Imagine if Jesus were to place an advertisement for disciples. Imagine if the person specification read, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Would the prospective candidates be queuing round the block? Probably not! Even for those of us who have a genuine desire to be disciples, these demands seem too hard. Later in the same reading, Jesus appears to make a compromise. “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? ” Jesus is giving very practical advice on weighing up the costs before making a commitment which might become too much. So if Jesus is warning us against taking on too much of a commitment, is he suggesting that there are varying degrees of commitment and varying degrees of discipleship?
If Jesus were interviewing for new disciples, how would he respond if we were to turn up asking for a part time job? The chances are, we might be sorely disappointed. The truth is Jesus is not for one minute suggesting that there are various degrees of commitment or various degrees of discipleship. If there is a conflict of choice to be made between God and worldly gain we have to choose God. Jesus also makes it clear that we serve God by serving other people - there is no conflict in the two great commandments he gave us, Love God and Love your neighbour. By doing one we do the other but he did tell that awkward story, ‘the good Samaritan’, regarding ‘who is my neighbour?’
Its some invitation from someone looking for followers— ‘if you want to be a follower of mine, take up your cross and follow me’! Maybe we should think about it before we commit ourselves!!
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