What is the Cost?

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple

The question is asked from our heart at some point in our life – What is the cost of following Jesus Christ?  We then come up with a list of do’s and don’ts, rights and wrongs, and perceived changes required in our life.  The fact is there is no cost at all – it is all blessing.  God our Father says come onto me all who are burdened and He will give us rest.  He says He will never leave us or forsake us.  He will guide our path.  He will be our strength.  He will prepare a place for us in heaven.  He will fill our heart with peace, joy, hope, faith, love, mercy, grace, giving, strength……. and above all He  will give us eternal life to be with Him forever.  Give all of your life to Him for there is truly no eternal cost.

Matthew 19:29
And 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. But many who are first will be last, and the last first

Matthew 25:34
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. ’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink

Luke 14:33
So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple

Philippians 3:7
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

Deny Self

What does it mean to deny self or renounce all we have? Deny self of what? We battle self and desires all the time that are not pleasing to God.  Some of this is temptations from Satan and some of it comes from our sinful nature.  Our culture waters down the cost of following Christ and living to honor and glorify God.  Our culture would say that serving God and denying self means giving up Sunday morning and attending church.    Following Christ is not one morning per week activity.  It is not a one hour per day daily devotional.  It is so much more than this. The cost (if it is truly a cost) is heart, mind, and soul deep.  It is a true desire  and choice to live for Him.  Denying self is to stop seeking what pleases my interests and start understanding and doing that which honors and glorifies God.  Deny self for how money is spent, how thoughts are fermented, how time is utilized.  Denying self is a daily battle that can easily be lost.  Check your heart – what are it’s desires?

Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul

Matthew 4:10
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve

2 Timothy 2:12
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us

Luke 14:29
So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple

Psalm 49:7
Truly no man can ransom another,
or give to God the price of his life,
for the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice

Be like the Teacher

Do you ever wonder what example to follow?  Our life is not to be a list of do’s and don’ts.  Our life is to be filled with desire and purpose to Honor and Glorify our Master and Teacher.  It does not take much reading of God’s word to know we fail to look for His example and obey what it says.  What would the world look like if we truly desired to be like our Teacher?

Matthew 10:24
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master

John 13:16
Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them

Luke 6:40
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher