"And a person's enemies will be those of his own household." vs36

The Lord Jesus is telling us how it will be. He does not minimize suffering, but he lifts it up and warns us. It's going to cost us everything, because he is hated. It's going to cost us to deny ourselves.

Let's be rational here. It does no good to pretend. We help no one with a half-truth Christianity that hides the costs. True disciples don't come for convenience but for salvation! They've counted the costs. Eternal life is better than hell. Like Moses, we CHOOSE TO SUFFER. We look to grace to fulfill our commitment. We cannot be shaken.

Bless God! Many will pay the price!

First, we will have enemies. "A person's enemies." We will be hated for pointing out Jesus. Rolfe Barnard said there are only two offenses of the gospel - the death of Christ and Christ on the throne. The death is substitutionary atonement and full acceptance by faith only. The throne is the absolute rule of the Lordship of Christ. Preaching these two things strips man of his glory and his will. He gets no credit, and he's no longer his master. People will fight us for this. They'll get angry that their god has been killed. Self has been defeated.

Secondly, "a person's enemies will be those of his own household." This hits close to home. Our dearest friends, relatives, and companions are not going to follow us. People we've LOVED THE MOST, are going to be left behind. Relationships that we treasured are going to be broken. The old life must give way to something radically new. There's no serving two masters. We can't have Christ and the world.

Oh, we ought to learn from this. One of our greatest sins is unwillingness to suffer for following Christ - to love and pray for our enemies, rather than slow down … to make Christ the issue and not self.

Do not seek to avoid this suffering. Instead seek faithfulness with patience and endurance, like a good soldier.

Thirdly, what are we to do?

Band together as an army of sufferers and sharpen our tools. Meet together and get strength to go back into the war! Encourage one another, and help the saints. Understand that you constitute a new family with new laws, new alliances, and new joys. You have new people to love and a new community that's based entirely upon Christ. These are not natural relationships but spiritual. These are not based on the flesh but the love of Christ.

The church has been bought by blood and lives for Christ. We depend on his death and live under his Lordship. We've forsaken everything, and he delights in us.

Let's not bruise, wound, or disappoint each other. Let's not bite, devour, and bicker, holding each other in suspicion. No, this is a new community that's a refuge from the world. Let's be godly and love each other fervently. Let's understand that every member has given up everything, and some are suffering intensely. I'm delighted to be in this family, and I want to be a better brother.