Cost of Discipleship

“Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Someone has said that the mark of a great leader is the demands he makes upon his followers. The Italian freedom fighter Garibaldi offered his men only hunger and death to free Italy. Winston Churchill told the British people he had nothing to offer them but “blood, sweat, toil, and tears” in their fight against their enemies.

Jesus talked about the necessity of total commitment, even to the point of death - - “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

The cost of discipleship is high. Jesus Christ demanded our obedience when He said: “Take up your cross and follow me.” But Jesus knew that He also had to take up a cross. He knew God had sent Him to earth to shed His blood and die on that cross, in order to pay the penalty for the sins of the whole world.

Yes, Jesus makes extreme demands of us, but He also made the extreme sacrifice for us. And He said to the disciples: “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

I don’t know about you, but I think it’s far better to deny myself, take up my cross and follow Him, than to lose my soul. Especially when His ultimate offer is eternity with Him!

Blessings,

Willie L. Jordan