What does it mean, how does it look in our time, year 2008, to leave your family for the sake of Christ?
What's involved?
"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." (Matthew 19:29-30 NIV)
I don't think there is any mistake that this passage comes directly after Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler. Leave wealth. Leave family. The two things that possibly bring the most comfort in our world. Leave them for Jesus. I don't think Jesus calls us to leave them completely, to cut them off. Rather, on the contrary, we are to love them and honor them, but that flows out of a primary love for Christ.
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:25-27 NIV)
In this case, I'm not sure if hate has the same meaning as we use hate today. Hate is the opposite of love, so I think this passage is saying you are to love your family less than Jesus when it comes down to it. He comes first.
What happens when your family impedes the fulness of living a Christ-following relationship? How are you to deny them to live for Christ while at the same time honor them in accordance with the commandments. It can be done. The how is the tricky part.
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