Expert: Paul Walker - 4/29/2009

Question
Someone please explain! Excerpt from Luke 14:26
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.  

Answer
Dear Sydney,
Luke 14:26-27 KJV  If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  (27)  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Matthew 10:37-39 KJV  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  (38)  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.  (39)  HE THAT FINDETH HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT: AND HE THAT LOSETH HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE SHALL FIND IT.
It is an admonition that to be a disciple of Christ one has to put him first, above all things.
Luke 14:33 KJV  So likewise, WHOSOEVER HE BE OF YOU THAT FORSAKETH NOT ALL THAT HE HATH, HE CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE.
God, the Lord Jesus Christ, will not settle for second place. Our function is to deny ourselves and serve him. He laid down his life for us, now it is for us to lay ours down for him.
The Christian life of a disciple can be summed up in three words; Service, Sacrifice, Suffering, none of which appeal to the flesh.
I hope this helps.
Your Servant In Christ Jesus,
Paul Walker
paulwalker@aficj.org