A Disciple Renounces All – Abide in the Vine

Jesus has just said, former procrastinators, that his disciple must bear her cross and come after Him – deny herself and live sacrificially for Him.  Now He talks about counting the cost of following Him.  Being His disciple will exact a price from His followers.

He points out that someone constructing a tower first figures out if he has the resources to complete it. Then he says a king facing battle must assess whether or not his forces are sufficient for winning, or must he ask for peace instead.  Then Jesus flatly states,

“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”  Luke 14:33.

Simply put, “to renounce” means to give up.  It’s to no longer engage in a practice or hold a belief.  It’s to turn from a privilege or right.  Its declaring you no longer have any connection with a thing or person.  This is a cost.

We still have things – houses, jobs, family, friends – but they do not have power over us.  We hold them in an open hand, not clinging to them.  We cling to the Vine. Some things (procrastination?) – objects, behaviors, associations – we actually need to declare that we will no longer be connected with and walk away from them to Jesus.  The Holy Spirit sometimes speaks to us that something is an influence in our lives that we need to give up.  It may not even be something we’re aware of, but He knows.

What did Jesus mean when He began saying we must hate our families and our own lives?  This is “Semetic hyperbole.”  It’s exaggeration that middle eastern people of His day understood to show contrast, not animosity. Compared to our love for Christ, love for all others looks like hate. (Bible Hub is helpful here.)

To renounce means we prioritize Jesus over everything and everybody else. However, given my tendency to let priorities slip, I find a word used in reading about this to be very helpful. “Outranks.”  Jesus outranks everybody and everything else.  That’s military language.  Lieutenants outrank privates.  Majors outrank lieutenants.  Colonels outrank majors.  Generals outrank Colonels.  A three-star general outranks a one-star.  It makes no difference how much a soldier values the girlfriend he wants to impress; when the general comes in, the soldier immediately stands up, salutes, obeys.

Jesus is the “highest supreme” commander who outranks every general. I recognize Jesus outranks everybody and everything in my life; therefore, I renounce all others.  My behavior will show that.  He has walked into the room that is my life and I recognize His authority.

What’s amazing is that with Jesus’s authority come His love, mercy, grace.  We get His presence and peace, guidance and comfort, purpose and power.  We get eternal life.  Jesus makes it worth the cost.  “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.”  Mark 8:36.

What are you hesitant to renounce?