The Cost of Discipleship

I'm becoming increasingly convinced that life is full of motifs. There are times that God seems to emphasize ideas over and over again in order to pound them into my rock-hard head. One of those ideas that the Lord seems to be constantly pointing me towards is an accurate understanding of the incredible cost of discipleship. In the midst of a seeker-sensitive culture that is hounded by the prosperity gospel (which is actually another gospel of a different kind entirely) and easy-believism, it can become increasingly easy to forget that Jesus doesn't call us to a life of ease. True Christ-followers are not called to seek acceptance, we're not enticed with monetary gain, and we certainly don't flinch when it comes to guarding the gospel. Instead, we count it a joy to identify in his sufferings, perservere throughout the strenuous process of sanctification, and live as the pilgrims that we are.

Instead of being rocked to sleep by the apathetic aura of American Christianity, we must rise and identify with those addressed by Christ in Luke 9:23. I can almost imagine the facial expressions of the Jews listening to him that day as Christ, the master of rhetorical power, evoked the very specific image of execution at the hands of the Roman government as man after man carried his cross to his ultimate death. Perhaps there were those in the crowd whose fathers, brothers, uncles, or loved ones had died the very same death. And now Jesus was demanding that type of gruesome dedication? How could He?

Jesus went there first.

He suffered first. He endured hatred first. He died first. He was innocent first. He didn't "fit in" with culture first.

With that in mind, His call to discipleship isn't really extreme at all is it? So what if you never bank a million dollars? So what if you can't live where you want to live? So what if your family member disowns you? So what if you endure some sort of emotional trauma? Will you follow?

The cost of discipleship can be great, but the rewards are exorbitantly greater.