Our society wants a discount! From Extreme Couponing, value menus, and demanding Facebook for free, we generally want things without having to pay (too much) for them. While many today are looking for a discount, we need to understand that being a child of God will cost us greatly. “You’ve got to be willing to get into the word of God and be willing to give up anything … that’s the cost of discipleship” – Allen Greeley. We need to avoid the mindset that we can somehow serve Jesus at some kind of discounted rate, where we give Him part of our dedication … and keep the rest of it for ourselves. In fact, if we do not count the cost, we cannot be His disciples, as Jesus said, “(builder and king making war) … So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:28–33).

This evening I want to talk about 4 things that being a disciple of Christ will cost you. If you truly value the grace that God has so freely extended to you, if you’re hearing the word with an honest heart, if you’re willing to forsake all for Him, then you will give up the things we’re going to talk about tonight. Rather, if you’re just playing around with following Him, if your stubbornness and callous heart is standing in the way, if you’d rather look back to this world and the pleasures of it, you’re not fit for His kingdom, as He said, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57–62)

RELATIONSHIPS

EXAMPLE

  • “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.” (Luke 14:26)
  • “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. … He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:34–38)

APPLICATION

  • Allen stated it perfectly this morning … often people allow their family and friends to dictate their own beliefs, rather than putting God’s Word first! (divorce, remarriage, denominationalism, etc.)
  • It’s easy to condone or overlook sins in those we’re closest with, but we need to have courage to confront them and treat them as the sinner they are if they won’t repent!

[Close relationships are such an important part of our lives, but what relationship is more important, family or our God?]

WORLDLY DESIRES

EXAMPLE

  • “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.” (Matthew 18:8–9)
  • “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14–18)

APPLICATION

  • What is standing in your way from serving Him? Are you willing to quit your job? Are you willing to break up with your girlfriend and find a new group of friends? Are you willing to admit your secret sins to others so they can pray for you?
  • We cannot expect to be disciples part of the time and in the world the rest! God knows the extent of your commitment to Him and how much you value this world and its pleasures. Our attachment to this world may never be known by others, but God sees everything!

[As the world shifts its focus toward an open tolerance of worldliness, we have all the more opportunity to stand out as lights but refusing to give in to the temptations around us!]

OUR RIGHTS

EXAMPLE

  • “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” (Matthew 5:38–42)
  • “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:1–6)

APPLICATION

  • Often we let childish things cause division between us because we somehow think we have the right to be heard, or the right to be treated fairly. Let’s not let our American ideal of freedom blind us from being a servant to all, for their good and not our own!!
  • We need to get our perspective correct. When we hope in Heaven, we will not become so angry when our earthly “rights” are violated in some way. When we love every soul, we will always react in a way to gain their soul!

[Giving up your rights is not just an outward show either, it’s something we need to be willing to do from the heart, because we love our fellow man, and we’re focused on our heavenly home!]

COMFORT

EXAMPLE

  • “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:8–10)
  • “(the church) may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:11–16)

APPLICATION

  • Being a disciple of Christ isn’t comfortable. Often we have to say hard things, take unpopular stands on important issues, and open ourselves up to hurt and disappointment. Count it all joy, though, when you face difficult situations, so that your faith can grow and you can draw closer to Him!
  • How much time are you willing to spend each week for God?

[For those looking for comfort, the only option is the broad road, which leads to destruction.]

Are you looking for a discount in your service to Him, or are you willing to pay the ultimate price?
* RELATIONSHIPS – Are you willing to give up your earthly relationships if necessary?
* WORLDLY DESIRES – Are you willing to give up your past lifestyle of sinfulness for Him?
* OUR RIGHTS – Are you willing to lay down your rights and become a lowly servant for Him?
* COMFORT – Are you willing to get off the couch to work and suffer for Him?

Jesus paid for your salvation with His life. He’s asking for your life in return! “… present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1) “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)