Counting the Cost: True Discipleship and Commitment

Devotional

Day 1: Prioritizing God Above All

True discipleship demands a radical reordering of our priorities, where our love for God surpasses all other relationships and ambitions. This is not about literal hatred but about placing God at the center of our lives, allowing His love to guide our decisions and actions. Jesus' call to forsake everything for the sake of the gospel challenges us to examine what we hold dear and to be willing to let go of anything that hinders our relationship with Him. This commitment is not easy, but it is essential for a life that truly reflects the heart of a disciple. [10:19]

Luke 14:26-27 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: What is one relationship or ambition in your life that you need to surrender to God today, allowing Him to take precedence over it?

Day 2: Counting the Cost of Discipleship

Following Jesus is not a decision to be taken lightly. It involves a willingness to endure suffering, persecution, and even death for the sake of the gospel. Jesus warns us to count the cost of discipleship, emphasizing that genuine commitment requires more than a casual or half-hearted following. This call to commitment is a reminder that the path of discipleship is not always comfortable or easy, but it is one that leads to eternal reward. As we consider the cost, we are invited to trust in God's strength and provision to sustain us through the challenges we may face. [15:30]

2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV): "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are hesitant to fully commit to following Jesus, and what steps can you take to trust Him more deeply in that area?

Day 3: The Danger of Half-hearted Commitment

A half-hearted commitment to Christ is like salt that has lost its flavor—useless and ineffective. Jesus calls us to examine our lives and ensure that we are living out our faith with authenticity and purpose. This means being fully committed to the cause of Christ, allowing His love and truth to permeate every aspect of our lives. As we reflect on our commitment, we are challenged to identify areas where we may be holding back and to seek God's help in living a life that truly reflects His glory. [22:47]

Revelation 3:15-16 (ESV): "I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."

Reflection: In what ways have you been lukewarm in your faith, and how can you take steps to reignite your passion for Christ today?

Day 4: Engaging in Spiritual Warfare

Becoming a Christian means joining a spiritual battle, where we must fight against our own desires and the forces of evil. This is not a comfortable or easy path, but one that requires courage and perseverance. As we engage in this battle, we are reminded of the importance of relying on God's strength and the power of His Word to overcome the challenges we face. The reality of spiritual warfare calls us to be vigilant and to stand firm in our faith, knowing that we are not alone in this fight. [18:19]

Ephesians 6:12 (ESV): "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Reflection: What is one area of spiritual warfare you are currently facing, and how can you equip yourself with God's Word to stand firm in this battle?

Day 5: Learning from Persecuted Believers

The example of believers in other parts of the world who face severe consequences for their faith challenges us to consider the seriousness of our own commitment. Despite persecution, these believers remain steadfast, serving as a powerful reminder of the reality of the spiritual battle we are engaged in. Their courage and perseverance inspire us to examine our own lives and to ask whether we are willing to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, knowing the cost but also knowing the eternal reward. [30:25]

Hebrews 13:3 (ESV): "Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body."

Reflection: How can you support and learn from persecuted believers around the world, and what steps can you take to strengthen your own commitment to Christ in light of their example?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound and often challenging call of Jesus to His followers. The central theme revolves around the cost of true discipleship and the necessity of unwavering commitment to Christ. We began by reflecting on the story of a local controversy over a cross, which serves as a metaphor for the broader struggle between cultural acceptance and the uncompromising demands of the gospel. This led us to examine the standards by which we measure the success of a church, emphasizing that true success is not about numbers but about the depth of commitment and authenticity in our faith.

We delved into the teachings of Jesus, particularly from Luke 14, where He challenges the large crowds following Him to consider the cost of discipleship. Jesus makes it clear that following Him requires a willingness to forsake everything, even family and personal ambitions, for the sake of the gospel. This radical call to prioritize our love for God above all else is not about literal hatred but about a profound reordering of our affections and priorities.

The analogy of salt losing its saltiness was used to illustrate the futility of a half-hearted commitment. Just as salt that has lost its flavor is useless, so is a disciple who is not fully committed to the cause of Christ. This message is a call to examine our own lives and ask whether we are truly willing to pay the price of following Jesus, even if it means facing persecution or hardship.

We concluded by considering the example of believers in other parts of the world who face severe consequences for their faith, yet remain steadfast. This serves as a powerful reminder of the seriousness of our commitment and the reality of the spiritual battle we are engaged in. Ultimately, the question is whether we are willing to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, knowing the cost, but also knowing the eternal reward.

Key Takeaways

1. hearted following. [15:30]
3. The Futility of Half-hearted Commitment: Just as salt that loses its flavor is useless, so is a disciple who is not fully committed to Christ. We must examine our lives and ensure that we are truly living out our faith with authenticity and purpose.

4. The Reality of Spiritual Warfare: Becoming a Christian means joining a spiritual battle, where we must fight against our own desires and the forces of evil. This is not a comfortable or easy path, but one that requires courage and perseverance.

5. The Example of Persecuted Believers: Believers in other parts of the world face severe consequences for their faith, yet remain steadfast. Their example challenges us to consider the seriousness of our own commitment and the reality of the spiritual battle we are engaged in.

** [15:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:16] - Local Controversy Over the Cross
[01:52] - The Danger of Compromise
[02:38] - True Success in the Church
[03:22] - The Perfect Church
[04:20] - Acts 2: A Model of Community
[06:02] - Jesus and the Crowds
[07:46] - The Cost of Discipleship
[09:12] - Loving God Above All
[10:59] - All or Nothing
[14:17] - Counting the Cost
[18:19] - Spiritual Warfare
[22:09] - Salt and Commitment
[30:12] - The Example of Persecuted Believers
[33:47] - Peter's Response to Jesus

Sermon Clips

"Jesus says no it's all or nothing you got to be willing to give it all up for me he say in fact unless you're willing to take up a cross unless you're willing I mean are you willing to right now if God said you know what grab the cross and let them crucify you on it you willing to do that he say if not then just just go home go home I I don't need these crowds I'm interested in those who are real those who are genuine do you trust him that much say yeah God I know you're worth it and I'll give it all up as much as I love my family it's it's nothing compared to my love for you." [00:10:59]

"Jesus gives this story right out this analogy that's just incredible afterwards that explains that he really means what he was just saying he he says in in verse uh 28 he goes he goes suppose one of you want to build a tower won't he first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it for if he lays the foundation and isn't able to finish it everyone who sees it will ridicule him saying this fellow began to build and wasn't able to finish." [00:14:17]

"Jesus says look are you willing to do that do you love me so much so much more than even your very kids and that one just strikes at our hearts here because we love our family so much and Jesus says you want to give that up this has got to be that treasure in that field that you go man I'll sell everything else to get that treasure where you just go man I'll give up everything because I know I want this Jesus says it's It's All or Nothing and he tells these people don't start if you're going to quit because then you just waste a bunch of time waste a bunch of resources." [00:16:19]

"When you become a Christian you you join a battle you join an army it's not a country club it's not like oh okay I'm going to join this church and God's going to give me everything I want no you're going to join this Army and we're going to go into battle and we're going to fight fight for our lives fight for what we believe in and people are going to be attacking us and hating everything about us we're going to be fighting our own flesh and our own desires you know you got these Temptations and now you got to fight them you can't just go and do whatever feels good you've got a new master." [00:18:19]

"Salt is good salt is good but if it loses its saltiness how can it be made salty again it's fit for it's fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile it's thrown out he who has ears to hear Let Him hear he says he goes he goes Salt's cool Salt's good right Salt's good you sprinkle a little bit on your meat and suddenly it's a whole new meat okay Salt's good you know he goes but what if salt loses its saltiness let's say suddenly you've got a bunch of salt that has no flavor." [00:22:09]

"Jesus is talking to those who attend church you're just a warm body in the crowd but you don't give you don't serve you don't talk about your faith you don't live it out you don't add flavor to your neighborhood your workplace or anything else and you wouldn't die for him you're going to bail out the moment things get difficult and go well I didn't know that Jesus wanted me to stay married to her or this or that it gets tough and it's like well I didn't know that following Jesus meant this and that and you're going to bail out some point Jesus says you know what you're worse than manure." [00:30:12]

"Jesus was telling the people the same thing go I don't need crowds what do I need crowds for I want the real thing you know here here's um I'm going to illustrate this brought a pile of manure no I uh I refrained um I brought salt though okay and let's imagine imagine this is good salt okay and imagine this darker one is salt without any flavor okay so this is a good salt the white one and saltless salt even though know more usually now way but let's just imagine this container is filled with salt that has no flavor." [00:33:47]

"Jesus says unless you give me 100% I I don't want anyone that follows me half-heartedly just go home and and this last thing that he says that we're going to look at today I never really uh I never really studied this that much um until this week and it really shocked me what Jesus was saying here because he says he goes salt is good salt is good but if it loses its saltiness how can it be made salty again it's fit for it's fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile it's thrown out he who has ears to hear Let Him hear." [00:22:09]

"Jesus says you want to give that up this has got to be that treasure in that field that you go man I'll sell everything else to get that treasure where you just go man I'll give up everything because I know I want this Jesus says it's It's All or Nothing and he tells these people don't start if you're going to quit because then you just waste a bunch of time waste a bunch of resources why don't you just go out forget the whole Jesus thing go have your fun go have a blast go party and pay for it later but don't go starting in the Christian Life and then walk away." [00:16:19]

"Jesus says look are you willing to do that do you love me so much so much more than even your very kids and that one just strikes at our hearts here because we love our family so much and Jesus says you want to give that up this has got to be that treasure in that field that you go man I'll sell everything else to get that treasure where you just go man I'll give up everything because I know I want this Jesus says it's It's All or Nothing and he tells these people don't start if you're going to quit because then you just waste a bunch of time waste a bunch of resources." [00:16:19]

"Jesus says no it's all or nothing you got to be willing to give it all up for me he say in fact unless you're willing to take up a cross unless you're willing I mean are you willing to right now if God said you know what grab the cross and let them crucify you on it you willing to do that he say if not then just just go home go home I I don't need these crowds I'm interested in those who are real those who are genuine do you trust him that much say yeah God I know you're worth it and I'll give it all up as much as I love my family it's it's nothing compared to my love for you." [00:10:59]

"Jesus gives this story right out this analogy that's just incredible afterwards that explains that he really means what he was just saying he he says in in verse uh 28 he goes he goes suppose one of you want to build a tower won't he first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it for if he lays the foundation and isn't able to finish it everyone who sees it will ridicule him saying this fellow began to build and wasn't able to finish." [00:14:17]

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