It’s amazing how if we don’t want to do something, we can find an excuse. And that’s even true when it comes to following Jesus. There is a cost of following Jesus, and its not a price that everyone wants to pay.
We don’t purchase our salvation through our efforts. Jesus has already done that for us with his sacrificial death on the cross, but following Him will cost us time, effort, resources, commitment, and even sacrifice.
There’s a story in Luke 9 where Jesus is having a conversation with a potential disciple. The man had good intentions but he wasn’t all in.
Luke 9:57-62 - “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus stressed to this man the commitment necessary to follow Him. We must have a similar determination as a farmer plowing a field, who must do it with all his strength and always looking forward.
In following Jesus, we are to keep our eyes on Jesus, and never take our eyes off Him.
In Luke 9:59, Jesus is talking with three men about following him. What did the me do? They made an excuses. One was worried about where they would stay. Another wanted to wait until his father passed away. The third man wanted to go home first.
Jesus wasn’t saying these men shouldn’t care for their families. We know God’s Word teaches us to do that. Jesus realized these men had not thought it through carefully. They had not considered the cost. They hadn’t thought of the hardship, the rejection, and the persecution that would inevitably follow.
Commitment to Christ cannot be a casual, whenever-you-find-the-time matter.
We comfort ourselves with the fact that we “desire” to follow Jesus and we “want to be more committed”. We feel quite spiritual and noble in our desires but the problem is that it is just talk! Good intentions are not the same thing as discipleship.
Here’s a powerful truth to consider: If Jesus is not Lord of all, he is not Lord at all.
For the glory of Jesus, we willingly give him our lives. We surrender our dreams, goals, and ambitions. We give him our time, talents, and treasure. We risk our reputation, our security, and possibly, even our physical lives.
God isn’t calling us to a safe, comfortable, predictable Christianity. He is calling us to join him in the greatest endeavor in the world…to make disciples of all nations. Following him is not the easy life, but it’s the only life worth living.
Let me ask you…If there comes a point in your life where you are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?
Is it costly to follow Jesus? Yes, but it is worth it. Paul said in Romans 8:18 - “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Yes, friends, it will be worth it all when we see Jesus.
Today’s Challenge: Make yourself available to God. Go all in. Make a decision. Stop riding the fence. Surrender. Make a commitment to follow Jesus. Yes, there is a cost, but Jesus is worthy of you and I giving our all to Him.
