Can I be His Disciple?

We have seen and heard an extended discussion about the topic of discipleship. So much of it has been foreign to what the Lord had in mind. In some cases, men have required more than the Lord required, and in other cases, less has been required.

If one will take a look at what Jesus had to say about the matter in Luke 14:25-33, he will see what the Lord had in mind when He talked about discipleship.

IT WILL BE A MATTER OF PRIORITY

This will be seen in verse 26. One cannot put father and mother, wife and children, brothers or sisters before the Lord. He is to have first place in all that one does. Just as Paul would say, “that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18). If one is to be His disciple, Jesus is to be his number one priority. Nothing else can come before it.

IT MUST BE A PERSONAL THING This will be found in verse 27. It is here that one sees he is to bear his cross and follow the Lord. Nobody else will be able to do that for Him. He may have great admiration for others who bear their cross, but that will be no substitute for the bearing of His own. Yes, it is a personal thing.

One might well add to this that such could be a very sinful thing. All of us would know what to expect when we saw a person with a cross. Such would mean death and thus separation. That means some things have to be put to death in my life, and I have to live separated from some things.

IT MUST BE A PREMEDITATED THING If one is going to be a real disciple of the Lord, he is going to have to give some forethought to the matter. He is going to have to sit down and count the cost. Some things have to be weighed before he undertakes the journey. If this is not done, he will fail. It cannot come by just a snap decision. That is the reason the so called “foxhole religion” does not last. It is an emotional reaction without a person’s giving serious thought of what is demanded. That is the reason Jesus spoke of going to build or going to battle. These engagements will cost time, energy and effort. They cannot be completed without purpose and resolution. A person will never be the disciple he or she should be without premeditation. He will have to be prepared in heart and mind before he will ever succeed.

-Winfred Clark