Salt

Sketched IX Day 14 Costly Surrender: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Costly Surrender!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to bear our own cross? (verse 27)

2) Why is it necessary to renounce your possessions to become a disciple of Jesus? (verse 33)

3) Why did Jesus use salt as an analogy? (verses 34-35)

Luke 14:25-35

25 Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them, 26 “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. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

28 “For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

31 “Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

34 “Now, salt is good, but if salt should lose its taste, how will it be made salty? 35 It isn’t fit for the soil or for the manure pile; they throw it out. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to bear our own cross? (verse 27)
Crucifixion was an extremely horrific type of execution. It consisted of tying or nailing the victim to a cross until he died, usually hours or even days later. Before the actual crucifixion, the victim was flogged with a leather whip woven through with iron balls and sharp sheep bones. The scourging was meant to bring the victim to a state just short of death. (Robert Gidley) In this weakened state, the criminal carried the crossbar to the execution site upon his shoulders.  If he tripped or fell, he could not use his arms to break the fall and would most likely fall on his face to the ground, bringing further shame, humiliation, and pain upon himself. Jesus’ death by crucifixion shows the length and breadth of His rescue mission in order to save us from the punishment we each deserve for our sins, death. Christ’s death was the ultimate sacrifice because He, though completely innocent of all sin, chose to take on sin’s consequence out of deep love for us. To bear our cross, we must be willing to follow His example by dying (crucifying) to our sinful selves and living for Jesus in the new life He gives freely to all who surrender themselves to Him.

2) Why is it necessary to renounce our possessions to become a disciple of Jesus? (verse 33)
Before Jesus began His ministry, His cousin, John the Baptist, taught about money, possessions, and repentance. One day while baptizing by the Jordan, John told the crowd to share their clothes and food with those who didn’t have any. He instructed tax collectors to collect no more than required. He taught soldiers to not extort money and be content with their pay. (Luke 3:10-14) Jesus also told quite a few parables about the effects of accumulating wealth. For instance, the parable about the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21 teaches that focusing on storing up wealth for future use is senseless. The rich fool’s focus was not on God, but on himself and his accomplishments. So with all his plans, he died that very night, unable to enjoy the fruits of his labour, leaving everything he had for someone else. In Luke 18:18-25, a young ruler came to Jesus and asked Him what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to keep the commandments, to which the rich ruler replied he kept from his youth. But Jesus told him he lacked one thing, which was to sell his possessions, distribute to the poor, and come follow Him. This saddened the ruler because he couldn’t bring himself to part with all his wealth. These examples demonstrate that accumulating wealth can easily deter us from serving God whole-heartedly. Jesus wanted total commitment from His disciples; commitment that would be impossible if they insisted on holding tightly to material things.

3) Why did Jesus use salt as an analogy? (verses 34-35)
In the biblical days, salt was not as pure as it is today. It was mixed with different forms of impurities causing it to lose its saltiness. Therefore, nothing much could be done with it. According to Zondervan, “such salt does not complete its purpose, and it lacks the resource, the saltiness, to do the job it was intended for.” (Zondervan KJV Commentary) Jesus used what was common, tasteless salt, to teach His disciples that if they chose to muddy their lives with other “lesser loves”, they are no longer suited for effective Kingdom purposes, just like flavourless salt. Every Christ follower must be willing to live for and worship God alone, continuously surrendering to His purpose for their lives.

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to bear our own cross? (verse 27)
The Roman execution method of crucifixion was a slow and painful process. When Jesus used this metaphor He knew exactly what He was talking about, and so did His audience. This wasn’t intended to be an emotionally encouraging pep talk. He was telling His disciples that following Him would guarantee intense persecution, even death. While many today, at least in the western hemisphere, may not experience this level of persecution, being a Christian still guarantees a cost. To truly follow Jesus means whole-life commitment and sacrifice, and living for Him does not mean automatic happiness and an easy life. I was the victim of a crime committed by a close family member. I wasted no time in reporting the matter. Other family members begged me not to take action, but I could not turn a blind eye to wrongdoing and did what I knew was right. As a result, I lost favour with family members, and my relationship with the perpetrator has been severed for almost two years. It has been really hard, but I do not regret the choice I made. We must not condone sin, no matter who commits it. Our calling as Christ-followers is to live solely for Jesus and not focus on money, possessions, or relationships that are out of alignment with God’s calling to live holy. We will experience difficulty for following God and His plan; we must be prepared and willing to endure hardship because Jesus gave everything for us. If we try to save ourselves from pain and heartache, we will not grow into maturity, thus missing out on our intended purpose in following Christ.

2) Why is it necessary to renounce our possessions to become a disciple of Jesus? (verse 33)
True repentance means a radical change of lifestyle especially as it relates to money and possessions. As mentioned above, I was a victim of a crime. My entire life savings was stolen from me. While I had no choice to report the crime, the Lord told me to not attempt to retrieve the money. With His guidance, I rebuilt my finances and became financially stable once more. It took time, but during that time, the Lord provided and worked out His goodness in my heart as He taught me to trust Him instead of my finances. One passage of Scripture I have seen fulfilled in my life is Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you”. The whole incident of theft changed my life. I drew closer to God and He has demonstrated to me that He will take care of me once I give my life wholeheartedly to Him. By surrendering to Jesus, He proved a faithful Provider. If I had chosen to trust money instead, I would have missed out on the better thing, which will always be Jesus. Placing Jesus first in your life ahead of family, career, and wealth means building a relationship based on faith, trust, and commitment to God. Is it difficult? Yes. But this sacrifice means living a life of purpose and meaning far more valuable than money or human relationships could ever provide.

3) Why did Jesus use salt as an analogy? (verses 34-35)
Being a Christian means more than just saying, “I believe in Jesus Christ”. We are called to be doers (active followers) of the Word of God, not simply hearers only. (James 1:22)  Being a disciple means fulfilling the calling God has for you, whatever that may be. If you begin your journey of walking with Jesus, and then become distracted by other things along the way, you have lost your saltiness. There was a season when I spent a lot of time in Bible Study and sharing what I learned through writing. Distraction set in and “life” got in the way. My excuses were plentiful. I had children to raise and a career to develop, and I allowed “following God” to take a backseat. Just before the theft incident, I would have said my life was great. It was when my whole world turned upside down, God lovingly used that hardship to correct my course and bring me back to Him. I have returned to daily Bible Study and have begun writing and sharing about Jesus once again. I am fulfilling my purpose and the calling the Lord has given me. In the words of Zondervan, “Believers must determine never to be “useless Christians”, like salt that has lost its flavour. (Zondervan KJV Commentary)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Costly Surrender!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched IX Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Nations Day 9 Religious Or Relationship?: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Religious Or Relationship!

The Questions

1) How does salt connect with disciples? (verse 13)

2) What connection do disciples have with light? (verse 14)

3) How are we like a city on a hill? (verses 14-16)

Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Original Intent

1) How does salt connect with disciples? (verse 13)
Salt. The shaker on our table is what we bring to mind, but in Jesus’ day, salt was a valuable commodity. It was sometimes even used to pay one’s salary. Jesus called the disciples salt because they were as important to the Gospel as salt was to the society. Have you ever eaten a French fry without salt? Just a little salt makes a world of difference! Consider the impact the disciples made on the world once they were anointed with God’s power through His Holy Spirit. Just twelve men initiated world-wide change as a result of God’s power! (Acts 2) As powerful as salt is, it can lose its savor if it is mixed with other additives. RealSalt.com says salt will never go bad, but common table salt has agents added which degrade over time causing the salt to lose its savor. Society in Jesus’ day and and now, is mixed with many sinful impurities. If Christ-followers were not careful, their lives would be overrun with the effects of sinful choices. This leads to a need for preservation! In ancient times, salt was added to prevent food from spoiling. When the disciples began spreading the Gospel, they were keeping the world from decaying without the Hope offered through Jesus’ offer of forgiveness. Salt can go both ways. If we allow society to rub off on us, we will lose our savor; but if we rub off on society, we hold out the life-giving freedom of Christ!

2) What connection do disciples have with light? (verse 14)
In Jesus’ day, the title, “Light of the World” had been given to certain rabbis and were referenced as lamps of the universe (Enduring Word). It must have sounded odd to hear Jesus say all of His disciples were the Light of the World, a title normally reserved for prestigious teachers. Charles Spurgeon says, the world “is dark, and gropes in midnight, and it cannot get light except it receives it through us.” Being God’s light to the world gives guidance. Isaiah spoke of it (Isaiah 9:2) and the apostle John also said, ‘The light shines in the darkness…” Light shows the way to God, the only way to God. The ancient world was no better than ours. Recall the culture in Ephesus where they served many gods and built temples to them. They “worshipped” these gods with sexual acts. Theirs was also a society of wealth and people aspiring to gain riches. Also, who could forget our history lessons about Nero and other ruthless leaders with their orgies, torture, and worse. The ancient world desperately needed a light to find their way to the One True God. Jesus was that light. And when He left earth, He told us to be His light, carrying it into the dark world.

3) How are we like a city on a hill? (verses 14-16)
A city on a hill is prominent and seen from a long distance. Jesus may have been using a nearby city of Safed as an analogy. It stands on a very eminent and conspicuous mountain and is seen far and near. Possibly, Jesus alluded to this city as an example of how it was not hidden but seen by all. Likewise, Jesus wanted people of His Kingdom to live visible lives that attracted attention, so their good works would bring praise to God. (Enduring Word)
Jesus spoke these words about salt and light following His teaching on the Beatitudes, which focused on showing us how to live Kingdom lives. It is not in doing good works that we are saved, but our good works come from God’s work through His Spirit in us. (Ephesians 2:8-10) When the Holy Spirit is guiding our lives, it is like a hand in a glove. We are the glove and “we live and move” by the direction of the Holy Spirit. Our actions are not so people will see us but rather that they will see the Light of Jesus and give glory to God. (Acts 17:27-28, John 3:21)

Everyday Application

1) How does salt connect with disciples? (verse 13)
How can you and I effectively season the world? By choosing to engage those around us with the hope of Christ! If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and allowed the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our lives, we HAVE Christ’s power in us to be salt to the world and we will WANT to season the world. If you don’t have the deep desire to be salt to the world, it would be wise to follow the apostle Paul’s teaching and examine your hearts “to see whether we are in the faith.” (2 Corinthians 13:5-6) Have you ever known a person who rubbed you the wrong way? Comparatively, have you known someone who always blesses a room when they enter? This is how we season the world. A preacher once asked, “If you record yourself, what would you see/hear?” This challenged me, and still does, to take special care in what I do and I say, making sure I’m surrendering myself to the Spirit’s power alive in me. (Ephesians 4:29-32) Showing love, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness is how believers share their Salt with the Earth. Let’s begin our days with King David’s prayer, ”Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, oh Lord. My Rock and my Redeemer.”

2) What connection do disciples have with light? (verse 14)
We are a “peculiar people”. (1 Peter:2-9, KJV) When others see a true Christian, they will notice something is different because we are marked by the light and love of God’s Spirit within us. (John 13:35) They will curiously want to know what makes us peculiar. Hopefully, they will want some of the joy we have because of Jesus. Peter wrote that being peculiar “calls us out of darkness into God’s Marvelous Light.” The Holy Spirit living in us is the Light who call others out of the pervading darkness. The apostle Paul said to “live by the Spirit…keep(ing) in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25); the result is beautiful fruit in our lives! Paul also commands, “above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” (Colossians 3:12-14) The Spirit’s fruit in our lives is what makes us peculiar to others. (Philippians 2:12-14) We may not really want to be peculiar because our light brings conviction of sin and people may react adversely. Thus, we may be tempted to hide the Light of Christ within us. But our world is still in darkness, desperately in need of light. Jesus came as that Light. He instructed the disciples to shine His light, and now, we must continue shining this light to the world. Do not hide your light but, as the Sunday School song goes, “let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!”

3) How are we like a city on a hill? (verses 14-16)
Our assignment is to be Light in this dark and broken world; opening ourselves up to allow our light from God shine through. I love the idea Christine shared in her Journey Study yesterday. She found places in the dark where she can be salt and light; book clubs, fitness groups, and places that aren’t necessarily Christian. This is how we truly can be a light on a hill. Think of your own culture, village, or city, where can you go to shine? Clarence L Haynes states at Crosswalk, “…the value of salt is not when it is in the shaker. Salt cannot season, preserve, disinfect… until it comes out of the shaker.” The famous pastor, Charles Spurgeon, quoted the venerable Bede in saying, “Christ Jesus brought the light of Deity into the poor lantern of our humanity, and then set it upon the candlestick of His church that the whole house of the world might be lit up.” I pray your local church is finding ways to be a light on a lampstand. If not, maybe it’s time for you and me to be the ones to start something. I believe others will follow, they just need someone to lead the way in living lives that shine with brilliance!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Religious Or Relationship!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Nations Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Esther Day 7 The Price Of Obedience: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out The Price Of Obedience!

The Questions

1) Did Jesus really mean we need to hate those we love most?

2) How can we count the cost in our decision to follow if we don’t yet know the happenings of our life?

3) What does salt have to do with anything?

Luke 14:25-35

25 Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them: 26 “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. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

28 “For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

31 “Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

34 “Now, salt is good, but if salt should lose its taste, how will it be made salty? 35 It isn’t fit for the soil or for the manure pile; they throw it out. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

Original Intent

1) Did Jesus really mean we need to hate those we love most?
John said of God, “God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). The overarching story of the Bible is God’s great love for mankind and His plan of redemption. Hating those dearest to oneself would go against the very nature of God. In the ten commandments, God’s very first one is “to have no other gods before Him” (Exodus 20:3). From the beginning of the law, God made it clear to His children that following Him required complete love and devotion. Jesus wanted these listeners to remember this old-time truth from their Jewish heritage as part of God’s covenant and recognize that nothing, not even their families, could limit their commitment to following Him.

2) How can we count the cost in our decision to follow if we don’t yet know the happenings of our life?
Jesus used the whole of chapter 14 to explain that many people would be invited into the kingdom of heaven, but many would also reject Him. Beginning in verse 15, Jesus gave a parable of a rich ruler throwing a royal banquet, but no one was able to attend. The ruler sent out for the “least of these” to be invited, and, finally, those guests agreed and attended the lavish banquet. Jesus wanted non-believers to realize they were dearly loved and desired, while also sending a message to the Jews, especially the religious elite, that while they had been invited, they were rejecting the invitation because they were missing who Jesus was as the Promised Messiah. Later in Luke 14:27, He also wanted his audience to know that He expected them to follow His example in complete, sold out dedication to God the Father regardless of personal cost. Implicit in surrendering to Jesus, is the reality of trusting Him with your whole life, both now and for eternity. Surrendering and following are not optional exercises for the believer.

3) What does salt have to do with anything?
The Israelites lived near the Dead Sea for many years. The Sea was a plentiful storehouse of salt for the Israelites to use. It was helpful to preserve foods and to enhance their flavor. As Jesus spoke to the Jewish people, He used the idea of salt as a metaphor to remind Believers what their purpose was in the lives of non-believers. They were called to enhance the lives of others by flavoring it with the extravagant love of Christ. If the first believers forgot their charge of sharing Christ’s love in a manner the world would notice, there was a very real consequence to be faced. The repercussions to choosing not to share Jesus’ love and message are strong, being thrown out as ineffective! While Jesus did not mean the believer would lose their salvation, He did mean those believers had self-selected to be removed from effective Kingdom work. They would be missing out on the rich delight of living for Christ, having traded in “bare existence” for the unspeakable, full joy of following Jesus!

Everyday Application

1) Did Jesus really mean we need to hate those we love most?
Following Jesus always means 100%; it’s everything we know of ourselves surrendered fully to everything we know of the Savior. Of course, we are called to love our family, our spouse and the friends God has given us as we demonstrate Christ’s love for them! In the doing so, however, we must always be vigilantly on guard for when our love for them might be superseding our love for, and willingness to obey, Christ above all else. A wise leader once told me, “Our desire for relationship with someone can never be more important than the Truth of the Gospel.” Spend some time this week thinking about when you might have been silent for the sake of keeping the peace, but you knew you should’ve spoken Truth in love. Repent, and ask forgiveness from our Gracious Loving Father. Ask the Holy Spirit to attune your heart to His that you might know when to speak and when to be silent this coming week.

2) How can we count the cost in our decision to follow if we don’t yet know the happenings of our life?
Talking about these life and death decisions is nothing to take lightly and the weight of these choices can feel overwhelming. However, we can trust that the God of the Universe wants to have relationship with you. He is asking for 100% of your affections; He can accept nothing less. He asks us to be ready to give up everything; our comforts, our possessions, our wants, and potentially our lives. For those sitting in safe countries, lean in when He asks you to sacrifice your comfort by inviting a young single mother for Thanksgiving this year (or whatever the case may be!). For those sitting in dangerous places to be a believer, know that He who can do immeasurably more than you ask or imagine is fighting for you! He is worth whatever cost you may need to bear in the future and will carry you through to glory in whatever trial you will face!

3) What does salt have to do with anything?
A sprinkle of salt can take plain Jane scrambled eggs from blah to BAM! Too much salt though leads everyone to scrape those eggs to the trash! We, as believers, have the same charge as the people listening to Jesus in the first century. We have the gift of showing the world how Jesus loved! There will often be sacrifice involved in loving with open arms, often the first of which is our own comfort. We may be taken advantage of, ignored, laughed at, or mistreated in our efforts to sprinkle salt in someone’s life. That’s ok, Sister! Breath that in! This is a sign of your obedience as you live out Jesus’ great commission. Remember that “success” is simply being obedient; it’s all the Father asks of you. Listen to the Holy Spirit’s whisper and act when He leads. Your reward will be waiting in heaven and the joy you experience while being obedient will knock your socks off!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with The Price Of Obedience!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Esther Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Ignite Day 4 The Flame: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out The Flame!

The Questions

1) Some of Jesus’ sayings were hard because they were hard to understand. Some were hard because they were hard to obey. And some were both. What did Jesus mean in verse 26 when He said one must ‘hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters’?

2) Did Jesus make this statement intentionally to whittle down the size of the crowd? (Notice the connection the author, Luke, makes in verses 25-26)

3) How do the two illustrations Jesus used make His point to the crowd?

4) How does the flavor of salt (verse 34) relate to the previous verses and the overall message Jesus wanted the audience to hear?

Luke 14:25-35

25 Now great crowds were traveling with him. So, he turned and said to them: 26 “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. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
31 Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.
34 Now, salt is good, but if salt should lose its taste, how will it be made salty? 35 It isn’t fit for the soil or for the manure pile; they throw it out. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

Original Intent

1) Some of Jesus’ sayings were hard because they were hard to understand. Some were hard because they were hard to obey. And some were both. What did Jesus mean in verse 26 when He said one must ‘hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters’?
Verse 26 is set in the context of Jesus and a large crowd of followers, making the statement of Jesus even more dramatic. As always, being full of grace and truth, Jesus did not allow the circumstances to dictate His choice of words. He always knew and spoke the truth. Did it stun the crowd? Maybe they remembered He had spoken about this previously. On one occasion, Peter wondered if it was a message for everyone present. In His answer to Peter, Jesus quoted from the book of Micah, pronouncing division, not peace. (Luke 12:49-53) In the chapter before our focal passage, we find Jesus making His way to Jerusalem teaching this same message and prompting questions from the people: “So, will only a few be saved?” (Luke 13:22-23) Jesus never minced words, though He did often speak in parables. The crowd probably grasped these words much more than we do when we take this verse out of the context of Jesus’ life and ministry. They may not have completely comprehended all He meant, but they understood this was a radical call to commitment that superseded the bonds of their family relationships. Many recognized from their Hebrew Scripture the contrast between “love” and “hate” was sometimes used to communicate preference. (Genesis 29:31, Deuteronomy 21:15-17, Malachi 1:2-3)  This was not a command to an emotion of hate toward family or self. This was a call to self-denial and complete surrender, choosing Jesus above all others. The cost for them to continue to follow Jesus would be deep and wide.

2) Did Jesus make this statement intentionally to whittle down the size of the crowd? (Notice the connection the author, Luke, makes in verses 25-26)
Luke makes special note of the fact there was a multitude present. In chapter 12, he also made mention of the large crowd (Luke 12:1). Although Jesus and His disciples spent time away from the masses, when people heard He was near they usually gathered in droves. We read in the four Gospels of Jesus speaking directly to His disciples, yet much of the larger crowd was often in earshot of His teaching. The enormous crowds following Jesus frequently did so for His miracles. They saw Him heal diseases and provide for needs. Jesus used these opportunities to explain to them the necessity of sacrifice. He did not shy away from the hard truths. In fact, He made difficult and exclusionary statements, knowing the future grim consequences. Although He was popular, for the most part the crowds did not desire to obey Him, nor were they willing to surrender their lives. (John 6) They loved to marvel at the miraculous. (John 4:48) They found Jesus to be fascinating in numerous ways, but He knew their hearts were far from God. He declared His intentions to the people who were listening, and He also exposed theirs. (Luke 11:27-30) Even though He knew their ultimate rejection would bring about His death, He wept for them. (Luke 19:41-42)

3) How do the two illustrations Jesus used make His point to the crowd?
As in His previous teachings, Jesus is warning the eager multitudes that following Him is far more serious than they imagined. Contained in these illustrations are significant lessons concerning the calling of those who would choose to continue to follow Him. In His invitation (“If anyone comes to Me…”) Jesus speaks of the importance to commit fully and not shrink back, even if it leads to death (“even his own life” verse 26). It’s unclear if Jesus has specific instances in mind with these illustrations. Did He look around and observe an unfinished building? Possibly. And regarding a king going to war, was Jesus drawing from the history of the day? A few Bible scholars indicate He was likely alluding to the troubled relationship between Herod Antipas and his father-in-law. But even if this was not a specific reference, the crowd would understand the processes of kings and kingdoms. The point of Jesus’ analogy was clear. He was painting a vivid picture of what it meant to “calculate the cost”. The wise builder and the strategic warrior both take time to consider the consequences of their undertaking. Likewise, the resolve to proceed with Christ would be proven genuine and worthwhile only as there was deliberate fortitude to persevere, not simply a desire to witness miracles or be healed.

4) How does the flavor of salt (verse 34) relate to the previous verses and the overall message Jesus wanted the audience to hear?
Three Gospels record Jesus referencing “salt”. (Matthew 5:13, Mark 9:50 and here in Luke 14) All these verses are similar, but each statement was spoken in a different context. From this passage, how do we understand what Jesus was saying to those listening? We can derive intent from reading and receiving Jesus’ words relative to the rest of His message. The crowd was familiar with the uses of salt. It was a common additive that served two purposes in this area of the world at that time: 1) Due to the lack of refrigeration, salt was utilized to preserve the food, specifically the meat. 2) Like today, it enhanced the flavor of food. Here in verse 34, Jesus draws from this cultural understanding to illustrate a follower’s calling to be useful for God’s purposes – in life or death. Just as salt is useless if it has no flavor or preserving element, it would be of no value for anyone to continue to be His disciple if they were half-hearted in their commitment to obedience and full surrender.

Everyday Application

1) Some of Jesus’ sayings were hard because they were hard to understand. Some were hard because they were hard to obey. And some were both. What did Jesus mean in verse 26 when He said one must ‘hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters’?
For years, well-intentioned voices have challenged Christians to “focus on the family”. Scripture is clear that families are to be a priority. Unfortunately, far too many have misunderstood, misapplied or have even ignored Jesus’ teaching regarding family relationships. Christian families can frequently fall into the trap of becoming self-absorbed. Bible teacher and author David Platt said “I want to love my family well. I want to pass the word and works of God down to the next generation. On the other hand, I see a world of urgent spiritual and physical need — unreached people, on top of physical needs. I want to leverage my life for the spread of the gospel among the nations.” Many Christians, especially in the United States, will never have to sacrifice their familial relationships to follow Christ. What often occurs, though, is an extreme focus on the immediate family, ignoring the call of Christ to be willing to die for His sake. Platt goes on to exhort us: “Lay your life before the Lord every day. Deny yourself. Cry out, ‘Lord save me from myself, save me from my dreams, my plans. Help me want to do whatever You want me to do. Help me to want to go wherever You want me to go.’” This is what Christ meant.

2) Did Jesus make this statement intentionally to whittle down the size of the crowd? (Notice the connection the author, Luke, makes in verses 25-26)
In his commentary on the book of Luke, Alexander MacLaren said “He desired every soul in that crowd for His own, and He knew the best way to attract is sometimes to repel; and that a plain statement of the painful consequences of a course will quench no genuine enthusiasm, but may turn a mere flash in the pan into a purpose that will flame through a life.” (studylight.org) It wasn’t that Jesus wanted people to stop following Him. His very presence on earth indicated His desire for all people to have a relationship with God. (1 Timothy 2:5) Jesus’ purpose in making radical statements was to stir the crowds of people to consider their motives. The coming of the kingdom of God was not what they imagined. Genuine faith would be reflected in an extreme commitment to obedience. Even now the message is clear: there’s a great cost. But the reward is greater! (Mark 10:28-31)

3) How do the two illustrations Jesus used make His point to the crowd?
Ponder yourself in this scene yet make it present day: You have been gifted an all-expense-paid life on the tropical island of your choice, complete with full-time housekeeper. You could spend your time bragging about this offer. You could dream about it constantly and make all the plans for a new life. But until you fully engage by relocating, the exotic life never becomes a reality. You can’t have both a full-time life here and a full-time life there. Many people view following Christ this way. They love the idea of eternal happiness, of eternal fulfillment, of escaping hell, and of having Jesus satisfy their needs. But they are not willing to abandon the life they have. It’s more tempting than we may realize to hold tightly to our desires, comfort, and sinful habits. Releasing them, even for a glorious eternity, takes faith and courage. Our lives may exhibit a temporary modification—attending church more often or giving of our time and money to good causes—but if we have no real desire to relinquish ownership of everything, then we are more like the crowds who followed Jesus. That cost is just too great for most. (Matthew 7:14,  John 6:66 )

4) How does the flavor of salt (verse 34) relate to the previous verses and the overall message Jesus wanted the audience to hear?
In the context of obedient discipleship, the loss of saltiness occurs when those who call themselves followers of Christ are not living for Him wholeheartedly. Jesus’ words to the crowd that day are relevant to us today. Our very reason for being in the world, as believers, is to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). The purpose for which we became followers of Jesus (Matthew 4:19) may be hindered or prevented when we choose to compromise, or settle, for what is more convenient and comfortable, rather than giving our lives to whatever will bring the most people into the kingdom of God. Becoming and remaining ‘useful salt’ happens when we maintain a life of humble obedience to Christ. When we deviate from Spirit-enthused sacrifice and submission, the distinctions between ourselves and those of the world are blurred and we allow our testimony to become empty words – useless for producing genuine life change in others. By focusing on and following Christ, even in inevitable suffering or loss, we will have opportunities to proclaim Him to all who witness our lives. (Colossians 1:24-29)

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Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

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