This week we’re reading Luke 9:57-62 and 14:16-24
What is the Way of Jesus going to cost you today?
Consider our lesson for discipleship this week:
A disciple’s number one priority in life must be following Jesus.
In Luke 14, Jesus tells a story about a person throwing a huge party. This person invites all of their friends. Then, one by one, the RSVPs start to come in. “Can’t make it. Just bought a field.” “Can’t make it. Just bought some new oxen.” “Can’t make it. Just got married.” In spite of the rejection, the party goes on and the host now invites the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.
What is the point of the parable? Why would Jesus say this? And what does it have to do with the condition of discipleship?
Each time I go to a Thursday night BBQ at Owen Park I never know what to expect. One thing I do know, however, is that I’ll meet a character or two. There are folks with a variety of mental illnesses. There are folks who haven’t bathed in days. There are folks with pornographic tattoos. There are folks in alcoholic fits. There are folks whose only roof over their head is a concrete bridge.
And each time, once the meal is finished and we have Circle Time and everyone shares something they’re thankful for or how they’ve seen God, I can’t help but wonder if this is more of what heaven looks like than any Sunday church I’ve ever seen. I wonder if this is a picture of this parable.
A disciple’s number one priority in life must be following Jesus.
What’s your excuse? Like the people of the parable, is it your stuff? Your schoolwork or job? Is it your boyfriend or girlfriend or family? The party will go on, and you will be left out.
Do you have eyes to the see the Kingdom for what it is? That it’s not worth waiting for something better to come along?
Fiftyeight 