Invitation to the New Testament 10/5

So I really liked last week's reading better :).  Very quickly this week we move from the lofty, beautiful (if not difficult) picture of what life looks like lived in the Kingdom, to the reality of what life is like in the here and now.  After getting everyone excited about life lived with God, Jesus quickly reminds us that it is only possible if we devote our entire selves to Him and are willing to forsake all other things (familial obligations, social obligations) and suffer for His sake.

Some use passages such as what we read in Matthew 8-12 to say that you are only a true Christian if people hate you, you are lonely, and your family has turned against you.  I find that to be very contrary to the message of Christ.  We have to remember that Jesus is speaking in a time when those who followed Him would be persecuted, and He knew that would only get worse in the time after the resurrection.  He knew the decision of family or Christ, social standing or Christ, or life or Christ would be coming to many of them in the future.  Jesus desires here to lay out the cost of following, so that they are aware of what may come.

This is much more difficult for us today, as for many of us the decision to follow Christ, while many times met with solid resistance, often does not demand of us our life.  However, begin to think about what ways discipleship (following and becoming like Christ) should change your life.  Are there things you hold onto or behaviors you won't get rid of that are keeping you from being who Christ is calling you to be?  Begin to pray that God would give you the strength to follow no matter the cost, knowing that a life lived with Christ is ultimately better that one lived without!

In the comments, post thoughts you have about what it means to follow Christ today and what things were/are difficult for you to change in order to follow Christ.  Also, feel free to post any questions that come to mind and respond to other comments as well.

Peace!