much greater debt.
The principal of the missionary school that my children attended in Mexico would walk around with a ruler to measure the lengths of skirts worn by some girls to ensure that it fell within the school regulations. Maybe to some, only “bad girls” would wear a short skirt.
This parable is easy to interpret because Jesus himself interprets it: “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. [21] For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, [22] deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.” (Mk. 7:20-2 NASB).
Then, what went wrong? It was a case of an unfulfilled expectation. After Jesus had been crucified, a disillusioned Israelite said, “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Lk. 24:21), meaning to defeat the Romans and then restore the world order with Israel on top (Is. 14:2). But, instead of plotting to defeat the enemy, they heard Jesus talk about “Bread from heaven.” “At this the Jews began to grumble” (Jn. 6:41), became offended (61), and finally, “many . . . turned back and no longer followed him” (66), presumably to look for another king who will do their bidding. That’s how the subjects ended up rejecting their king; and the tenants, the son.