In Luke 11:37-52, Jesus is warning the legalistic folks against adding so many demands on the people of God. He warns against burdening those whom God has set free.
And yet we know, that Jesus himself tells his disciples that they much give up home and family and devote their full lives to him. That following him means sacrifice - perhaps even of our very lives.
In Pre-Seminary group last week we were acquainted with a thought from C.S. Lewis in which he says that evil always comes in pairs. A Christian must navigate the narrow path between these pairs of temptation. It is a favorite trick of the devil to make us so fearful of the ditch on one side that we become trapped in the ditch on the other.
I confessed to the group my tendency to so avoid burdening folks that I sometimes get too close to the ditch of "anything goes." I am grateful to Lewis for this image, as a way of holding in check the temptation which threatens to undo what I desire.
Our Sunday morning study of I Corinthians has brought us the section where Paul acknowledges that in Christ he has been truly set free. In this freedom, he has subjected himself to that which is helpful, to that which is instructive, to that which will build up the rest of the Church.
Jesus does not want us to struggle to live up to contrived standards or obligations. He wants no one to add burdens to our lives. He does hope that we will live a life which reflects our faith, a life in which every action, word, and thought are altered by our desire to give praise to our Lord and invite others to follow his Word.
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