Living for Eternity May Cost You in This Life

January 3, 2025

Devotional

Written by Philip Bryant

Philip serves as Executive Director of Grace Fellowship Canada. For over 20 years, he's been on a mission, planting churches from coast to coast in Canada.

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The religious leaders were now plotting to kill Jesus. He named His apostles and came down to meet the people following Him. He tells them blessed are those who are poor, hungry, who weep, and…
Luke 6:22
Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
Jesus knew that the cultural leaders of His time wanted to do away with Him because He was indeed from God, and they would feel threatened. So, instead of yielding to the truth and obeying God, by following His Son. Let’s get rid of the truth so it won’t get in our way… Jesus is preparing His followers for not only His death but for what will come for those who choose to follow Him.
Jesus lets them know this is not new.
Luke 6:23b
For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
Jesus points them to the eternal instead of the temporary and reminds them that the prophets were treated this way in the past. So expect that when you are telling the truth and obeying God, you will rub against the culture of your time, and for the moment, it may not be going well for your wealth, pleasure, happiness, and acceptance from others.

He goes on to contrast the blessed with the woe to the rich, the well-fed, and those who laugh, but He focuses on the last woe:

Luke 6:26
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.

Jesus warns them not to seek out the favour of others. It is not an accurate indicator of if you are following Him or obeying God. In fact, the people loved the false prophets but hated those who told the truth. Jesus is warning His disciples that following Him will cost them in this life, maybe wealth, pleasure, fun, and acceptance. But you will have way more in the next life. That life never ends; it is eternal. Don’t gauge your success by this world’s metrics or worry about others’ opinions.

Jesus was telling them, and as we read it today, He is telling us that we are blessed even when things are hard for following Him.

Luke 6:23a
“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.

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