The cost of discipleship

• Why do we follow Jesus… vs. 25
  • There was a VERY large crowd following Jesus…
    • Having taught the crowds that all are sinners – everyone needs to repent and be saved…
    • And having taught them that the way is narrow – there is only one way to heaven…
    • And teaching them that all are invited to come – anyone can be saved…
    • Jesus now gives them the cost of following Him – being His disciple…
    • There were many who followed Jesus for lots of reasons – but few for the right one…
  • 1^st – Perhaps some were there because Jesus fed them…
    • After Jesus had fed the 5,000 – the crowds wanted to make Him their King…
      • But there was a problem – they did not want Him as king for the right reasons…
      • John 6:15,26 – “Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king… ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.’”
      • The people only wanted food – they were not looking for salvation…
    • Often people come to Jesus only to see what they can get…
      • Do we look to God only so He’ll give us what we want – physical needs / food
      • Or do we come to Jesus because He is the answer for Eternal life!
  • 2^nd – Perhaps some were there because Jesus healed…
    • Everywhere Jesus went He healed the multitudes of all kinds of diseases…
      • He healed so many times we are told in the Gospel of John it was too many to count!
      • John 21:25 – “Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.”
      • But Jesus did not heal everyone – many in the world did not get healed…
    • It is easy to follow Jesus if all is well – but how about when we are old/sick…
      • God does not guarantee us that we will always be healthy – have an easy life…
      • In fact God promises problems – John 16:33 – so that we learn to trust in him…
      • If times are hard – are we still willing to follow the Lord – do we stick with Jesus…
    • For example – I guarantee that as you get older – your body will wear out…
      • You start to slow down / aches and pains / wrinkles and grey hair…
      • But even that is grace – as you look in the mirror and see you body getting old…
      • It is God’s way of telling saying ‘you have an expiration date’…
      • If you never aged – just one day died – there would be no warning to prepare…
      • You are going to see Jesus soon – aging is God’s way to get us ready!
  • 3^rd – Perhaps some were there because of the crowd…
    • People tend to follow the crowd – easily influenced by the masses…
      • Since a lot of people were following Jesus – a lot more came along to see why…
      • This same crowd would worship Jesus on His triumphal entry into Jerusalem…
      • The same crowd who four days later cried out ‘crucify’ as Jesus was taken to the cross…
    • When you follow the crowd – you can easily be led the wrong way…
      • Following Jesus means that you do not ‘go with the flow’ – you stand out…
      • If no one else goes to church – if no one else wants to do what is right…
      • Are we still willing to follow Christ – stand up for the truth…
  • None of these reasons made the crowd disciples of Jesus…
    • It was not enough to simply follow after Jesus – for food / healing / or the crowds…
      • Jesus taught the crowds in John 6 – to be saved you must eat his flesh / drink his blood
      • Speaking of communion – being saved by the death and sacrifice of Jesus…
      • Many who followed Him left – it was a ‘hard saying’ – they did not understand…
      • Jesus turned to His disciples and asked – ‘will you leave me too…’
      • Peter answered – ‘where would we go – you have the words of eternal life!’
    • Being a disciple means following Jesus no matter what…
      • He alone has the answer – He alone can give us the hope of eternal life…
      • But the cost of being a disciple of Jesus is huge – Jesus gives 4 things…
        
• 1^st  – To be a disciple means – Hate your family… vs. 26
  • In order to follow Jesus – we must HATE – we struggle with this command…
    • Do you HATE your father / mother / brothers / sisters…
    • How about your wife / husband / or your children…
    • It is mean to be a shocking statement – but it does not mean you should hate…
  • It is a comparison…
    • Your love for your family must look like hate compared to your love for Jesus…
    • The emphasis is that a disciple must put Jesus before family…
    • We want to follow Jesus – but what if our family does not approve…
    • Someone has to be more important – will it be our family or Christ…
    • If we are not willing to put Jesus first – even before family – we cannot follow Jesus…
      
      
• 2^nd – To be a disciple means – taking up our cross… vs. 27
  • This is the 5^th time Jesus has used this illustration in the Gospels…
    • Matthew 10:38 / Matthew 16:24 / Mark 8:34 / and Luke 9:23…
    • The idea of the cross was a picture of death – the worst possible of all deaths…
    • Again a shocking statement – but it does not mean you should crucify yourself…
  • Jesus was heading for the cross – He sacrificed His life for God…
    • To be a disciple – to follow Jesus – means we live our lives as a sacrifice for God…
    • Luke 9:24 – “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”
    • We say we believe in Jesus – but do we really understand what that means…
    • We might understand and like – that Jesus is our Savior – keeps us out of hell…
    • But we tend to overlook the fact that we have to take up our cross…
    • Many of us look for a way to have salvation – but still live our lives our way…
    • Believing in Jesus means following Him – dying to us – choosing to life for Him!

• 3^rd – To be a disciple means  – counting the cost… vs. 28-32 (3 examples)
  • 1^st – Counting the cost – Building a tower…
    • Before you decide to build a ‘home’ – you first have to figure out what it costs…
      • Make sure you have enough money/resources to complete the project…
      • Otherwise you lay the foundation – and are happy to see the work start…
      • But then quickly run out of money – and you are not able to complete the work…
      • All those who see your half finished house – will mock and ridicule you…
      • Saying – this man started to build – but he not able to finish!
      • Jen and I are looking to build a house up on the hill across the way…
      • We would love to start building today – but we are counting the cost first…
      • We do not want to start until we are sure we have enough to finish the work!
    • The Christian life is like a race – many start the race but few finish what they started…
      • We began the race the day we believed in Jesus – it ends the day we die…
      • We run the race to receive the prize – Jesus Christ – Philippians 3:14…
      • So often as believers we start off well in our race – but we do not finish well…
      • We treat it like a sprint – but after a while we get tired – distracted – and give up…
      • The Christian life is a not a sprint – it is a marathon…
      • * Hebrews 12:1 – “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.”
      • We need to work hard to avoid the sin that weights us down – wears us out…
      • So we can finish the race with joy – receive the prize waiting for us at the end!
  • 2^nd – Counting the cost – Going to war….
    • No wise King goes to war against a stronger opponent unless he thinks he can win…
      • If a King only had 10,000 men – and his adversary has 20,000 men…
      • Unless he has a good plan – has sought wise counsel and is prepared…
      • He will raise the white flag long before the battle begins – seek terms for peace!
    • We are at war – with an opponent far stronger than we are…
      • Our opponent is our old sinful nature – our desire to live for ourselves…
      • * Galatians 5:17 – “The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict.”
      • Every decision we make is influences by this battle – the flesh vs. the spirit…
      • Our minds are literally a battleground for the control of our actions…
      • Do we choose to live for pleasure/the moment – or do we live for the Lord…
      • The flesh says I’m hungry – and have no food – so I will steal food to eat…
      • The Spirit says it’s wrong to steal – trust in the Lord to provide for our food…
      • The Spirit says to get up in the morning and spend time with God in His Word…
      • The flesh says keep sleeping – you can always read your Bible – buas lang…
    • Many of us raise the ‘white flag’ and surrender…
      • We constantly face defeat because we try and fight the war in our own strength…
      • The only way to win the battle is to let Jesus fight for us…
      • As we abide in Him – John 15:4-5 – He fight and wins the war for us!
  • 3^rd – Counting the cost – Giving up all you own…
    • Nothing can come before Jesus in our lives – He has to be number one…
      • That means being willing to give up anything that would distract us from following…
      • If we live to find happiness in money / possessions – we cannot be a disciple…
      • No one comes to the end wishing they had more money or things
      • But many realize they wasted their life – lost their life – chasing after the wind…
      • Even if we had everything the world could ever offer us …
      • If you had all the money / all the power / all the fame – everything you ever wanted
      • But when you died spent an eternity in hell separated from Jesus – was it worth it…
    • It is when we live for Jesus – let our stuff go – that we find true life!
      • Not that having stuff is a problem – it is when the stuff has us!
      • Only when we are willing to let our stuff go – do we truly become a disciple of Jesus!
      • Then we will find the ultimate reward – not only eternal life with Jesus…
      • But a full and fulfilling life while we wait for His soon return!

If we are to be a disciple of Jesus – we cannot be like the world – we need to be like Jesus!

4^th – To be a disciple means – Being salt… vs. 33-35

The ‘salt’ is the effect we should have on the world around us – as we are disciples of Jesus…

Salt is a preserving agent in food – if you don’t want something to spoil you add salt…

The world around us is dying – God has us in this world to preserve it…

Salt is a healing and purifying agent – it cleans wounds (though it is irritating)…

The Lord has given us the Gospel that we might purify & bring life to a dying world…

Though we are also without doubt and irritation to an impure and corrupt world…

Salt makes you thirsty – it causes you to crave water…

The world is thirsty – but they continually drink from the wrong well…

As we live for Jesus – show the love of Jesus – it creates a desire for Jesus in others…

But if salt looses its flavor…

If we become like the world – rather than a purifying it – we have lost our purpose…

If the salt looses its flavor (it’s preserving / purifying capability) then it is useless…