Counting The Cost Of Following Christ
Counting The Cost Of Following Christ
Luke 14:25-33.
There’s nothing free in this life, someone paid for even the things declared free. The cost of our free redemption was paid for with the life of the savior. Having received the gift of redemption, the Lord from the text above gives us a clear understanding of what is expected of us to follow Him. This message applies to all: “If any man” verse 26. There is no excuse for anyone regarding his failure to follow the Lord.
The foremost cost of following the Lord is the abandonment of filial relations and ties. These are not unlawful, but what God demands is that we esteem our relationship with Him as a priority over our earthly relations and bonds. We must love Him above anything dear to us in this world. Deuteronomy 33:9 (NLT version) The Levites obeyed your word and guarded your covenant. They were more loyal to you than to their own parents. They ignored their relatives and did not acknowledge their own children. We surely must love our family but our love for Christ must supersede our love for any man.
“and his own life also”. Daily self-denial is another necessary cost to pay to follow Christ. The pleasures of the flesh, the cares and satisfactions of this life, and worldly treasures must never overtake the love and intent of God for our lives. I John 2:16; Luke 9:23.
“bear his cross” Cross-bearing is inevitable if we want to fully follow the master and not from a distance. We must be willing to suffer shame and bear the reproach of our master in fulfillment of God’s demand for our discipleship. Philippians 3:7,8. We are assured of His presence and grace to make our “light affliction” (2 Corinthians 4:17) tolerable and rewardable in eternity.
We must now come to the ultimate decision to count the cost, and be fully ready to do whatever it takes to qualify to be true disciples of Christ- I Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.
