Counting the Cost
Counting the Cost
Cost of being a disciple. Everything we do in life has a price: time, money, and social capital. Even doing nothing has a cost.
The children’s message is about obedience. We can demonstrate obedience by using a water bottle and a catch-up packet. Pressure on the bottle causes the ketchup packet to move obediently up and down the water column. Likewise, as Christians, we show our love for Christ by exhibiting obedience to His word.
The cost of discipleship in the Bible involves a total, self-sacrificial commitment to Jesus, which includes renouncing all possessions and family, taking up one's cross, and loving God above all else, even one's own life. Jesus warns potential followers to "count the cost" of this path, just as one would before building a tower or going to war, emphasizing that true faith requires a consuming passion and a willingness to endure hardship and loss for His sake.
Key Aspects of the Cost of Discipleship
* Renounce Everything: Disciples must give up all possessions and worldly attachments.
* Love God Above All: Devotion to God must be greater than love for family and self, which requires a form of "hating" one's family and life in comparison to Jesus.
* Bear Your Cross: This symbolizes a willingness to die to selfish desires and to suffer reproach for Christ's sake, embracing the same rejection Jesus faced.
* Deny Yourself: Disciples must be prepared to deny their own will and desires to follow Jesus.
* Total Self-Giving: The path of discipleship demands complete and utter self-giving to Christ.
Biblical References
* Luke 14:25-35:This passage is central to understanding the cost of discipleship, with verses like 26, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother... yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple" and 27, "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple".
* Matthew 10:37:Reinforces the idea of prioritizing Jesus over family and loved ones.
* 1 Kings 19:19-21:Mentions Elisha leaving his farm and animals to follow Elijah, illustrating a radical departure from worldly attachments for a higher calling.
* Genesis 19:26:The example of Lot's wife looking back at Sodom serves as a warning against looking back at the past, even good things, when following Christ.
The "Cheap Grace" Counterpoint
* Jesus' teachings on the cost of discipleship are a direct challenge to any notion of "cheap grace" or "easy believism".
* A disciple is not merely a believer who assumes grace allows for a life of sin, but someone prepared for a difficult path of total commitment and self-sacrifice.
