Pam Padgett ... teacher
As Jesus was at the house of one of the Pharisees to eat, He taught those who were there. And
when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said
unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. (Luke 14:15 )
Jesus responded by giving the parable of a great supper in which those
who were invited were not willing to leave their plans and what they
were doing to come to the supper ... not willing to lay down their own lives in order to go to the supper
... and they did not taste of the supper.
Luke 14:16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great
supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to
them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they
all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I
have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray
thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of
oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And
another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So
that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of
the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the
streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the
maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it
is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord
said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel
them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you,
That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Jesus continued by teaching the multitudes. We cannot set ourselves nor anyone above God and the Word of God if we are to follow Him ...
Luke 14:25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and
said unto them, 26 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.
We cannot follow Him if we don't obey, doing as we are led by the Holy Spirit, bearing our cross.
Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
There is a cost to doing the word of God .... nothing can be more important to us.
Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth
not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to
finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not
able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This
man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going
to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth
whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against
him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way
off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So
likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he
cannot be my disciple.
But if we lay down our lives so that we can do the will of God, we find
our lives ... the life God gives us as we are led by the Holy Spirit on
this earth, and afterward, eternal life.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose
his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if
he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a
man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in
the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every
man according to his works.