Despite the fact that it will cost you everything, the gift of salvation is completely free. Jesus gives a warning to those who were only interested in the excitement. He offers eternal life and salvation in exchange for everything in your life.
How many people who have read or heard this have previously been students? Most, if not all of us, have attended elementary, middle, high school, or even university at some point in our lives, so we have some understanding of what it is like.
If you are a follower of Jesus, you are called to be a student once more, no matter what kind of student you were in the past. He does not exactly say it that way.
According to the gospels, Jesus teaches all of His students about the Kingdom of God and calls them His disciples. Therefore, if you are a follower of Jesus, you are obligated to be His disciple and a disciple of the Savior.
However, being a disciple is different from being a student. Jesus' classroom is much bigger, the stakes are much higher, and the potential cost is much higher than you might have thought.
Thanks to the gospels and other writings in the New Testament, we can still access much of what Jesus taught His first disciples. As we follow Christ in faith, we continue to learn from these teachings, which have stood the test of time.
In addition, one of Jesus' most unambiguous, daring, and difficult calls to discipleship will be examined today.
It is possible that you have heard the phrase, “Following Jesus will cost you everything,” which is probably a good way to summarize today’s reading. However, while salvation is free, following Jesus will cost you everything.
This is the setting for our passage today: a great number of people were accompanying Jesus as he traveled. He is making his way up to Jerusalem, where, as we now know, He would ultimately give His life for the benefit of all humanity.
Huge anticipations of the upcoming Kingdom followed Jesus wherever He went. Also, it makes sense why the Messiah had so much at stake. For centuries, other people had ruled and ruled over the Jewish people.
They were prepared for the nation to undergo a radical transformation. However, none of them seemed prepared for the kind of kingdom that Jesus would later describe.
Counting the Loss
Let us start by looking at Jesus' words in Luke 14:26, where He says some very confusing things about having to hate your parents, siblings, and brothers in order to follow Him.
Because of this, it makes sense that Jesus would tell people who came to Him that if they wanted to follow Him all the way to the end, they would need to be completely and totally committed.
Jesus was the One who knew what was at stake. This is a strong warning to those who were so eager to acquire a share of the kingdom that doing so would result in a significant loss.
But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division (Luke 12:50-51).
Jesus is right to try to dissuade Kingdom thrill seekers from following Him because following Him is expensive.
The unattached cannot comprehend that they must lose their life in order to find it. They must be willing to accurately estimate the costs of following Christ and becoming a disciple.
Counting the Cost
The practical instruction that Jesus gives in the middle of our passage today is something you have to love. This is extremely useful wisdom, regardless of how difficult it was to hear at the time or how difficult it is to hear now.
Christ’s compassionate heart is heard saying, “Hey, take a moment and think about what it is going to cost you. Do you have the courage and strength to finish it?”
There are undoubtedly quite a few people who have found themselves in circumstances that proved to be far more challenging than what they could have ever imagined.
Imagine how much more challenging it will be in the Kingdom of God if being a good student in school meant sometimes making difficult sacrifices.
Keep in mind that Jesus’ classroom is significantly larger, the stakes are significantly higher, and the potential cost is significantly greater than we might have ever imagined.
In order to follow Him, we must be willing to give up everything, even our lives. We must be willing to carry our cross, just as Jesus did. Additionally, we should not make this commitment lightly.
Carrying the Cross
And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:27).
The decisive point is important. The cross was the means by which Jesus died on earth. Carrying the cross is not a reference to the challenges believers face but rather to death itself (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 10:34-39, 16:24; Galatians 2:20).
In the first century, condemned prisoners in Palestine were expected to carry the cross to the spot where they would be crucified.
In order to follow Christ, we must be willing to give up everything, including our lives.
Additionally, learning that becoming a true disciple of Christ necessitates total dedication and focus on every facet of one’s life will leave those who are only interested in putting on a good show, gaining an advantage in life, or obtaining quick healing will not be happy at all.
When Jesus calls us to heaven, He does not stop there. Christ invites people to come and die when he calls them.
Why Does This Matter?
Despite the fact that it will cost you everything, the gift of salvation is completely free. Jesus warned those who were only interested in the thrills.
He offers eternal life and salvation in exchange for everything in our lives. It serves as a helpful reminder to those who are struggling right now that Jesus did not promise us an easy life, but He did promise that He would be there for us.
“and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
He also sent the Friend and Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to accompany us on the journey. And lastly, He said that He would come back for the Church. Therefore, it is true that following Him costs money, but the eternal reward is unrivaled in value.
Keep in mind that Jesus’ classroom is significantly larger, the stakes are significantly higher, and the potential cost is significantly greater than we might have ever imagined. Being His disciple, on the other hand, is infinitely superior to any challenges that we might face.
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
We are to focus on Jesus and complete the task He has given us as His disciples.
For further reading:
What Does the Bible Say about Discipleship?
5 Keys to Intentional Discipleship
Who Wrote the Cost of Discipleship?
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