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- Uncontrolled influx of foreigners, Almajiri syndrome, causes of insecurity in Kano -Committee report
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Marks of a true disciple of Christ (III)
Sunday, 08 August 2010
IN this passage, Jesus is simply saying that a true disciple must be a true planner. Success does not come by chance in any endeavour. It has to be planned for. You must critically look at the resources you have whether they will be enough to solve your problems and, if not, what other solutions are available.
A Christian who is earning N10,000 per month but is living in a house where he pays a rent of N5,000 per month is not a planner, because how can he feed himself and his family?
A Christian, who is earning N200,000 per annum but puts his children in a school where the fee is N300,000 per annum is not a planner because he is living above his means. When he goes into debt, people will mock him. A disciple will cut his coat, not according to his size, but according to his cloth.
Jesus is telling us in this passage that a disciple must plan his life. Success does not come by chance. It has to be planned for.
The last verse of our text says that anybody who does not forsake all that he has cannot be a true disciple of Jesus. How do we forsake all that we have? Does it mean that we will throw all our property away? No.
What Jesus is saying in this passage is that we should make the kingdom of God our top priority. Matt. 6:33 says that we should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things will be added to us. God First. This is the point Lk 14:33 is emphasising.
We must note that ‘whosoever’ in Lk 14:33 means no exception. Jesus is talking to everybody here. The true disciple of Jesus knows that what God is asking of him is to make Him (God) and His Kingdom the top priority and other things secondary (Matt. 6:33).
CONCLUSION
If the people of the secular world talk of opportunity cost and plan very well to achieve maximum success, the Lord does not expect anything less from the candidates of heaven. We are in a world where many things are contending for our attention. Our decisions in the face of all these will determine whether we are disciples or not.
Let’s pray
(1) Father, make me a true disciple so that I can get to heaven.
(2) Father, give me the ability to plan so that I can be successful.
(3) Now that I am a disciple, let all the good things of the world be added to me.