THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

A) The Cost of Following Jesus  -  Matthew 8:18-22

¹⁸ Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. ¹⁹ And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” ²⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” ²¹ Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” ²² And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

John 12:24-26

²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵ Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 

 

1) What is the cost of discipleship?

Martin Luther said, “A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.”

2. There is a distinction between the crowd and the disciple.

Jesus said, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but I, the Son of Man, have no home of my own, not even a place to lay my head."

                 The Crowd                                                                                   The Disciples

1. They want the blessings                                                                   1.  They want the Blesser

2.  They want miracles to meet their needs.                                       2.  They wanted to think and pray like Jesus.

3.  They want a Savior to rescue them from their problems.            3. They longed for a King to rule over them. 

4. They needed Jesus and then went on with their lives.                   4. They gave up everything to be with Jesus.

                              

3. To follow Jesus as a disciple means that I must sacrifice.

John 12:24-26 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”

Loving his life loses it, and hates his life will keep it.

 

B) Conditions For Discipleship

1. Disciples must want to follow Jesus – ‘Anyone who wants to be my disciple’. =   Desire
2. Disciples must actually follow Jesus – ‘must follow me’ = Practice
3. Disciples must be servants of Jesus – ‘my servants’ = Attitude
4. Disciples must stay close to Jesus – ‘must be where I am’ = Relationship
5. Disciple will be given honour by the Father = Reward

 

Discipleship is Leaving All to Follow Christ -  Luke 14:25-27

²⁵ Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, ²⁶ “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

 

A Must For All Disciples -  Luke 9:23-27

23 Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

25 What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?

26 Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

27 Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

 
       Four Conditions of Discipleship

1) A disciple must reckon himself to be dead.
2) A disciple must live a life of self-denial.
    Matthew 16:24, “…If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his         cross, and follow me.”
3) A disciple must live a life of discipline.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans12:1-2).
4) A disciple must live a life of devotion.

Salvation is free but Discipleship cost everything we have.

May the Lord Bless you all!