Luke 14:25-26 (ESV) -- Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

Folks today create all sorts of versions of Christianity. What I mean by that is people love to customize their own personal flavor of the faith. They choose what they will affirm as biblical truth and what they will declare as outdated. Many pick and choose different things that Jesus said, and ignore other things. People love to reinterpret Jesus through the modern lenses of our world today.

Our passage today reminds us that Jesus has very clear demands. He unapologetically calls us to follow Him with all other allegiances coming behind Him. He says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

We’re not used to hearing Jesus tell anyone they “cannot be my disciple.” Yet, Jesus says it here. It follows one of the most controversial things Jesus ever said. He told the crowds that if they didn’t hate their own father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters, and even their own life, they couldn’t be His disciple. What in the world did He mean?

He meant that if allegiance to Him didn’t surpass all those other earthly relationships, some of the most important in the world, then they couldn’t be His disciple. Following Jesus means obeying Him over everyone. Love for Him will appear as hate toward others in comparison. These are high demands. This is not a customizable buffet. As we go about our day, we need to remember Jesus’ demands. He calls us to undivided allegiance. He doesn’t share His glory with another. To be His disciple is to embrace this truth. Are these unreasonable demands? No. This is a gracious invitation to life. Walk in it.

Reflection & Journal:

- Why does this passage cause so much offense to people?

- What does Jesus mean by “hate” in this text?

- How should this passage inform Christians about what it means to follow Jesus?

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