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THE KING’S BUSINESS
disloyal to Christ. I f we are disloyal in any way in order to escape shame and suf fering we are refusing to bear our cross and “cannot” be His disciples. Many make the mistake o f trying to bear the cross o f some one else instead o f their “own.” It is not enough that we bear our cross, we must also “ come after Him.” To come after Him is to walk in His steps, to fix our eyes on Him and on no man, and to follow where He leads. It costs to do it, but it abundantly pays (John 12:26). Our Lord stated the same conditions o f discipleship elsewhere (Luke 9:23-25; Matt. 10:38; 16:24-26; Mark 8:34-37). In Mark 10:21 we have an illustration o f one who refused to take up his cross and follow Christ. Qur Lord would have every one o f us count the cqst before undertaking to become His dis ciple. One reason why we have so many back-sliders is because so many start gut to follow the Lord without stopping to count the cost, and thus they bring ridicule and shame upon themselves (vs. 29, 30). Jesus constantly insisted on counting the cost (Matt. 8:20; 10:22; 20:22, 23). In these days we constantly present to men what is -to be gained by Christian discipleship. We ought also-to always present faithfully what it costs to be a true disciple. Wednesday, January 12 . Luke 14:33-35- Here we have a third condition o f disci pleship. In order tb be a real disciple of Jesus one must say farewell to everything he possesses and be ready to actually give it up the moment the Lord asks it o f him. The word translated “ forsaketh” means lit erally, “biddeth farewell to.” Have you said your adieus to all xpu have, and are you ready to leave it at any moment ? Until . you do say your adieus to all you have, and are ready to leave it at any moment you_ “cannot” be His disciple. Our Lord must occupy an absolutely supreme and solitary place in our hearts. The Bible gives us illustrations o f those who forsook all and followed Him (ch. 5:11, 28; Phil. 3:7, 8 ), and also o f those who would not forsake all to follow Him (ch. 18:22, 23; Acts 1:1-5; 8:19-22; 2 Cor. 4:10). It may seem
and the realization o f their motives led Him to point out the conditions and cost of real discipleship (cf. John 6:25, 26). In comparison with the love we bear to Him our attitude toward those who are most dear to us by natural ties should be aver sion ( “ hate” ). True discipleship o f our Lord does not really lessen our love for those who are dear to us by natural ties, rather increases it (Eph. 5 :25, 28-31; 6:1-4), but in comparison with the love that we bear to Him it is aversion (cf. Matt. 10:37 1 Phil. 3 :7, 8 ; Ps. 73:25, 26; Deut. 33:9; 13: 6 - 8 ) . Aversion means turning away from, and we should turn away from “ father,” “mother,” “ wife,” “children” if necessary to turn to H im . The word “hate” which our Lord here uses is used elsewhere in the Bible in contrast with the word “love,” as setting forth the immeasurably less attachment (Gen. 29:30, 31; Deut. 21:15; Mai. 1:2, 3; John 12:25; Rom. 9:13). Jesus Christ Himself must be the supreme and solitary object o f the Christian’s af fection. All other loves as compared with the love that we bear to Him must be as hate. W e must be ready to leave those who are dearest to us if loyalty to Him demands it. Our Lord must indeed be God if He has a right to demand such supreme love from us all. W e must regard even our life as nothing if we are to be His disciples. W e have a concrete illustration o f this love to Christ that leads one tb- hate his own life, in the Apostle Paul (Acts 20:24). Tuesday, January n . Luke 14 : 27 - 32 .' In yesterday’s lesson we had the first con dition o f discipleship. Here we have the second condition o f discipleship, viz., that we bear our own cross and come after, him. By the cross is meant the shame and sor row and pain and death that lie in the path o f loyalty to duty. There is always shame and suffering in the path o f loyalty to Christ and duty (2 Tim. 3 :12; Acts 14:22). It is not always the same shame nor the same suffering. . Our “own” cross is that peculiar shame and suffering that lies in the path to which God calls “us.” W e can only avoid shame and" suffering by being
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