30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 14 25-33 The cost of discipleship 08 For to me to live is Christ
📖 Luke 14:25-33
30Dec19 - *For to me to live is Christ* - _Luke 14:25-33_ - Bible reading: _Acts 20:22-24_
_Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple._
We need to be constantly reminded that we cannot be Christ’ disciples by our own strength. We will fail miserably. Discipleship is a walk in the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit alone, who enables us to be disciples of Jesus.
We have understood as to what it means, when Jesus said that we have to hate our loved ones, if we must be a disciple of Christ. We then went into the second requirement of being a disciple of Jesus, in the same verse, which is to hate our life.
Yesterday, we said that we glory in the Lord and in Him alone and not in any of our achievements in life. Our identity is in Christ and nothing else.
The second understanding of hating our own life is to realise that testifying to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the task of the disciple, will involve chains and tribulations. The disciple of Christ will face challenges and hardships. The disciple of Christ must have the attitude of, *I do not count my life dear to myself*. This is what it means to hate our own life.
_Act 20:22-24 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, (23) except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God._
_Php 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain._ For us, as disciples of Christ, to live is only Christ and nothing else. _Mark 8:35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it._
Invariably, we are living to save our lives but if we do so, we will lose our life. But if we were to lose our lives for Jesus, we will save it. What a radical way to live! For us to live is Christ.
*Thought to ponder*
```If we are busy saving our life, we are not disciples of Christ.```