The Circle of Disciples
David
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What does it truly cost to be a true disciple of the Son of the Living
God? Have you paid the price?
Great multitudes were following Him, and He turned to them and
declared:
"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife
and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he
cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come
after Me cannot be My disciple."
(Luke 14:26-27)
As Yahshua[*] said these things to His followers, perhaps He thought
back to the time when even He had to disregard the words of His own
mother, Miriam. That day He had been sitting in the house with His
circle of disciples and the crowds of people who hung on His every
word. Filled with the Holy Spirit, He was speaking to them in parables,
but the priests and the Pharisees were outraged. "Who does this
nobody from Nazareth think he is, telling the people that the religion
of today is corrupt? We are the ones chosen to teach about God... this
man has lost his mind!"
Word had reached His mother and brothers that He had gone crazy and
that He had a demon! What could have happened to Him since that day so
long ago when He was a small boy and yet He confounded all the teachers
in the temple with His deep understanding of the Law and the Prophets?
Why weren't those same men accepting Him now? Surely He must have
gone off... Something had gone wrong... She must go immediately and get
Him before it was too late.(1)
But remember the words of Simeon back when He was just a little baby
and Mary and Joseph had brought Him to the temple to be dedicated?
"Behold this child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in
Israel, and for a sign to be spoken against. And a sword will pierce
even your own soul..." (Luke 2:34-35). What did that mean? Why would
the Messiah be spoken against? Shouldn't He be received with great
pomp and ceremony? Certainly something wasn't right.
So off she went with her other sons to rescue Him. When she arrived at
the house it was so packed full of people that she couldn't even get
in. People were sitting and standing anywhere they could, just to hear
what He was saying, just to catch a glimpse of Him. And there were the
Pharisees, filled with jealousy toward this imposter who was stealing
all their loyal disciples away and telling them the truth. How they
hated the truth, grinding their teeth at every word that shined a light
into their dark souls, revealing that they were really nothing but
hollow shells that produced no fruit.
[*] For more on the name Yahshua, see "What's in a Name" at
http://www.thelitmustest.org/whats-in-a-name-lt.html
1. Mark 3:21
(excerpted from "Circle of Disciples", found at
http://www.thelitmustest.org/circle-disciples.html )
NEXT WEEK: LEADERS AND LAITY
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