The Cost of Discipleship
For those who have ears to hear, God always gave a word of wisdom and knowledge to prepare his people for the spiritual battles ahead. America has been an anomaly among the nations of the world. The United States is one of only two nations of the world that was founded on the Word of God. America has been blessed by God who honors his word. Ours is the only nation to have enjoyed freedom of worship over the last three hundred years.
Jesus had an unusual way of recruiting his followers. As Bonhoeffer said, when Jesus bids a man come, he bids him come and die. In order to live for Christ we must die to self. People are glad to receive Jesus as savior. Not many are willing to receive him as Lord. There are many more references to Jesus as Lord than there are as savior.
The finest response is made when the greatest challenge is given. Jesus said to the crowds, If you are required by law to carry a soldier’s pack one mile, then volunteer to go two miles. If someone slaps you on one cheek, then turn the other cheek. He said, If you follow me, the world will hate you as it has hated me. In order to follow me, you have to forsake the world and even your own selfish desires.
Jesus said, In this world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Even if we never experience persecution for following Jesus Christ, preparation for persecution allows us to bear up under pressure. According to Psalms, the crucible is for silver and the furnace for Gold, but the Lord tries, tests, and refines the heart.
The rich young ruler had many worldly so-called blessings. He came to Jesus and asked, “Good Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus knew what was in his heart so he answered, “Why do you call me good? There is none good (in the flesh). Only God himself is good.” Then Jesus quoted six of the Ten Commandments that pertain to “thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” He said, “Don’t commit murder. Don’t bear false witness. Don’t steal. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t defraud anyone. Honor your mother and your father.” The man responded. “These things I have done since my youth.” Even though Jesus knew what was in his heart, Jesus looked upon him with love and compassion. Then Jesus said, “one thing you lack. Go sell all your worldly possessions, give the proceeds to the poor, then come, take up your cross and follow me and you will have treasure in heaven.” The rich young ruler went away sorrowful for he had great wealth.
The rich young ruler thought that he kept the law. His problem was that ye had broken the most important commandment of all: “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.” His god was his wealth…. He treasured treasures upon earth and not treasures in heaven. His possessions came between his face and God’s face. The greatest commandment is, “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength.” Only then can we love our neighbor as ourselves. There is a priority in love. The question is, what do you love the most? The rich young ruler loved his riches more than he loved God.
In John 6, Jesus said to the multitude, “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you can have no part of me.” When they heard this, many forsook him. They wanted to follow on their own terms, not the Lord’s. True Disciples of Jesus Christ are his disciplined followers who learn to walk in the footsteps of their Lord. They walk the talk and talk the walk.
Garibaldi an Italian general is considered the father of the modern Italian republic. He is renown for recruiting soldiers known as “Red Shirts” for battle. Some recruits said, what do I get for following you? Geribaldi said, “If you’re doing it for your own reward, we don’t want you. If you do not serve for the love of your country and the honor of your nation, then you are not worthy of military service.”
Following the Lord are on God’s terms. You have to count the cost in order to serve.
What does it mean to serve the Lord? The story of Abu Tabor illustrates the price and the cost of lordship. As the story goes, a powerful king had conquered the territories surrounding Abor Tabor’s tiny kingdom. Abu Tabor was known far and wide as a fierce warrior and leader of a dedicated band of elite fighting men. The conquering king knew of Abor Tabor’s reputation so he sent an emissary to offer him terms of peace. The emissary said to Abor Tabor, “Our king has conquered all of your surrounding territories. However, we’re offering you an opportunity to join an alliance with our king. If you pledge to serve our king, you and your people will be spared. If you do not accept these terms, our vast army will invade your kingdom and we will decimate your army and take your people captive.”
Abu Tabor said to one of his warriors, “take this dagger and plunge it into your heart.” The warrior took the dagger, plunged it into his heart and fell dead at Abu Tabor’s feet. He said to another warrior, “run and jump over this cliff.” The man immediately ran, jumped from the cliff, and plunged to his death on the rocks below. Abu Tabor said to the emissary, “I have three hundred more committed warriors just like these. If your king attacks, we will annihilate your army and your king will be chained to my dogs by evening.” The king and his vast army attacked. The battle raged all day long. By evening the king was chained to Abu Tabor’s dogs.
What does Lord-ship really mean? According to Luke 9:57-62:
57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Lord-ship means that I am no longer in control of my own life… He is. The story of Abu Tabor is an illustration that when the crisis comes and courage is required, God expects his men to have such confidence in him that they will be the reliable dependable ones.
A US secret agent was felt that his service was not valued. He became disgruntled so he decided to sell state secrets to the Russian government. He became aware of secret information that he knew would shift the balance of power from the US to Russia. His Russian contacts said, give us the information. The US agent said, I’ve gone as far as I can go. I cannot reveal these national secrets. He said you can torture me to death but I will not reveal them. They said, we won’t torture you. Instead we will torture and kill your wife and then your children.
What is the cost of following the Lord Jesus Christ? Will you continue to surrender your will to his will? Will you bare up under suffering, sacrifice yourself for the good of others, and discipline yourself for the sake of godliness?
1 Coringhians 4 says we (apostles and ministers) are fools for Christ’s sake and roughly treated for the kingdom of God. But ye, to whom we have imparted God’s wisdom, are wise. We are weak but ye are strong. We are despised by the world but ye are honorable unto God.
Many of these biblical passages never made sense to American Christians, but given today’s ever increasing anti-God and anti-Christian American culture, they are slowly coming into view.
Things of this world never make good objects of devotion. What is it that you love above all? Whether wealth, power, position, or praise of others, everything of this world will turn to dust. Even every loving earthly relationship will end in sorrow and separation. When we love things and use people, the things of this world will come to naught. Jesus said, For what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?
To count the cost we must understand the meaning of value…. What’s it worth to you? What do you value most? According to Hebrews 6, beware of covetousness, (greed, avarice) but be ye content with such things as ye have…. For he hath said, I will never (Never, no not ever) leave you nor forsake you. We are complete in Him…. He is all we ever need. He is our sufficiency in all things.
The theme of the song by Casting Crowns, “Only Jesus” is on-point. There is only one thing that will last into eternity…. I don’t care if they remember me. I don’t want to leave a legacy… only Jesus!
Some things are priceless. They are beyond cost…. Beyond the value of anything on earth. This is why the price of our salvation was paid by the sacrifice Jesus Christ paid on our behalf. For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me…. And the life that I now live I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me….
… that because of the value of the life of Christ in me, I may live to the praise of the glory of the grace of our Lord!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
