Clothesline 264 "Will you pay the price?"

Becoming a disciple of Jesus requires decision and sometimes division. That was Sunday’s message. That same message appears in the books of the Old Testament, Paul’s letters and directly from the lips of Jesus Himself. So, it must be true!

One such message is in the Book of Deuteronomy, just before the Israelites enter the land of Cannan. Moses reminds them about all they’ve been taught on their journey through the wilderness. He sets out God’s entire blueprint for their new lives in their new land. Then he says, “I have set it all before you—life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you follow all that the Lord has commanded you, you will have life. If you do not, your reward will be death.” Becoming a disciple of Jesus requires decision and sometimes division.

Then we read about Onesimus and Philemon. It’s the year 56 and Onesimus meets Paul. He is converted to Christianity, and he confesses to Paul that he is a runaway slave. What is he to do? Paul tells him that he must return to his master…not as a slave, but as a fellow Christian. To that end, Paul writes a letter to his master Philemon and makes this plea: “Onesimus has chosen to follow Jesus. When he returns to you, you must not receive him as a slave, but as your brother in Christ.” Onesimus has a decision to make that could cost him his life if his master doesn’t accept him as a new Christian. In the power of faith, both men choose the righteousness of Jesus.

And what is Jesus’ take on this? “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even life itself, cannot be my disciple…” What does that really mean? It means that love for anything or anyone else must be second in comparison to the love and devotion we are to give to the Lord.

Have you made the decision to become a follower of Jesus? You may have made such a decision when your life was going just perfectly. But would you make that same decision if you were in a bad place in your life? Just the other night when I asked a parishioner that question, her response was: “That’s when I lean on Him the most!” Spoken like a true Christian!

Becoming a disciple of Jesus requires decision and sometimes division. Are you willing to pay the price?