Father's Day 2018

If you would, please stand as we say together our memory Scripture for this quarter:

Romans 12:4-5

“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

And our memory refresher Scripture is …

1 Timothy 2:5-6

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people - this has now been witnessed to at the proper time.”

Please open your Bibles to Luke 14:25-35

Today is Father’s Day.

On Father’s Day we honor fathers or rather the position of fatherhood in the family as the LORD God intended it to be.

So, in honor of this day I picked the craziest verse you will ever hear in a Father’s Day message …

With that in mind let’s take a look at Luke 14:25-35

Luke 14:26 NIV

“If anyone comes to Me and does not his hate father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be My disciple.”

What on earth is Jesus talking about???

Hate your Father and Mother, spouse and children, brothers and sisters???

Doesn’t Jesus know the 5th Commandment,

Exodus 20:12

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

In this passage Jesus is being followed by a Huge crowd ... what is this crowd thinking?

- Jesus is going to feed us

- We’re going to see some awesome miracles

- If we get sick or injured Jesus will heal us

- We love to see Jesus put the Pharisees in their place!

- Jesus is going to restore the kingdom to Israel

Jesus’ kingdom on earth is not a “what can I get” or “what’s in it for me” kingdom.

Jesus’ kingdom on earth is a “what can I do for you, Jesus?” type of kingdom.

Now, because Jesus is being followed by this huge crowd He stops and makes sure that they know what is required to be a true disciple of His.

So, Jesus says …

Luke 14:26 NIV

“If anyone comes to Me and does not his hate father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be My disciple.”

I thought Jesus wanted us to love others!

Is Jesus contradicting what He says in other places?

After all Jesus also said:

Matthew 27:39b

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].”

John 13:34

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Jesus even says in:

Matthew 5:43-45a

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”

And the Holy Spirit speaking through the apostles says:

Romans 12:10

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

Ephesians 5:25

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.”

Titus 2:4

“Then they (the older widows) can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children.”

The word “love” actually appears 261 times in the New Testament so why does Jesus say:

Luke 14:26 NIV

“If anyone comes to Me and does not his hate father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be My disciple.”

When Jesus says that we are to hate father, mother, sister, brother, spouse and children He is using a literary device called hyperbole.

Examples:

“This suitcase weighs a ton!”

“That car is as fast as lightening!”

“My eyes popped out of my head!”

“It’s to die for!” (worth dying for / worth giving up your life for)

Jesus is using comparative language in Luke 14:26

Let’s say that a total lack of love is at floor level and let’s say that we have the appropriate level of love for our father, mother, sisters, brothers, spouse and children which would be about here (four feet from the floor).

Then our love for the Lord should be just as high as we can reach with all our might standing on our tippy toes!

How do we know this?

We know this from Scripture just as we know all other truths from the Lord!

Matthew 10:37

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”