We are now at Week Six of our series. This week we will discuss the cost of following Christ. Many followers are ridiculed and even punished for their belief. It's not a decision that everyone can commit to. Inevitably, we must ask ourselves, "Is it worth it?"
Before we begin our study, let's pray together: God, you have made the heavens and the earth. You have revealed your beauty in creation and inspired the book that we are now about to study. Please help us now as we read together. Take us deeper into understanding more about you and your love for us. Amen.
"What will it cost me?" "Is it worth it?" These are heavy questions that potential disciples of Christ must ask themselves before making a commitment to follow Him.
An individual must carefully consider the advantages of committing to Jesus, as opposed to the potential suffering that one will probably experience by their decision to move forward with this. In addition, they must also decide if a life-long devotion to Christ, and denial of sinful pleasures is feasible.
What is the cost of becoming a believer? It's huge. In fact, Paul told Timothy that, " all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 2:12). Unfortunately, the only way to get around this is by rejecting Jesus, or becoming a Christian hypocrite. Either way, your goose is cooked!
Paul responded that this (our suffering) was a small price to pay in comparison with his hope. "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen" (2 Corinthians 4:16-17).
Paul sized up the cost of discipleship and measured it by relative time. He felt that it was indeed worth paying the price on earth temporarily in order to score, or attain the benefits eternally in heaven.
There is yet another cost of being a disciple of Christ; and that is paid by self-denial: "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:11-12). The temptations of ungodliness and its pleasures are strong, to say the least. But, the bona fide disciple must be able to block out their influence and spurn their gratification. For instance, Christians relinquish the right to fornicate, drink and swear that others engage in. Therefore, is the hope of salvation worth paying this price?
Paul commanded the Corinthian believers to retreat from sexual immorality, "For you were bought at a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Corinthians 6:20). Consequently, whenever we're adding up the cost, it's a good time to remember that God purchased our souls from eternal condemnation with his own precious blood (Acts 20:28; Romans 6:23).
In Luke 14:25-35 (the parables of building a tower and making war), Jesus plainly spells out this requirement. Staring with the need to put faith ahead of everything else, including family, life and convenience, he illustrates his proposal on devotion. Building your own faith on the messianic foundation takes a life-long perseverance and sacrifice. Declaring war on Satan's campaign requires a commitment to fight, and to win by channeling everything you have to the battle. Unless you make faith the chief priority, you can't be his disciple.
Using the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8, Jesus gives a lesson on faithful prayer. This is prayer that believes God can deliver to he, or she who continually hungers and thirsts after his righteousness. God will settle the score for those believers that cry out to him, and don't quit before reaching life's finish line.
In Luke 11:5-13, the parable of the friend in need, Christ reminds us of the frailty of true, saving faith. It's achieved only by those whose hearts are hungry for God's mercy. We're reminded of his Sermon on the Mount and its Beatitudes: " Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. For they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6). Many people are filled well before the goal and simply stop. They play around at religion without letting it completely change their hearts. To be sure, we should never be too satisfied for grace and knowledge until we take our final earthly breaths.
These parables lay bare the importance of implementing a search for truth, and seeing it through to the very end. We should do this as soon as possible to avoid being disqualified along the way by immorality, or complacency. Additionally, and very importantly, we must not forget to first consider the cost of discipleship, rather than starting something that we have no intention of committing ourselves to.
Questions:
1. What does Jesus compel his followers to ask themselves before becoming disciples?
2. What price of discipleship did Paul reveal to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12?
3. How did Paul justify paying this price in his own life?
4. What is a second cost of discipleship, according to Titus 2:11-12?
5. What things might fall into these categories?
6. At what price were we redeemed from slavery to sin and death?
7. What things does Jesus say we must hate (love less) than him?
8. What does it mean to bear one's cross?
9. What should a man do before building a tower? How does this apply to becoming a disciple?
10. What does a king do before declaring war? How does this apply?
11. What is true of the follower who is not willing to forsake all he has, if necessary?
12. How did the widow convince the judge to avenge her? How often must believers cry out to God?
13. Why did the neighbor finally arise to help his friend in need that night?
14. What three actions are required to receive good from God (Luke 11:9-10)? What one word would you use to describe this pursuit (answers may vary)?
Until next time...
May your week be blessed!
Bibi
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