Hating Your Family The Way Jesus Would (Luke 14:25-26)

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “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. (Luke 14:25-26)

Did the title get your attention? It is quite deceiving because this article does not deal with the problem of hate. This article deals with the challenge of Jesus' context and how it relates with modern day discipleship.

Jesus addresses his followers and tells them that they must hate their family, spouse, children and themselves in order to be a true follower of Christ. That seems kind of harsh and modern day Bible teachers will interpret that as saying we need to put those relationships as second priority to a relationship with Jesus. This brings up the second challenge...how do we make this relevant to the American cross bearer?

Back in New Testament times family was the influence of your life, the direction of your destiny and the way your thoughts were impacted. Mom, dad, brother and sister were the main deciding factors of how you lived. Today...family reliance and impact is much lesser. Because of the way culture is positioned today's youth have family impact on a much lesser scale. We have internet, tv, teachers, friends, school and role models to worry about. In fact, some teens might be willing to take Jesus on his offer to hate their parents. But the purpose of Jesus' "hate thy family" qualifier was meant to prepare, rattle and convict his would-be followers into taking the next step. How can it still have that impact if so many growing young adults find it mandatory to leave their family and declare freedom from them?

Perhaps we are looking at the wrong "brother," "sister," and "mother." When Jesus told his followers that they must hate their families in order to follow him he was literally saying, "remove your culture's grip on your decision making process in order to follow me." The follower would have to deeply consider not following the family business, choosing to marry or living close to the family as custom dictated.  That's why it was so difficult.

We have similar pressures that tell us what to do and how to live in culture. The "brother" I believe we need to hate is the voice that tells us to tolerate everyone no matter what the consequence, fit in with others, don't speak out to be more liked, follow your dream as an end goal, keep God to yourself to not make waves, leave people alone, treat all lifestyles as equally good, accept yourself. This is the "family" that shapes our lives and gets in the way of following Christ.

If Jesus had to speak to today's culture would he really have to tell us to move out of our parent's house and not get attached to our siblings to spend life with him? Or would he tell us to hate the culture, customs, suburban pressures, cheap love slogans, false expectations, priorities on money that are shaping our destiny and the politics of being a first world citizen. Discipleship does not stop till we love like Jesus and if we are honest with ourselves our world cringes at that.

So I ask you, what is interfering with Jesus controlling your future? How can you hate it?

John 3:22-35

John Officially Retires Leadership

Context: John's whole ministry was to present Jesus as the almighty light. The mission was completed when the people started going to Jesus for their needs. John is ready to retire his leadership for Jesus' to takeover.

John 3:22-35

Jesus and his band of loyal followers took a daytrip to the serene areas of the Judean countryside. They set up camp and started baptizing.

John was also doing his rounds at Aenon, near Salim where the water was plentiful for baptizing. He was not put in jail yet. Duh.

Suddenly two members of John's entourage began to share heated words about baptism and you-know-who.
They immediately invaded John's space, "Teacher, that man on the other side of the Jordan. You know the one you devoted your life to; he is baptizing and taking lots of your clients."

John was not fazed, "A man can get only what Heaven wants to give him. As I said before, I am not the chosen one, but I am his faithful messenger."

John told a story to help solidify the point, The blushing bride belongs with the groom.  The good friend of the groom gets to attend the wedding, but his true source of giddiness is waiting and watching for the groom to scoop up his lawful bride. That is my purpose in the story, to wait for the one and be excited about his reign. The story is upon us. Now is the time that I fade into the background and he step out into the limelight.

The chosen one will come from Heaven and be ruler of everything. The flesh bound human is just an earth dwelling human and cannot be much more than that. Therefore the heavenly one is above the others.

The chosen one is going to say it like it is. He has the credentials. Unfortunately people are going to give him the cold shoulder. The few that do accept it are acknowledging that God is telling the truth. This one that God sent speaks for God. The Spirit is endlessly bountiful in this area.

They are Father and son and God loves the son. He gave him access to everything. If you believe in this son you will get to live forever, but if you throw away God's son and deem him unimportant you will be on God's bad side.

John 5:19-38

Jesus justifies his testimony and purpose on this Earth. Using logic that he is mimicking his father, Jesus paints a picture of his ministry and purpose. But even if the Pharisees and lawmakers did not believe him Jesus does not need their approval.







John 15: 19-38
Jesus stated this response to his persecutors,  "I am telling you that the son is not acting on his own, but doing exactly as he sees his Father doing. My Father loves me and shares everything. He is prepared to show even greater works that will drop your jaw. My Father can even make dead people fully alive. The son can also raise the dead in anyone he chooses.  The father has judgement power, but he is tagging in the son to exercise this authority. This is so that you guys can show the same respect to the son as you show the father. Moreover, if you are giving sass to the son you are hating on the father who employed him.

If you are picking up what I am putting down and truly holding onto the one whom God sent you will live for eternity. He will not be called eternally dead by God, but will be marked as an eternal being. The major event has come, the dead are listening to my golden words and choosing life. My Father is full of life and has given the son the powers of life. Because I am the Son of Man, I have authority to give life and take it away.

Don't look so astonished. The grave is opening to hear my voice and they are choosing to live again. Those who have lived rightly will rise like a Phoenix,  those who veer off this good path will only rise up to be put back into eternal prison. I can do nothing for myself. I call these plays as I see them being done. My final verdict is fair because I am not in this for my own gain, but to give props to him who employed me.

If I am telling stories about myself then I could be making stuff up just to mess with you. But there is another who shares all my stories and his stories are telling the truth.

John made his business to spread my fame all over this land and you heard him. I don't need a human to spread my fame to know myself, but mainly for your rescue. Just remember that John spoke with a fiery passion for me and you guys were basking in that warmth.

My other testimony holds much more street cred than John's story. My mission of salvation and my works to save speak volumes of my purpose here on this Earth. And even the Father has given me the thumbs up and spoken approval of my being here. The problem is that you guys never heard it and the words of God fall apart inside you like cheap knock off toys. All because you won't take my word as true.