"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."
Jesus knew those hypocrites among the Jewish hierarchy, the high priests, scribes, lawyers, of both the Pharisees, and Sadducees, whom all had so long benefitted from their distorted version of the Law of Moses, were not going to go down without an enormous fight. Therefore, He warned His disciples to be prepared for a battle to the death as they spread the news of His new law of faith, and salvation by grace through faith.
Every day our modern news outlets post the number of those whom have been killed somewhere in the world, in the name of some religion. Even so-called "Christian" groups rabidly condemn each other because of their own ignorance and often grossly distorted, versions of the gospel of Christ.
Jesus, by knowing the hearts of mankind and knowing their greed driven nature, very accurately prophesied, not only the horrendous price that would be paid by early Christians but also the struggles faced by those who preach scriptural truth today.
Jesus said that those who were unwilling to take a stand and defend His gospel were not His, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
He also those who are unwilling to take His gospel on the road, "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."
In the final portion of this lesson, Jesus said, "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." This means that if we place more value on the everyday lives we lead than we do on our duty to teach the lost, we will lose the very life we are trying to build. However, if step out and diligently go about spreading the good news of His redemption, we will inherit whatever life we desire.~
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