Hating Our Own
Luke 14:25-33
Jesus' disciples hate what revolves around them.
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#discipleship
#comeToJesus
Published February 8th, 2016
Meditation
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Meditation
Not everyone who comes to Jesus can be his disciple. That is a statement that simply does not seem right, and yet in fact it is exactly what Jesus says in Luke 14:26. We must come to Jesus in a particular fashion if we desire to be his disciples. How must we come to Jesus? Initially we might conclude from this passage that we are being called to hate other people. But upon careful reading, a very important word stands out—the word own . We are not called to hate others generally, but rather to hate the family members we think of as our own . Neither does the Author of Life invite us hate life itself; no, only our own life, the fruit of such a posture being to bear our own cross and to renounce our own possessions (so reads the Greek of vs 33). This point is further illuminated through two passages from Paul. In 1 Corinthians 10:24, we are called to not seek our own good, and similarly in Philippians 2:4, we are told not to look to our own interests. But note the corresponding positive exhortations in these passages—to seek the good and attend to the interests of others. Does this cut against what Jesus has said about hating family members? Absolutely not. Further reading in these passages demonstrates the significant, though subtle, distinction. The others we are to focus on benefiting are not merely our own family or our own friends. That would just be a slightly expanded version of self-obsession. The others spoken of are everyone around us (1Cor 10:33) and the entire Body of Christ (Phil 2:2). The care we are called to in these texts does not revolve around me—it is not about what is my own . Rather, it is a care that flows out of the life of our Discipler. "Be imitators of me [in seeking others' good], as I am of Christ." (1Cor 11:1) "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." (Phil 2:5) Do we desire to be Jesus' disciples? Do we long to love like him? It starts with hating our obsession with our own and hanging it on the cross that we take up to follow him.
notes
1454400314323 Meditation 1454400314 1454959781 Not everyone who comes to Jesus can be his disciple. That is a statement that simply does not seem right, and yet in fact it is exactly what Jesus says in Luke 14:26. We must come to Jesus in a particular fashion if we desire to be his disciples. How must we come to Jesus? Initially we might conclude from this passage that we are being called to hate other people. But upon careful reading, a very important word stands out—the word own . We are not called to hate others generally, but rather to hate the family members we think of as our own . Neither does the Author of Life invite us hate life itself; no, only our own life, the fruit of such a posture being to bear our own cross and to renounce our own possessions (so reads the Greek of vs 33). This point is further illuminated through two passages from Paul. In 1 Corinthians 10:24, we are called to not seek our own good, and similarly in Philippians 2:4, we are told not to look to our own interests. But note the corresponding positive exhortations in these passages—to seek the good and attend to the interests of others. Does this cut against what Jesus has said about hating family members? Absolutely not. Further reading in these passages demonstrates the significant, though subtle, distinction. The others we are to focus on benefiting are not merely our own family or our own friends. That would just be a slightly expanded version of self-obsession. The others spoken of are everyone around us (1Cor 10:33) and the entire Body of Christ (Phil 2:2). The care we are called to in these texts does not revolve around me—it is not about what is my own . Rather, it is a care that flows out of the life of our Discipler. "Be imitators of me [in seeking others' good], as I am of Christ." (1Cor 11:1) "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." (Phil 2:5) Do we desire to be Jesus' disciples? Do we long to love like him? It starts with hating our obsession with our own and hanging it on the cross that we take up to follow him. notes 11454400314330
Look-up
NT
1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1
esv
Do All to the Glory of God 23 m “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 n Let no one seek his own good , but the good of his neighbor . 25 o Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For p “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, q eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean r your conscience, but his. For s why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that t for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or u whatever you do, do all to the glory of God . 32 v Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to w the church of God, 33 just as x I try to please everyone in everything I do, y not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved . 11 1 z Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ .
Philippians 2:1-11
Christ’s Example of Humility 2 1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from f love, any g participation in the Spirit, any h affection and sympathy, 2 i complete my joy by being j of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind . 3 Do nothing from k selfish ambition or l conceit , but in m humility count others more significant than yourselves . 4 Let each of you n look not only to his own interests , but also to the interests of others . 5 o Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus , 1 6 p who, though he was in q the form of God, did not count equality with God r a thing to be grasped, 7 but s emptied himself, by taking the form of a t servant, 1 u being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by v becoming obedient to the point of death, w even death on a cross. 9 x Therefore y God has z highly exalted him and bestowed on him a the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus b every knee should bow, c in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and d every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is e Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
lookup
1454400314323 Look-up 1454403732 1454959771 NT 46 10 23 11 1 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1 esv 90 190 Do All to the Glory of God 23 m “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 n Let no one seek his own good , but the good of his neighbor . 25 o Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For p “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, q eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean r your conscience, but his. For s why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that t for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or u whatever you do, do all to the glory of God . 32 v Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to w the church of God, 33 just as x I try to please everyone in everything I do, y not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved . 11 1 z Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ . NT 50 2 1 2 11 Philippians 2:1-11 esv 90 190 Christ’s Example of Humility 2 1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from f love, any g participation in the Spirit, any h affection and sympathy, 2 i complete my joy by being j of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind . 3 Do nothing from k selfish ambition or l conceit , but in m humility count others more significant than yourselves . 4 Let each of you n look not only to his own interests , but also to the interests of others . 5 o Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus , 1 6 p who, though he was in q the form of God, did not count equality with God r a thing to be grasped, 7 but s emptied himself, by taking the form of a t servant, 1 u being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by v becoming obedient to the point of death, w even death on a cross. 9 x Therefore y God has z highly exalted him and bestowed on him a the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus b every knee should bow, c in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and d every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is e Lord, to the glory of God the Father. esv 1 190 100 lookup 11454403732771
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