Following Jesus, Counting The Cost
Becoming a Christian has always meant following Jesus Christ. I have to say that because all sorts of people today want to make up their own path and call it Christianity but if you take following Christ out of Christianity you should really call it something else.
Jesus spoke a lot about following Him, and a good deal could be said about what it means. It does mean accepting Him as your Lord and Master, you can't really say you're following Jesus if you refuse to do what He commands. It does mean He is your teacher, it would be strange if you said you were following Him but denied some of his teachings and it must mean repenting of your sin and believe in the good news because that's what He taught so if you think about it although the good news is about free salvation it's something you can't pay for in any way, if you want to follow Jesus it could cost you everything.
Jesus put it like this "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself take up his cross and follow me" - Matthew 16:24. Let's just think about that, you have to deny yourself. You probably already know that it's you that will get in the way of you following Jesus more than anything else. You, your sinful flesh will have desires and ambitions, and fears that will almost shout out at you don't do it don't follow Jesus, but if you're going to follow Him, it means saying no to yourself. More than that you have take-up your cross people in Jesus day had no difficulty understanding what that meant. It meant being ready to suffer from the worst kind of persecution, even the ultimate cost. There's no way you can follow Jesus if you're not prepared to suffer, if you're not prepared to acknowledge Him, if you won't even own up to being his own follower. He, Himself said "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in his father's glory with the Holy Angels" - Mark 8:38.
There are some smooth-talking false teachers who will invite you to follow Jesus and promise you health wealth and prosperity, but Jesus didn't promise those things to his followers in this life. True Christianity brings you unspeakable joy, but it's not a joyride. There's a peace that passes all understanding, but Jesus said in this world you will have trouble.
Before you follow Christ, you ought to stop and can the cost. Following Jesus could cost you everything, so if that's the case, why would anyone follow Jesus?
Thankfully following Him is not just about suffering, Jesus promised His followers spiritual life and the comfort of fellowship with the Holy Spirit, called His followers His friends, gives us peace with God and a guarantee that whoever comes to Him will never be cast out.
For those are in Christ there's a promise that all things will alternate work together for your good and a future inheritance waiting for you that makes any suffer in this life more than worthwhile.
Becoming a Christian has always meant following Jesus Christ. I have to say that because all sorts of people today want to make up their own path and call it Christianity but if you take following Christ out of Christianity you should really call it something else.
Jesus spoke a lot about following Him, and a good deal could be said about what it means. It does mean accepting Him as your Lord and Master, you can't really say you're following Jesus if you refuse to do what He commands. It does mean He is your teacher, it would be strange if you said you were following Him but denied some of his teachings and it must mean repenting of your sin and believe in the good news because that's what He taught so if you think about it although the good news is about free salvation it's something you can't pay for in any way, if you want to follow Jesus it could cost you everything.
Jesus put it like this "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself take up his cross and follow me" - Matthew 16:24. Let's just think about that, you have to deny yourself. You probably already know that it's you that will get in the way of you following Jesus more than anything else. You, your sinful flesh will have desires and ambitions, and fears that will almost shout out at you don't do it don't follow Jesus, but if you're going to follow Him, it means saying no to yourself. More than that you have take-up your cross people in Jesus day had no difficulty understanding what that meant. It meant being ready to suffer from the worst kind of persecution, even the ultimate cost. There's no way you can follow Jesus if you're not prepared to suffer, if you're not prepared to acknowledge Him, if you won't even own up to being his own follower. He, Himself said "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in his father's glory with the Holy Angels" - Mark 8:38.
There are some smooth-talking false teachers who will invite you to follow Jesus and promise you health wealth and prosperity, but Jesus didn't promise those things to his followers in this life. True Christianity brings you unspeakable joy, but it's not a joyride. There's a peace that passes all understanding, but Jesus said in this world you will have trouble.
Before you follow Christ, you ought to stop and can the cost. Following Jesus could cost you everything, so if that's the case, why would anyone follow Jesus?
Thankfully following Him is not just about suffering, Jesus promised His followers spiritual life and the comfort of fellowship with the Holy Spirit, called His followers His friends, gives us peace with God and a guarantee that whoever comes to Him will never be cast out.
For those are in Christ there's a promise that all things will alternate work together for your good and a future inheritance waiting for you that makes any suffer in this life more than worthwhile.
