11-17-23-ENG.

"No one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. "

Luke 14:33 
THE WHOLE BALL OF WAX

Read It: Mark 10:17-31; Luke 9:57
Does today's verse make you feel a little uncomfortable? Let's talk about it. There are tremendous privileges and benefits to following Christ. But they're not gained without cost. Nothing truly worthwhile is. The rich young man who ran up to Jesus that day asked the right question: "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17). He just wasn't ready for the answer, because Jesus told him to sell everything he had and fall in behind the twelve. Someone will say, "That was just for that guy, because he loved his possessions sessions too much to give them up." It's true that Jesus was dealing with this man's particular need. But standing next to Jesus were twelve men who did give up everything they had (v. 28). You can't follow Jesus without out giving Him the whole ball of wax. Whether He actually calls you to sell everything or not, your attitude needs to be that it all belongs to Him. The would-be disciples of Luke 9:57-62 also didn't understand what they were being called to do. The context of this passage is very interesting. esting. Jesus has just been rejected (vv. 51-56). What's more, He was on His way to Calvary. Now rejection and death weren't on the minds of the crowds who followed Him. A lot of folk who followed Jesus had become enamored with what He could do.

With just a word, He could make the blind see and the lame walk. He could pray over a boy's lunch and feed the whole county. People said, "I think I'll hang out with Jesus. If I ever get sick, He can heal me. If I ever become poor, He can feed me. If I ever get depressed, He can make me happy." But what people forgot was that while Jesus did all of those things, He was headed to a place called Calvary. He was on His way to die. It was easy to lose track of that and get excited about Jesus because of the benefits efits package. Don't get me wrong. Jesus has the best benefits going. But He also wants us to understand the sacrifice involved in being committed to Him. Think About It If our Lord suffered rejection and death, why should we expect to kick back and float into heaven on a bed of ease?