Upon hearing of the death of John the Baptist, Jesus departed by boat across the Sea of Galilee to a deserted place by Himself, but when the multitudes heard, they followed Him. Evening came in that deserted place, and on that occasion Jesus fed 5,000 from five loaves and two fish. Twelve baskets full of fragments remained. It was another miracle, any one of which was sufficient to prove that Jesus was from God and that what He spoke was truth (Matthew 14:13-21).
The multitudes then continued to follow him, but Jesus, knowing their hearts, said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled” (John 6:26). Jesus took that opportunity to teach hard, spiritual truth. And what happened? “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66). And Jesus let them go away.
A rich, young ruler came to Jesus and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17) Jesus recited some of the commandments from the law of Moses, and the man answered that he had observed them from his youth. Looking at the man and loving him, Jesus said that he lacked one thing: “Go your way, sell whatever you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (v.21). “But he was sad at this word, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions” (v.22). And Jesus let him go away.
In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus turned to speak to great multitudes who were following him, and three times he gave qualifications for being his disciple. He expressed those qualifications in very strong language: “if anyone …does not….whoever does not….whoever of you does not…cannot be my disciple.” Like then, many today would find that “negative” and “exclusionary.”
What’s going on? Is Jesus trying to repel men from Him rather than attract them? Not at all. He’s not trying to push men and women away from Him; rather, He’s telling them the truth that being His disciple requires full commitment.
Jesus did not beg and drag men and women to be His disciples. The willing are drawn to Him and His word and come to Him of their own free will. “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” (John 7:17). Who shall be filled spiritually? Those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6).
If Jesus would not attract people to become his disciples by diluting the truth, why do some churches and preachers today try to attract people with food and entertainment? Others attract multitudes with a watered-down “gospel,” and then they keep them coming by continuing to coddle them with a weakened and adulterated “gospel” that makes the people happy, yet spiritually unchanged. A “gospel” that teaches men nothing about the cost of being a disciple of Christ cannot be the gospel Jesus taught. Jesus requires nothing less than total commitment in order to be His disciple.
-Larry Jones