Take up your cross means join Jesus on the Calvary Road.

On the way to Galgotha, one destination, death.

When Jesus calls us to follow him, what does that really look like?

And that's a really important question for us to answer.

I'm Dan Kruver.

In this episode of Light and Truth, we look at Luke 14, where John Piper explains the meaning and significance of some of Jesus' most radical calls to follow him.

This message was originally delivered at Bethlehem Baptist Church on Sunday evening, September 4, 1983.

First thing I want us to notice is something that's repeated three times

First one is here in verse 26

He cannot be my disciple 27

cannot be my disciple and 33 cannot be my disciple.

Now, before we ask what is being excluded there, we need to ask what disciple means.

Now, that may seem obvious to all of you church people, but I've been reading some discipleship material lately, and I'm disturbed at a definition that has been seemingly taken over by some discipleship materials.

What words would you substitute for disciple here?

Can you stick in any without abusing Jesus' intention here?

Learner would be a real general literal translation of Mathetace.

Is that enough? Is it enough to say learner?

Follower?, obeyer? Here's the problem I have with some of the material. I was reading a book on Discipleship this week and they got this diagram and what they have is here's the beginning of the Christian life and the first thing that happens is you become a convert here and then after about two years you might

be a disciple to get together with somebody and study hard D-I-S-C-I-D-N-C-D. Disciple is kind of a second stage development out of convert.

Baby Christian, then disciple. You agree with that? I don't. And I don't think Luke does. And let me take you to the book

of Acts because it's easier to see Luke's intention there than it is here. Turn with me to Acts

chapter 11, verse 26.

...