Costly Grace: The True Call of Discipleship

In the wake of tragedy and loss, it’s easy to forget the lessons that once drove us to our knees and filled our churches. The events of the past and the recent martyrdom of a brother in Christ remind us that evil is real and that following Jesus is not a matter of convenience or comfort. The call to discipleship is a call to costly grace—a grace that was free to us, but cost God His Son. To follow Christ is to embrace a life that is no longer our own, to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him with unwavering commitment.

It’s not enough to simply believe; true discipleship demands preparation, diligence, perseverance, and a willingness to count the cost. Jesus made it clear that anyone who would come after Him must be willing to give up everything. The cross is not a decorative symbol, but a call to die to self and live for Christ. This means laying aside distractions, repenting of sin, and refusing to settle for a shallow, easy faith that costs nothing and changes nothing.

God has prepared a place for each of us, and He calls us to prepare our hearts to meet Him. Excuses and half-hearted commitments have no place in the life of a disciple. We are called to be diligent in carrying our cross, to persevere through suffering and opposition, and to remain single-minded in our pursuit of Christ. The world may hate us, misunderstand us, or even persecute us, but our hope is not in the approval of men, but in the promise of eternal life through Jesus.

The invitation is for all, but not all will accept it. Many are called, but few are willing to pay the price. Yet, for those who do, there is a future and a hope—a life of purpose, forgiveness, and freedom. We are not called to tend graves of shame, but to rise in the newness of life, to be used by God to build His kingdom, and to share the hope we have with a world in desperate need. The cost is great, but the reward is greater. Let us not shrink back, but press on, knowing that we were made for more.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Costly Grace and True Discipleship Grace is free to us, but it cost God everything. To follow Jesus is to accept that discipleship is expensive; it requires the surrender of our own desires and ambitions. Easy-believism is a deception—true faith is proven in the willingness to pay the price, to deny ourselves, and to follow Christ wherever He leads. [45:38]
• 2. Preparation and Diligence in the Christian Life We are called to prepare our hearts and lives to meet God, not just once, but daily. Preparation is seen in our priorities, our schedules, and our willingness to respond to God’s call. Diligence means carrying our cross with intention, not leaving it behind when it’s inconvenient, and being ready to share the hope within us at every opportunity. [60:13]
• 3. Perseverance Through Suffering and Distraction Suffering and hardship are not signs of God’s absence, but often the very means by which He shapes us into the likeness of Christ. Distractions—whether sinful or simply unnecessary weights—must be laid aside so we can run the race with endurance. Indecision and divided loyalties wear us out; perseverance is found in single-minded devotion to Christ. [76:18]
• 4. The Call to Commitment and Single-Mindedness Jesus calls us to a commitment that leaves no room for half-heartedness or divided affections. Our lives are no longer our own; we are to press on toward the goal, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. The measure of our commitment is seen in our willingness to let go of anything that hinders our pursuit of Christ. [79:35]
• 5. The Urgency of Repentance and the Mission to Share Hope Repentance is not a one-time event, but a continual turning from sin and self to Christ. Salvation is not just about personal transformation, but about taking the hope we have received and sharing it with others. Our mission is to populate heaven, to be public with our faith, and to bring the gospel of peace to a world filled with hate and darkness.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [42:23] - Remembering Tragedy and the Fading Impact
• [43:40] - The Reality of Evil and the Cost of Faith
• [44:37] - The Need for Reminders Over New Instruction
• [45:38] - Costly Grace vs. Easy Believism
• [46:48] - The Call to Church and the Body of Christ
• [48:17] - Responding to the Cost of Following Christ
• [50:09] - Preparation, Diligence, and Perseverance
• [51:20] - The Danger of Fence-Sitting and Half-Heartedness
• [52:12] - Denying Self and Taking Up the Cross
• [53:08] - Rejecting Drama and Embracing Responsibility
• [55:07] - Counting the Cost: Parables of Jesus
• [56:35] - The Cross: More Than a Symbol
• [60:13] - Preparing to Meet God
• [66:42] - Diligence in Carrying the Cross
• [73:53] - God’s Nearness and Our Purpose
• [76:18] - Perseverance and Laying Aside Distractions
• [79:35] - Commitment and Pressing Toward the Goal
• [81:01] - The Only Way to Eternal Life
• [82:06] - Persecution and the Cost of Truth
• [85:14] - Standing Firm in a Hostile World
• [88:21] - The True Price of Eternal Life
• [92:05] - Repentance, Transformation, and Mission
• [93:56] - Prayer and Sending Forth

Bible Reading

Luke 9:23-25 (ESV) — > And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”

Luke 14:25-33 (ESV) — > Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV) — > Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Observation Questions

1. According to Luke 9:23-25, what are the three things Jesus says a person must do to follow Him?
2. In Luke 14:25-33, what examples does Jesus use to illustrate the importance of “counting the cost” before following Him?
3. The sermon mentions that the cross is not just a symbol, but a call to die to self. What does the preacher say about wearing a cross as jewelry, and what does he want us to understand about its meaning? [[01:06:42]]
4. In Hebrews 12:1-2, what are believers told to lay aside, and what are they told to focus on as they run the race of faith?

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Jesus use such strong language about “hating” family and even one’s own life in Luke 14? What is He trying to communicate about the level of commitment required? [[55:07]]
2. The sermon says, “Grace is free to you, but it cost God His Son. And when you choose to follow Him, it will cost you.” What does it mean for grace to be costly, and how does that challenge the idea of “easy-believism”? [[45:38]]
3. The preacher talks about laying aside distractions and sin in order to run the race with endurance. What kinds of distractions or “weights” might keep someone from persevering in their faith? [[01:16:18]]
4. The sermon describes discipleship as “preparation, diligence, perseverance, commitment, eternal life.” How do these qualities show up in the life of a true disciple, according to the passages and the message? [[50:09]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon challenges us to “deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus.” What is one area of your life where you find it hard to deny yourself? What would it look like to surrender that area to Christ this week? [[52:12]]
2. Jesus says to “count the cost” before following Him. Have you ever faced a situation where following Jesus cost you something significant (a relationship, a job, your reputation, etc.)? How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [[55:07]]
3. The preacher warns against “half-hearted commitments” and “fence-sitting.” Are there any ways you have been holding back from full commitment to Christ? What is one step you could take to move toward single-minded devotion? [[51:20]]
4. The message talks about laying aside distractions and unnecessary weights. Identify one distraction or “weight” in your life that is keeping you from running after Jesus wholeheartedly. What practical step can you take this week to lay it aside? [[01:16:18]]
5. The sermon says, “Repentance is not a one-time event, but a continual turning from sin and self to Christ.” Is there a sin or habit you need to repent of today? How can you invite accountability or support from others in your group? [[01:32:05]]
6. The preacher says, “Our mission is to populate heaven, to be public with our faith, and to bring the gospel of peace to a world filled with hate and darkness.” Who is one person in your life who needs to hear the hope of Jesus? What is one way you can share your faith with them this week? [[01:32:05]]
7. The message ends with the reminder that “the cost is great, but the reward is greater.” How does the promise of eternal life and purpose in Christ motivate you to press on, even when it’s hard? [[01:19:35]]