It's official: the Luther House of Study team has made its way through the entire lectionary as this week's text is the text we discussed on episode one three years ago. 

Jesus uses strong language in this week's text when he said, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple."

We assume the ought implies the can. If Jesus says we ought to do something, we think we can do it. The truth of the matter is we can't put our family or our life in the second tier. They're our idols. 

Why would Jesus tell us to do something we don't have the power to do? Dr. Chris Croghan explains that Jesus has to drive our sin forward in order for us to cry out, "Lord, have mercy." Only then can God take away our idols and replace them with His promise of forgiveness. 

Kiri, Adam and Mason ask:

• What does it mean to make your life an idol?
• Why did Jesus take on sinful disciples?
• What does it mean that Jesus drive our sin forward?

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