The cost of discipleship 2
“When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"” (NIV) Mathew 19:27
In any work or profession, there are periods for break or vacation. People in official or white colour jobs expect to be on pension after some age. But that is not so in discipleship. Discipleship is a lifelong venture with no intermittent breaks or an end and that makes it difficult. Discipleship comes with a call, a cost and a reward. The reward must always be magnificent to enhance acceptance to the call and be able to bear the cost associated with the call. I must be willing to give up what I am in order to become what I will be according to Albert Einstein.
Let us consider the following biblical examples:
Apostle Peter left the fishing boat and fishing to follow Christ (Mathew 4:22).
Mathew left the lucrative business of tax collection for Christ.
Luke denied himself of the pride as a medical practitioner for the sake of Christ.
Paul gave up position, wealth, popularity, friends, family and his health to be a disciple. He thought more about what he gained than what he lost in this life. He counted all he gave up as nothing. He valued serving the Lord and going to heaven above all else. No job too big, no task too menial, no command from God too much. How far are we willing to go with Christ? The Apostles (except John), did not follow all the way to the cross. They stopped short. Many are willing to stand as Disciples of Christ in theory or when the times are favourable, but when it comes to the test they fold. Too many are only willing to serve the Lord as long as it does not mean they have to change much. We must abstain from the world. We must obey the Word of God in all things.
Examples of the cost in discipleship: Getting out of unscriptural marriage, changing our speech, changing the clothes we wear. Abstaining from all fleshly lusts that war against the soul (alcohol, substances, what we view), changing our lifestyle (seek first the kingdom and His righteousness- Matt. 6:33). Attend all the church services, hunger and thirst after righteousness. Love the law of God and seek opportunities to study and learn it. Being the first to serve the Lord with zeal and changing our job if necessary.
Being a true disciple of Christ will cost us everything. Peter said, we have left everything for you, not some things for you. Christ demands our all as the cost we will pay for discipleship.
The cost of discipleship is just minimal compared to the benefits. “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” Phil. 3:7-8. We will gain more than we will lose. We must be submissive and trust the Lord. We must stand with God if we want to live with Him forever. We cannot put family, friends, work and personal ego ahead of the Lord and his work. He must come first. Let us not deceive ourselves, not delude others into thinking that when one becomes a Christian or disciple, all will go smoothly. Just the opposite happens often. The difference is that what we love has changed and what the world considers a loss we consider a gain.
Have you accepted the call to discipleship? Are you interested in the heaven reward? Are you prepared to pay the cost of discipleship?
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