"That's where I draw the line."
I suppose you are wondering about context. Context doesn't really matter here. This was a Christian who, in the course of a class discussion, let everyone know that when it came to serving the Lord—it didn't really matter what area--there was a line she would not cross.
The problem is that Jesus does not allow his disciples to draw a line. He expects us to give him a blank check. We are to choose him over family, over wealth and status, even over our own lives. Again and again he tells those who won't put him first that they are "not fit for the kingdom."
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (Matt 10:37).
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money (Matt 6:24).
As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:57-62).
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me " (Luke 9:23).
Jesus does not want half-hearted disciples. They had to be fully committed to him. He expects them to eat and drink him, i.e., live on him, survive on him and him alone—the true meaning of John 6. And that means there must be no drawing of lines. Just to be plain about it, if I won't give him that, he doesn't want me. When everyone left after that difficult sermon, Jesus turned to his disciples and asked, "Are you going, too?" He wouldn't even cave for his favorites. They understood that when you commit to Jesus, that's that.
I have a theory about all of this. If there is a line I will not cross when it comes to my service to the Lord, sometime or other in my life, he will make sure I come up against it.
…But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life, Rev 2:10, NLT.
Dene Ward
I suppose you are wondering about context. Context doesn't really matter here. This was a Christian who, in the course of a class discussion, let everyone know that when it came to serving the Lord—it didn't really matter what area--there was a line she would not cross.
The problem is that Jesus does not allow his disciples to draw a line. He expects us to give him a blank check. We are to choose him over family, over wealth and status, even over our own lives. Again and again he tells those who won't put him first that they are "not fit for the kingdom."
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (Matt 10:37).
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money (Matt 6:24).
As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:57-62).
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me " (Luke 9:23).
Jesus does not want half-hearted disciples. They had to be fully committed to him. He expects them to eat and drink him, i.e., live on him, survive on him and him alone—the true meaning of John 6. And that means there must be no drawing of lines. Just to be plain about it, if I won't give him that, he doesn't want me. When everyone left after that difficult sermon, Jesus turned to his disciples and asked, "Are you going, too?" He wouldn't even cave for his favorites. They understood that when you commit to Jesus, that's that.
I have a theory about all of this. If there is a line I will not cross when it comes to my service to the Lord, sometime or other in my life, he will make sure I come up against it.
…But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life, Rev 2:10, NLT.
Dene Ward
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