Jesus offers everyone the opportunity to learn from him a radical, loving way of life. This apprenticeship, where we can be the disciple and he the master and teacher, is offered only to those ready to meet the conditions Jesus sets. One of those conditions is to give up everything we own.

Jesus also said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”

These demands are more than most people are willing to meet, which is why Jesus warned the crowds who were interested in him to carefully consider the cost of following him before starting. Many people think that they can follow Jesus while using their time and money to make a life of comfort and luxury, rather than giving everything over to Jesus’ way of love and self-sacrifice. Jesus said that type of living is like a wide and busy road that is easy to travel on but leads to destruction. He called everyone to a narrow, difficult road which is the only way to eternal life.

To find out more about what Jesus said and how to become a part of his kingdom, read the four books his early disciples wrote about him: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.


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