Carry your Cross
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25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who does not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
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8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.
Introduction
Imagine the scene, large crowds following Jesus and he says these shocking words - whoever… does not hate…. cannot be my disciple. Does not carry their cross…cannot be my disciple. Does not count the cost….cannot be my disciple. How do you think they would react?
Three times Jesus this couplet - Does not ….. Cannot
1. Does not hate….. Cannot
2. Does not carry….. Cannot
3. Does not count….. Cannot
Let us look at these one at a time
Does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even their own life, cannot be my disciple
It may seem strange but the Aramaic word that we translate as ‘hate’ literally means ‘to love a great deal less.’
Jesus is saying, if God is the most important person in our lives, then all the other loves are far less in comparison!
When we do apply these words to our close circle of family, there are times when we do feel persecuted. John Ghanim a Yemenese convert from Muslim to Christian was featured o the Inspired Podcast in August 2025. After he chose Jesus first and Lord of all including his family - he lost all, wife, children everything. He even had several Fatwa’s put on him for converting to Christ. This makes Jesus’ words all the more real.
Still these words shock us, putting God before friend and family.
Does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple
We sing, "Stand up, stand up for Jesus, children of the cross." But, we know that to do so is taking up the cross and it may result in ridicule, persecution, and risk. Like the march in town on Good Friday - we experience ridicule and slander. King Jesus says to carry your cross.
The mark of a great leader is the demands he makes upon his followers. Winston Churchill in WW2 told us that he had nothing to offer but "blood, sweat, toil, and tears" in their fight against the Germans. Jesus demanded (Luke 14:27) that his followers carry their cross. The cross is a symbol of dying… dying to self to be born again, a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). The demands that Jesus makes on those who follow him are extreme. Following Jesus is not a Sunday service or a Wednesday Communion thing. It is a hungering after God, loving God will all we have, keeping his commandments. Romans 8:10-12 puts it this way: Love the Lord your God by walking in his ways, keeping his commandments and love others.’
Does not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples
We learn from Luke 14:25 that a large crowd was travelling with Jesus. In that crowd there were many motives for following him. Some have just seen Jesus feed 4000 and they are waiting for a miracle. Some are following because they’ve heard he is a healer and they are waiting for a healing. Others follow for the thrills and inspirational words and sermons.
A few had counted the cost and became disciples fully committed to Jesus’ teaching and had taken up their cross.
Aware of these many reasons in the crowd, Jesus turns to the crowd and tells them they must count the cost (14:33).
He illustrates his point (Luke 14:8-30): Suppose one of you wants to build a tower …. before you build, what is the first thing you will do? Estimate the cost.
Sagrada Família (RC) basilica in Barcelona, Spain (Artist and Architect designer Gaudí). construction began in 1882 and it is still-unfinished. In October 2025 it became the world's tallest church after a cross was added.
Perhaps you are thinking Jesus’ words (14:33) ‘give up everything’ are high demands. If you are thinking I cannot do it, I cannot be as good, as prayerful, I don’t read my bible enough – here is the good news. God is the one who is at work in you. Yes, he calls you to count the cost, yes, he calls you to take up your cross, but the time to come to him, to follow him, to be his disciple is now and the only way to come to him is ‘just as you are!’
Charlotte Elliott was struggling with depression and she remembered the words of a friend twelve years earlier, “come to Jesus just as you are."
And she wrote the hymn "Just as I am” in response, verse after verse. Each verse begins with "Just as I am” (Without one plea… and waiting not….tho tossed about…Thou wilt receive). "Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidd'st me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”
Cover Photo Jason Swain Photography https://jasonswain.co.uk/
