Luke 14:25-35
25Now there went with him great multitudes: and he turned, and said unto them, 26If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it? 29Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him, 30saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31Or what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace. 33So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 34Salt therefore is good: but if even the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill: men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Scripture Testimony Index stories for this passage
Miss Dora was already traveling for post graduate studies in the West from China when God instructed that she return to China to preach His gospel. Not minding the great cost for obedience over the matter, Dora obeyed her Lord. Her story continues to inspire many, like it did to He-ping.
Wong Kiu taik was willing to forego his family for the sake of Christ.
A woman bears witness to the trueness of the faith of a poor widow from her village. She forsook idolatry, loved the Lord and didn't mind going hungry, or even starving to death for the sake of her Lord.
Wong Kiu-taik's conversion to Christianity unsettled his mother deeply, using every tool at her disposal; from blackmail, to scolding and outright threats, she tried her best to shake his determination. But Wong, having our his hands on the plough, did not look back and throughout the time she disowned him, he clung resolutely to his God.
When Chu Sao-ngan was told the one condition upon which he would be allowed to inherit his father's and uncle's estate—which if given will make him wealthy—Chu simply declared, "The property may go: I believe in Jesus, and shall worship Him all the days of my life."
Dr. Baedeker delighted in his missionary journeys in the Ararat vicinity, in spite of the difficulty of travel and tremendous risk to his life. All that mattered to him were the downtrodden in need of cheer, and the Christians to be nourished with the word of God.
When Jane shared her newfound Christian faith to the people of her village her parents were persecuted and threatened to be ostracized for such a faith.
The wealthy and cultured Hermann Ball chose to abandon his worldly advantages and pursue missionary work in Poland amongst the Jews. Prior to this, George Müller had begun to drift away from God's calling on his life, pursuing a young woman instead. Mr. Ball's bold decision helped George Müller give up the girl and return to his true calling.
Sixteen year old Abukari was sent away from his home and left to fend for himself because he became a Christian. But supported by a church, Abukari not only stayed true to his newfound faith, but had his temporal needs supplied.
The Goforth's eighteen month old child was very sick, and all attempts to save the toddler from dysentery seemed futile. Death was imminent. But, as the Goforths knelt down together to commit the child's soul to his Maker, the child was healed of the disease.
Encouraged by the testimony of Rev. Hunter Corbett, Rosalind Goforth vowed to remain in China to serve God notwithstanding the illness she battled. In making the decision to remain in China, she left her life entirely in Gods hands. Just like Rev. Corbin, from the day of that choice, Rosalind struggled little with the disease.
Hudson Taylor was robbed and abandoned by his own servant on his way to Ningpo to get medical supplies. But in spite of this and the resulting weariness and hunger, he was more concerned about preaching Christ Jesus to the unbelievers around.
With a pistol to his head, Kazim still wouldn't recant his faith in Jesus; he was happy to die if God wills so. When his persecutors could not kill him, false charges were brought against him and used to torture and imprison him. But through it all, Kazim's only sadness was his inability to read the Bible due to his swollen eyes.
Zhang Rongliang, a member of the Chinese Communist Party, was arrested for attending a Christian meeting. Although he was offered freedom if he would deny Christ, he prayed and received the grace and courage to stand for Christ. In the face of inevitable suffering, he experienced the joy that comes from doing the right thing.
Pastor Benham was arrested for his belief in Christ and sentenced to prison. Though he would be set free if he denied Christ, he refused, because his life was no longer his; he had been crucified along with Christ.
John Paton was offered a promotion and an opportunity for retraining at no cost, with the condition that he commits to stay for 7 years at the company or refuse the offer and lose his job altogether. But having planned to leave the job at an earlier time so he can focus on preaching the gospel, Mr. Paton was bold enough to decline the offer and was thus rendered unemployed.
A believer is declared wanted after he miraculously escapes from prison where he was greatly tortured and maltreated. But this brother, stirred by love for his brethren, ignored the risks of getting re-arrested and returned to the same prison to visit and encourage them and was successful for God performed another miracle - he blinded the adversaries.
Rev. T. E. Riddle who translated Sadhu Sundar Singh's books writes powerfully about the Sadhu's many struggles with health-related problems and of his joy and undiminished sense of duty to His Lord through it all.
Rev. T. E. Riddle who translated Sadhu Sundar Singh's books writes powerfully about the Sadhu's many struggles with health-related problems and of his joy and undiminished sense of duty to His Lord through it all.
In the river near Canton, there are people who live alongside their entire families on boats. And as can be imagined, their state of living is deplorable, but yet, there are missionaries who have chosen to live like these people, just so they can reach the idol worshipping peasants with the good news of salvation.
Sundar Singh was threatened with jail time by an officer he preached the gospel to. But rather than chicken out, Sundar made it clear that so long as he was alive, he would continue to preach Jesus, and not prison or even death will stand in his way!
During the Turkey-led Armenian genocide which began in 1914 and claimed over a million lives, some Christians were given an opportunity to renounce Jesus and have their lives spared, but time and again, God's people chose death over a life without Jesus as their Savior.
Mr. Kim suffered in the hands of his father for wanting to become a Christian, from emotional blackmail to outright beating. But Kim was helped by God to stand firm and yet pray for his father until the old man changed his position.
An Ethiopian believer was asked by his parents, to choose between them and Jesus. His bold choice rendered him homeless for months!
Watchman Nee was battling tuberculosis but even that was not enough to deter him from doing God's work. For him, Jesus was worth dying for and if he was to die doing God's work, then so be it.
Even the knowledge of the fact that Muslim fanatics were after her and monitoring her movement did not stop Dina from courageously witnessing about Jesus to other women. Not even the possibility of death could deter her, there were souls to be won and she was committed to winning them!