Daily Thought

The Lord never sought to hide from His disciples the demands that would be made upon all who resolved to follow Him in a world where He has been rejected. Such must expect to be exposed to verbal abuse and false accusations, and potentially even martyrdom, vv. 25, 28. Open confession of Christ might lead to division, even making enemies of family members, those from whom, on a natural level, they might have expected to receive some measure of interest and care, vv. 34-36. Unless a man is prepared to take up his cross, saying, No, to self and giving to Christ the pre-eminent place in his life and affections, that man is not fit to follow the Lord. The disciple’s sole objective is to follow Christ and to exalt His name, vv. 37-39. Do we know anything of such a pathway, ‘losing our life’ in the interests of Christ?Is the Lord Jesus so precious to us and knowing Him so esteemed by us that we can say with Paul, ‘I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord’, Phil. 3. 8? The Lord Jesus gave up His life for us, but what have we given up for Him?

There was always a perfect balance to the teaching of the Lord and against this background of warnings regarding the difficulties to be expected, the Lord gave words of counsel and encouragement. His disciples are not wilfully and deliberately to seek to be divisive and contentious, hence the call to ‘flee’, but neither are they to be found fearful of men, Matt. 10. 23, 26, 28, 31. They are to remember that these sufferings will bring conformity to Christ, the disciple treading the same path as He trod. Could there be a greater privilege than that, vv. 24-25? Though hated of men they are the object of their Father’s care. A care extended to the sparrow, and if to them how much more to His own? Such is the Father’s interest in every detail of their life, even the hairs of their head are numbered by Him, vv. 28-31. No confession of Christ will be unrewarded; it might be despised on earth but it will be owned in heaven. Every sacrifice made for Christ will be honoured, vv. 32, 39.

These verses present us with just two alternatives: to live for self or to live for Christ. Which one have you chosen?