Slices
Prepare
Who is the most important (human) person in your life? How do you balance love for them and love for God?
Bible passage
32 ‘Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
34 ‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
‘“a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law –
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”
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. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
40 ‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.’
Explore
There are some hard sayings in this section: hard to hear; hard to put into practice. We have seen Jesus is compassionate; today we see he is uncompromising.
Two days ago we thought about our opportunities to ‘proclaim from the roofs’ (v 27). Today we read a warning about what happens if we disown Jesus rather than acknowledging him, and it’s hard to hear. I was challenged recently about many Christians being ‘functional atheists’, ie not living as if they have any faith. Do you ever ‘disown’ Jesus – with words or by your action or inaction?
Yesterday we read about Jesus bringing peace (John 14:27): peace in the presence of God, not the absence of conflict. Today we read about faith splitting families (vs 35,36). Loving our families isn’t wrong, but we should love Jesus more (v 37). Does your family come first?
Perhaps it isn’t family but your life that you love more than Jesus. He challenges that too (vs 38,39): ‘take up your cross’ doesn’t mean putting up with minor inconvenience but being willing to lay down our lives for him.
How dare Jesus say all these things?
Respond
What did you reflect on in the Prepare section today? Was it any of the things Jesus spoke about? Can you turn the words of today’s passage into a confession and a prayer of commitment to love Jesus first and most of all?
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: 1 Kings 18,19; 1 Corinthians 16
Pray for Scripture Union
Resources and volunteers in small rural churches are often thinly spread. Please pray for God to guide Faith Guide Jonathan in how best to spend his time as he reveals Jesus to children and young people.(This week's prayers relate to this article.)
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