Pastor Tricia's Ramblings

Luke 14:33 (ESV) — “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

Philippians 3:7–14 (ESV) — “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ… I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

There’s no way to soften Jesus’ words in Luke 14:33. He doesn’t say, “Whoever doesn’t give up a few things can’t follow Me.” He says, “Whoever does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

That’s not comfortable Christianity. That’s not the kind of message that fills seats with people looking for a self-help version of faith. It’s not a “Jesus makes my life easier” gospel. This is a radical call — a complete surrender of all that we are, all that we have, and all that we think we deserve.

And if that sounds extreme, let’s remember something vital: Jesus paid an extreme price for you.

An Extreme Savior Deserves an Extreme Surrender

Jesus left the throne of heaven for the filth of earth. He endured betrayal, humiliation, torture, and death. He wasn’t guilty. He took our guilt. He wasn’t a criminal. He was treated like one — for us.

He didn’t just give up a few comforts; He gave up everything. The riches of heaven for the poverty of a stable. The worship of angels for the hatred of men. The presence of the Father for the isolation of the cross.

So when Jesus says, “Renounce all that you have,” He’s not asking anything He hasn’t already done Himself. He’s inviting us into the same kind of radical obedience that displays the power and beauty of true discipleship.

Counting Everything as Loss

The Apostle Paul knew this firsthand. Before meeting Jesus, he had everything that mattered in his world — prestige, education, religious authority, and respect. But once he encountered Christ, all of it looked worthless.

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” — Philippians 3:7–8

Paul uses a strong word in verse 8 — “rubbish” (Greek: skubalon), which can literally mean garbage or even dung. In other words: Everything I once thought mattered is trash compared to knowing Jesus.

That’s the heart of surrender. When Christ becomes your treasure, nothing else competes. Not money, not comfort, not reputation, not control.

Renouncing Is Not Losing — It’s Trading Up

When Jesus calls us to renounce everything, He’s not calling us to a miserable life. He’s calling us to a better one — a life free from the bondage of our own desires.

It’s not loss; it’s liberation.

When you give everything to God — your money, your plans, your relationships, your fears — you’re not losing them. You’re placing them in the safest hands possible. You’re trading your temporary treasures for eternal ones.

It’s like handing over a handful of pennies to receive a vault of gold. Yet too many of us still clutch those pennies because they feel familiar.

The Illusion of Control

We love control. We say we trust God, but if we’re honest, we often keep a firm grip on what we’ve “surrendered.” We pray, “Lord, I give You my life,” then panic when He starts rearranging it.

It reminds me of a story I heard as a child. A little boy brought his broken toy to his father to fix. But as soon as the father started to work on it, the boy snatched it back. Later he came crying again — “Daddy, it’s still broken!” The father said, “Son, I could have fixed it, but you wouldn’t leave it in my hands.”

How many of us do that with God? We bring Him our pain, our finances, our marriages, our dreams — and then we take them back because He doesn’t move fast enough or in the way we expect. Then we wonder why things still feel broken.

True surrender means leaving it in His hands.

The Radical Call of Jesus

Jesus’ invitation to “Follow Me” was never casual. When He called the disciples, they left their nets, their boats, and their families.

Matthew walked away from his tax booth. Peter and Andrew dropped their livelihood. James and John left their father standing in the boat.

Following Jesus meant immediate, total obedience — no negotiations, no delayed decisions.

When one man said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father,” Jesus replied, “Let the dead bury their own dead.” (Luke 9:60) That sounds harsh until you realize Jesus was cutting through the excuses. He wasn’t being insensitive — He was being clear. You can’t half-follow Jesus. You’re either all in or not at all.

Discipleship Isn’t Comfortable

Let’s be real — modern Christianity doesn’t like that message. We prefer comfort over calling. We like sermons that say, “God wants you to be happy,” but we shy away from ones that say, “God wants you to be holy.”

Yet Jesus never promised a comfortable cross. He said, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:27)

The cross is an instrument of death — not decoration. To carry a cross means we die to ourselves daily. Our ambitions, pride, and preferences go on that cross so Christ can live through us (Gal. 2:20).

Freedom on the Other Side of Surrender

Here’s the paradox of the Gospel: when we give everything up for Jesus, we find everything our souls ever longed for.

When you surrender your fear, peace takes its place.

When you surrender your control, rest fills your heart.

When you surrender your desires, purpose emerges.

When you surrender your possessions, generosity flows.

When you surrender your pain, healing begins.

You lose nothing of eternal value when you surrender to Jesus. You gain everything that truly matters.

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What Does It Look Like to Renounce All

For some, it means literal change — walking away from a career that compromises your integrity or a relationship that pulls you from Christ.

For others, it’s internal — letting go of pride, selfishness, or the need for control.

Paul gave up his achievements. Peter gave up his business. The woman with the alabaster jar gave up her most expensive treasure, breaking it at Jesus’ feet. (Mark 14:3–9)

Whatever form it takes, it always involves letting go.

Ask yourself honestly:

• What am I still holding on to?
• What am I afraid to lose?
• What have I told God, “You can have everything except…”?

Those are the things standing between you and full discipleship.

The Blessing of Renunciation

Renouncing everything doesn’t make life easy — it makes it meaningful. It realigns your priorities to heaven’s perspective.

When you give your resources to God, He multiplies them.

When you entrust your family to Him, He covers them.

When you give your plans to Him, He leads you into purpose.

Jesus said, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29)

That’s the blessing. You can’t outgive God. You can’t out-sacrifice Him. The moment you lay it down, He fills your hands with something eternal.

Straining Toward the Goal

Paul didn’t just talk about loss; he talked about gain — not earthly gain, but heavenly reward.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on… forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” (Philippians 3:12–13)

Discipleship isn’t about perfection. It’s about pursuit. It’s about running hard after Jesus, leaving behind the things that once defined you, and refusing to turn back.

Imagine an athlete shedding every ounce of weight before a race. That’s the image Paul uses. He let go of everything that slowed him down so he could reach the goal — Christ Himself.

You can’t run forward if you’re still clutching what’s behind you.

The Danger of Comfortable Christianity

We live in a culture obsessed with comfort, convenience, and control. And that mindset has crept into the Church.

We want resurrection without crucifixion.

We want blessings without obedience.

We want Jesus to save us but not to change us.

But you cannot have both. The Gospel is not an invitation to add Jesus to your life — it’s a call to surrender your life to Him.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who died resisting the Nazis, wrote: “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.”

That’s the truth our generation needs to hear again. Jesus doesn’t want your Sundays. He wants your whole life.

A Call to True Discipleship

So what will it be?

Will you keep holding on, or will you finally let go?

Renouncing all doesn’t mean abandoning responsibility — it means trusting God more than yourself. It means saying, “Lord, everything I have is Yours. Use it. Spend it. Move it. Multiply it. It’s not mine anymore.”

And when you do that — when you truly surrender — you’ll find peace, power, and purpose that can’t be found anywhere else.

Because you’re not just giving something up — you’re gaining Christ.

Final Challenge

Today, take inventory of your heart.

What’s still in your hands that needs to be placed in His?

Lay it down — your dreams, your fears, your plans, your reputation. Everything.

Then lift your hands in worship and say, “Jesus, You are enough.”

Let your life echo Paul’s words:

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

That’s the life of a true disciple — no compromise, no turning back, no divided heart.

Live Bold. Live Set Apart. Live for Christ.