I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Luke 14-16.

    In yesterday’s passage the leader of a synagogue where Jesus healed a woman reprimanded the woman, and the others present, for seeking healing on the Sabbath, saying that healing was prohibited because it was work. So, in today’s passage, Jesus asked the religious leaders who were present if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. I had not touched on it in yesterday’s passage, but the main thrust of Jesus’ teaching on this subject is that it is never wrong to do good for others. From there Jesus transitions to talking about puffing ourselves up. I see an important connection between what Jesus says here and His teachings about those who serve others being the greatest. If the most important question we ask when deciding whether or not to do something is “What’s in it for me?” we have failed at the most basic level to understand what Jesus taught.

    As followers of Christ, each and every one of us is called to obey the Great Commission. We are to go forth into the world and make disciples. However, sometimes in our eagerness to make new disciples we downplay the difficulty of being a follower of Jesus. Jesus tells us that it is important that we be aware of what it will cost us to be His follower. No one should be encouraged to start following Jesus without first knowing the trials and suffering which they will face as a result. Our eagerness to bring others to the Lord is not misplaced, as Jesus makes clear in the parables He tells in chapter 15. However, we must make sure that we do not convince people to follow Jesus under false pretenses. The cost of following Jesus is high, higher than most are willing to pay. We know the reward is worth it, but that is a decision which each person must make for themselves.