What is the Cost?
Last week we looked at the call of discipleship. We saw that there were three parts to this: the call to follow, the call to change, and the call to multiply.
Today we’ll look at another aspect of discipleship. We’re going to be looking at the cost of discipleship. Mark 8 is the perfect place to start. Here we see Jesus telling the crowd, along with his disciples, what you must do if you’re going to follow him.
I want us to take a look in the Amplified Bible just to get a clearer understanding of the things that Jesus is asking.
Mark 8:34 (AMP)
34 And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].
In this verse, we can see there are three things that Jesus is asking for: take up your cross, deny yourself, and follow me.
Kyle Idleman wrote a book called, Not Just a Fan. In that book, he describes how the crowds followed Jesus, but when things got too hard, they left him. As you can see in Mark 8, Jesus was not giving a call for just fair-weathered fans. He is not calling for people to click on His “like button”. But He was and is calling us to give up ourselves to follow him. He wants us to join in the plan that God has for our lives in light of the bigger picture of God’s purpose to rescue and restore all of creation.
Deny Yourself
In Luke 14 Jesus gives some comparisons that relate to discipleship. Let’s take a look at the Scripture.
Luke 14:28–33 (CSB)
28 “For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
31 “Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.
Building a Tower
What must we do before we start building a tower? We have to consider the cost. We must calculate if we have enough resources to complete the project. If we start but are unable to persevere and complete the project, it discredits us and the kingdom. Jesus wants us to consider the cost, the great sacrifices involved in the decision to follow Him. Will we persevere in the faith?
Going to War
In order to be a disciple, we must surrender so we can have peace with God. The kingdom of God is an invading force that we are no match for. Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that will prevail (Proverbs 19:21). We must forsake, renounce, and give up all that we are and have in order to be Christ’s disciple. We must consider the cost. While our resources are limited, God’s resources are unlimited. He is able to provide above and beyond all that we can ask or think (by the power that works in us Ephesians 3:20). What a treasure we have in Christ.
How do we count the cost of following Christ? It will cost us everything, and yet it will gain us all. Do we love Christ above all? Are we willing to surrender our rights, our plans, our resources to gain Christ? We must deny ourselves.
Take Up Your Cross
Luke 9:23 tells us how often we should pick up our cross.
Luke 9:23 (CSB)
23 Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.
We are to take up our cross daily. But what does it mean to take up our cross?
Jesus is talking about us losing our lives for His sake and for His purpose. When we lose our lives because of Him, we live our life in Him.
This is talking about our fellowship with Christ’s death. It involves complete surrender. We have been baptized into Christ’s death and we’ve been raised to walk in the newness of life, His life.
If you were looking this up in a concordance or maybe Thompson’s topical index you would see that there are multiple verses associated with this concept.
We are to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily (Mark 8:34). We were baptized into his death so that we could be raised up in the newness of life (Romans 6:4).
Our old self had to be crucified with him so that sin might be rendered powerless, and we would no longer be enslaved by it (Romans 6:6). Since we have died with Christ, we also now live with him (Romans 6:8).
We are counted as sheep to be slaughtered (Romans 8:36). We are being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that Jesus’ life may be displayed in us (2 Corinthians 4:11). It is no longer I that live but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20).
My goal is to know Him in the power of His resurrection and in the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to His death (Philippians 3:10). For we have died, and our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).
Daily we take up our cross. Daily we are to remember that, we are to live His life because he gave His life for us. He gave His life to rescue and restore us to the Father. He wants us to take up our cross and this message of reconciliation.
Follow Me
As we have denied ourselves, as we have taken up our cross, what has it cost us to follow Jesus? What are we willing to give up in order to follow Him?
These are great and terrible questions. Following Christ has affected many of my decisions on this journey. There are things that are so blatantly against God’s way that I turn from them. Those are the easy ones.
Other things are more subtle and unless we are constantly looking into the word of God, we can get off track. I want to say that I am willing to give no less than all. But I am unable to do this on my own.
I can only do it by being empowered by the Holy Spirit. Praise the Lord that He has sealed my spirit with His Spirit to ensure my redemption. I choose to surrender fully, and I also say, Lord, help me.
What has it cost you to follow Jesus? What are you willing to give up in order to follow him?
No Less Than All
Why is it important for us to finish what we start? When we are unable to finish the race that God has set before us it brings ridicule from the world. It discredits the kingdom of God.
Luke 14:27 (CSB)
27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:33 (CSB)
33 In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.
What disqualifies us from being Jesus’ disciples? We can see it in the verses above.
Whoever does not bear his cross and live for Christ. Whoever doesn’t renounce all his possessions. In other words, all that we have is given to us by God. He provides for all of our needs. But these resources are not for us to use in any manner we please.
God provides an abundance that not only provides for our needs but also gives us the resources to provide for His kingdom. We should possess these things to steward for Him. Anytime these possessions possess us then we should start to question our total commitment to Christ. There comes a need to eliminate and remove these things. Just ask the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-23).
Mark 8:34 (CSB)
34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
As we wrap up, what are the takeaways that will strengthen us? Jesus wants no less than all of me. All that I am. All that I have.
He wants no less of you. Are you living a life of submission to Christ? Have you surrendered all that you are and all that you have to Him?
I would like us to close with a time of reflection on these questions as we listen to, I Surrender.
