No Crowds, Just a Follower Luke14:25-27

Great crowds were following Jesus.  He turned around and said to them, if you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters---yes, more than your own life.  Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.  And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me.

Great crowds were following him and we think right away, shouldn't he be happy yeah Jesus that's what you want is it not.  Popularity... no Jesus didn't want a religion, he wanted a follower who was dedicated to the core, to his teaching and most of all to the cross.  This is one thing that separates us from the rest of the world, the cross, the blood and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We, Christians are not superior we are different because of our beliefs and our love for Jesus. Jesus does not want many people in a crowd blindly following him, he wants dedication from you, and you and 100% surrender to him. Note that he addresses whoever as one follower at a time or one disciple in that crowd. You might say that would be hard and I cannot do it and Jesus would let you go.  He wants all of you, he wants you to love him above anyone else which would almost look like you don't love them at all.  If he wants you to walk away from your family to  do what he wants you to do, so be it.  It's not easy to do, I am not saying it is.  You get a lot of rejections and people mock you but they are actually mocking Jesus. He is standing now in heaven victorious,  He went through the ridicule and mockery at the cross.  He is in a different position now and you are miserable because you need someone to love you because whatever cause or religion you follow has that one ingredient missing, love, friendship with God with Jesus Christ who is God himself.  The Savior of the world.  No one else can claim that title because he is the only one who has it.  Being a disciple of Jesus is an investment, no doubt, but it has a good return on it.  You are not just wasting your life but living it to the full.  When someone party with friends he or she is never satisfied and wants it again and again.  With Jesus we are satisfied in a sense that there is nothing else we want but Him.  Come to Jesus,  He is waiting for you.  He will take you as you are.