Author: Bill Hall

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:27 CSB

What Jesus is saying here could have been misunderstood by His hearers. He had at least one zealot among His disciples. The zealots were a contingent of Jews who were very antagonistic to Rome. These folks had little to look forward to other than a cross, the Roman means of official execution.

Obviously Jesus was not telling His followers all to become zealots. However, He did want them to have that level of dedication. He wanted them to follow Him knowing that a cross for them might be the result. Indeed, it is among such that Jesus finds His truest supporters, they who willingly give their last full measure of devotion and count themselves blessed to do so. Jesus is not looking for martyrs, He is looking for disciples. But a true disciple will not shirk the call if martyrdom is in the offing.

Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your goodness, truth, love, and grace. You are so wise, powerful, and just. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:26 CSB

What is Jesus doing with this? Hate your family, and even your own life? Though it is sometimes hard for so called ‘self-dependent’ people to understand, folks throughout most of history have trusted and followed their family and their family’s values. The next steps for a person’s life were derived from family, friends, and the surrounding community.

Jesus is calling people out of the norm. Even today in the independent American world, people tend to rely on family and friends to guide them. Now is that bad? No. It can be a very good thing to follow these folks. But Jesus wanted to make it clear to His hearers that to follow Him, they may have to break with all of that.

Jesus wants His followers to be willing to sacrifice everything for Him. Even our ideas of what is best for our lives should be given up for His leadership. To follow Him means to follow Him unconditionally.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus! Gladly we will follow Him Who our soul loves! You are so wonderful, Father! Thank You for Your plan for us. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them,

Luke 14:25 CSB

Often when Jesus had large crowds of people following Him, He would teach something that some of them would find unacceptable. This caused His crowd to shrink on many occasions.

Studying this we have sometimes concluded that in Christian ministry it is necessary, and desirable, to cull through the crowd. We have concluded that this is a way to sift out those who are not genuine. Many Christian ministers have used this as a justification for raking the sheep over the coals from time to time.

However, allow me to put forth a more likely interpretation. The fishermen among Jesus’s disciples understood net fishing. Net fishing uses some different methods that what we usually think of. If we apply these, we can see a different motivation for Christ’s teaching to large crowds.

When you are net fishing and begin to draw in large catches, you may then cast your net repeatedly in the same area due to the abundance of fish. In other words, having caught many, you conclude that here is the place and opportunity to catch many more.

So I think what Jesus is doing here is casting a net for an even larger crowd, a broader crowd. See, there will always be many who fall away from a large crowd, regardless of what you say to them. But a large crowd presents an opportunity to disseminate your message to a broader group. Even those who dislike what you said will often share it.

Thus, Jesus was not attempting to rid Himself of undesirables. He was simply casting a net at a time of opportunity so as to catch more lasting disciples from a broader group that He could reach using the large crowd that He had at the time.

Heavenly Father, thank You for reaching me! We never fully understand why You use those that You do, but we can only be thankful. You are wise, and pure, and strong. I will run to You for refuge in every situation. You are the One Who really cares. Today and every day I will praise You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

For I tell you, not one of those people who were invited will enjoy my banquet.

Luke 14:24 CSB

This conclusion was for the benefit of those at the banquet Jesus was attending. He wanted them to understand that some of them might not make it. This was not intended as an attack, but as a mercy. The warning of God is always a merciful thing. If you hear a warning, you are still at least hearing from Him.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word! We have so many warnings and truths to find in it. You are indeed merciful, and faithful. I will praise You for Your great love! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Then the master told the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges and make them come in, so that my house may be filled.

Luke 14:23 CSB

In this wonderful age of grace we are to go out to the highways and hedges. The Lord is calling to Himself a people, and from every corner of the globe. Nobody is out of reach. Nobody may make themselves an exception. He can save all who will come to Him.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness, and for Your plan of redemption. You are amazing and so powerful! We will praise You forever and ever! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Master,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, and there’s still room.’

Luke 14:22 CSB

There is still room! What a wonderful thing! There is still room to enter in at the straight gate! There is still a chance to be admitted to the kingdom of God. The age in which we live is one of great mercy and grace. Now is the time for many thousands to hear and accept the truth of the Word of God.

Heavenly Father, You know Your plans for us, and You know who belongs to You. As You call more and more we are in awe of Your glory in the process. You pull hearts to Yourself and are wise, just, and faithful. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

So the servant came back and reported these things to his master. Then in anger, the master of the house told his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in here the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.’

Luke 14:21 CSB

The man giving the banquet was angry. Those he had bidden wouldn’t come. It was a humiliation. And indeed that is how history has gone. There are few that tread the narrow way. But, for those who do a glorious banquet awaits. It is not the great, the strong, or the wise that make it, but the poor, mained, and blind.

Heavenly Father, we think we know so much! But our wisdom is a pale shadow of the truth. Your ways are not our ways. You know from the very beginning everything about us and our lives. Thank You! Thank You for allowing us to live for Your glory and honor. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

And another said, ‘I just got married, and therefore I’m unable to come.’

Luke 14:20 CSB

This is the excuse for which we tend to have the most sympathy. This individual understandably did not want to miss his honeymoon. But, remember two things. First, Jewish marriage customs were different, and so the impact was not quite the same. Second, there have been many who have missed their own honeymoon for events of great significance.

Thus, the whole point Jesus is making with this part of the parable is that many would miss the truth of His message because they saw the events of their lives as more important than the eternal truths of the kingdom.

Heavenly Father, You alone know what is best. We choose our path like people staggering in the dark. The only light we can have to go by is You. We think we know best, but we can do little more than guess. Your way is perfect! Father, shine Your light upon our lives! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m going to try them out. I ask you to excuse me.’

Luke 14:19 CSB

Imagine missing out on the marriage supper of the Lamb because you bought a new car and wanted to take it for a spin instead! Ah, but for so many, this has been the reality. Earthly possessions have beguiled many out of their own soul.

Heavenly Father, on this wonderful Resurrection day we praise You to the highest heavens! You alone are God, and only You are worthy of glory. Thank You for all that You have done! Your way is LIFE! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

But without exception they all began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. I ask you to excuse me.’

Luke 14:18 CSB

Some of these excuses may sound to us ‘good’ excuses. In this case, this landowner wanted to be sure to make the best use of his new acquisition. He needed to get started making it profitable so as to be sure to recoup his costs.

As in the other examples, the person in question deems their current activity more important than the banquet the man was giving. Thus, all of these persons considered their excuse perfectly reasonable. So often people consider thier excuses against the gospel reasonable as well.

Heavenly Father, thank You for another day of life! We wake up each day and think of it as ours. But it is Yours. You see the evil and the good the day may hold, and You know all the possibilities. And You allow us to live in Your Presence. You are amazing God! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.