The cost of following Christ.

The cost of following Christ

Luke 5:27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.

Christ our Master and Lord calls Bible believing believers of all ages to follow Him.

However, following Him , has its costs. Following Christ is costly .

To really follow Christ, you must be willing to leave all.

Luke 5:27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. 5:28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

To follow Christ, you are compelled to love Him, more than anyone, including your own life.

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

To follow Christ you must carry your cross daily.

Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

No wonder, you are compelled to count the cost, whether you are willing to follow Him.

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 14:30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 14:31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 14:32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Following Christ is not the means of self actualization.

Such people whose goals is to follow Christ and attain their self ambition are miserable churchgoer.

1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

So what does following Christ means?

It means answering with your life, the most important question.

Genesis 24:58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

The simple question is we you go with this man?

Which man ? The man of sorrow.

Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Which man? the man of Galilee.

Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

How do you follow Him?

I will use His name in alliteration to illustrate how to follow Him.

JESUS.

Alliteration.

J: journeying to heaven.

Numbers 10:29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses’ father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.

John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

E: escape the damnation of hell

Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Separating yourself from anyone or anything that can send you to hell .

Matthew 18:8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. 18:9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

S: seek God first. Live with eternity in view. Be eternity conscious. Do everything from the perspective of eternity.

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

U: unmovable. Be prepared to endure permitted challenges in your life, till Christ comes.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

S: serving Christ reasonably or rendering reasonable service. Presenting your bodies to Him and doing only what He can do with you. You are in control of your body.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

This is what it means to follow Christ. The question is, will thou go with this man?

Will you go with this man.

Genesis 24:58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

When you go with Him. He will do two things to reward you here and hereafter.f

1. He will make us in this world.

Matthew 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

2. When we follow Him, we will live eternally with Him.

John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

His grace will be sufficient for you.

The question is will you go with this man?

Yes, you will in Jesus name.

Genesis 24:58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

Let us pray.