LESSON 7 COMMITMENT
By Don Krow
Luke 14:25-26 – And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said
unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and
children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
“And there went great multitudes with Jesus, and He turned, and said unto them” (Luke
14:25).
At this time in Jesus’ ministry, there were multitudes of people who followed Jesus. The
English language doesn’t bring this out, but in the Greek language, this is an imperfect tense.
This means that at this time, the great multitudes began to repeatedly and continuously follow
Jesus.
Perhaps it was because of His miracles or because He fed them, we don’t know the exact
reason, but great multitudes were following Him. It was at this time that Jesus turned and
deliberately said something which appears to have caused many people to turn and follow Him
no more.
{Basically He drew a line in the sands of time! Either you are with me or against me!}
“If any man come to Me [that means wants to go with me, wants to accompany me,
wants to follow me, this is the requirement], and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and
children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke
14:26, brackets mine).
As I looked at that scripture, I thought, Lord, you can’t mean that.
What does that word “hate” mean?
It probably means to love less or something like that. As I began to study, however, I discovered that the word literally means “hate.”
Jesus used the strongest possible word to emphasize a point. He said unless you hate
your father, your mother, your sister, your brother, even your own life, you can’t be His disciple.
I want to ask you something: What is the closest relationship you will ever have on this earth?
It’s your mother and father or your spouse and children. What happens if your wife turns against
you and divorces you, or your mother and father die?
Who will stick with you then?
It will be your brothers and your sisters. Jesus said, unless you hate them, you can’t be His disciple. What is He saying?
Jesus is talking about the closest relationships we will ever have. He is asking for a
commitment from you, a commitment in which He is preeminent.
He wants to be number one in your life. He is going to compare His relationship with you to the closest relationships you have on earth.
“Hate” is a metaphor, a word of comparison, and Jesus is saying, “My relationship
with you is so important that I want it to be above all earthly things.”
There is one person you love more than your wife, your children, your mother, your father, or your sisters and brothers.
COMMITMENT
Do you know who that is?
It’s not God . . . it’s you. You love yourself more than you love your closest relationships.
Why do marriages break up?
Why do people divorce?
Because they love themselves more than they love their spouse. “You’re not doing it like I want you to, so I’m getting rid of you.”
Jesus said there is one relationship I want to be number one above—it’s your own selfish
life. This is true discipleship. He is not talking about a no-cost discipleship. He’s asking us to
follow Him.
He’s asking to be number one in our lives.
COMMITMENT
1. Read Luke 9:57-62. What does this passage teach
about the level of commitment toward following Christ?
LUKE 9:57-62 – And it came to pass, that, as they went in
the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow
thee whithersoever thou go.
[58] And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds
of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to
lay his head. [59] And he said unto another, Follow me. But
he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. [60]
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go
thou and preach the kingdom of God. [61] And another also
said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them
farewell, which are at home at my house. [62] And Jesus said
unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow,
and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
2. Read Luke 8:13-14. Why do some people seem to fall
away, or turn away, from the Christian faith?
LUKE 8:13-14 – They on the rock are they, which, when
they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no
root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall
away. [14] And that which fell among thorns are they,
which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with
cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit
to perfection.
3. Read Ezekiel 16:8. God uses the illustration of
marriage to describe a relationship with His people.
Whose possession does one become in this relationship?
EZEKIEL 16:8 – Now when I passed by thee, and looked
upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I
spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I
sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee,
saith the Lord GOD, and thou became mine.
4. Read 1 Corinthians 6:19. Who do you belong to?
5. Read 1 Corinthians 6:20. Who does your body and
your spirit belong to?
1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 – What?
know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which
ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
[20] For ye are bought with a price: therefore
glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
6. Read James 4:4. Can you commit spiritual adultery
against God?
JAMES 4:4 – Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not
that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
7. What would constitute spiritual adultery in God’s
eyes? See Romans 1:25.
ROMANS 1:25 – Who changed the truth of God into
a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than
the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
8. Read John 2:23-25.
What can we learn about commitment and faith from these verses?
JOHN 2:23-25 – Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day,
many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
[24] But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
[25] And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
9. Read Luke 14:28-30.
Have you counted the cost to
follow Jesus?
Do you want to follow Him?
LUKE 14:28-30 – For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down
first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
[29] Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation,
and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
[30] Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
Review: COMMITMENT
1. Read Luke 9:57-62. What does this passage teach about the level of commitment toward
following Christ?
Absolute surrender
2. Read Luke 8:13-14. Why do some people seem to fall away, or turn away, from the
Christian faith?
They have never put down a root system in the Word of God. The cares, riches, and
pleasures of this life take them away
3. Read Ezekiel 16:8. God uses the illustration of marriage to describe a relationship with
His people. Whose possession does one become in this relationship?
God’s
4. Read 1 Corinthians 6:19. Who do you belong to?
God
5. Read 1 Corinthians 6:20. Who does your body and your spirit belong to?
God
6. Read James 4:4. Can you commit spiritual adultery against God?
Yes
7. What would constitute spiritual adultery in God’s eyes?
A heart that is turned away from Him to idols (things that you have made more
important that God)
See Romans 1:25.
8. Read John 2:23-25. What can we learn about commitment and faith from these verses?
That Jesus wants all of our hearts (a total commitment)
9. Read Luke 14:28-30. Have you counted the cost to follow Jesus?
Do you want to follow Him?
Copyright © 2012, Andrew Wommack
Permission is granted to duplicate or reproduce for discipleship purposes on the
condition that it is distributed free of charge.
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