THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
Text: Matthew 10:37-42
A disciple is a follower; a follower can be likened to an apprentice, while an apprentice is someone who finds a person who is good in trade and wants to be trained to be as good as the master.
When Jesus called us, He didn’t drag us, force us or ask us to volunteer. He chose us to serve Him in a special way. He calls us today; He doesn’t twist our arms and make us do something we don’t want to do. We can choose to join Him or remain behind.
Christ calls us to a higher mission than to find comfort and tranquillity in this life. The law of family is the law of God, but even the law can be self–serving and used as an excuse not to serve God or do His works.
“If anyone desire to come after me let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23, Mark 8:34) NKJV.
The cross of Christ is a symbol of suffering, death, shame, ridicule, rejection and self-denial; when we as believers take up our cross and follow Christ, we deny ourselves and commit ourselves to four areas; (1)we suffer in a lifelong battle against sins by crucifying our sinful desires (1Pet 4:1-2, Romans 8:13, Gal. 2:20, 6:14, Tit. 2:12, 1Pet 2:11, 21-24). (2) We suffer in the war against Satan and the power of darkness as we advance the kingdom of God; we experience hostility of adversary with his demonic hosts and persecution that comes from standing against false teachers who distort the true gospel (2 Corinth 10:4-5, Ephesian 6:12,). (3) We suffer hatred and ridicule of the world by testifying in love that its deed is evil, separating ourselves from it both morally and spiritually and by refusing to accept its standards or philosophies as our own (1Corinth 1:21-27). (4)Like Christ, we may also suffer ridicule and persecution from the religious world (Mark 8:31).
We as Christians are to follow our Lord Jesus by imitating his life and obeying His commands. Taking up our cross meant identifying entirely with Christ’s message, even if it meant death. We must deny our individual self-desires to use our time and money our ways and choose our direction in life without regard to Christ. Following Christ is costly now, but it is well worth the pain and effort in the long run.
To be His disciple requires following Him “whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). To follow Him mean total submission to Him; therefore, our inability to submit totally to Christ is a reflection of the level of our relationship with Him, and relationship is one of the yardsticks to measure true discipleship.
Bible says, “he who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it………….” (Matt 10:39, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, 17:33, John 112:25). This verse is a positive and negative statement of the same truth. Clinging to this life may cause us to forfeit the best from Christ in this world and the next; the more we love this life’s rewards (leisure, power, popularity, financial security etc.), the more we discover how empty they really are. Therefore, the best way to enjoy life is to loosen our greedy grasp on earthly rewards so that we can be free to follow Christ. In doing so, we will inherit eternal life and begin at once to experience the benefits of following Christ.
Finally, the bible tells us, “ And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly I say to you, he shall by no mean lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42). It is imperative to note that how much we love God can equally be measured by how well we treat others. Jesus’ example of giving a cup of water to a thirsty child is a good model of unselfish service. A child usually can’t or won’t return a favour. God notices every good deed we do or don’t do as if he were the one receiving it. Is there something unselfish you can do for someone today? Go ahead doing it; although people may not see you but God will notice.
Brethren, we should all remember that God doesn’t reward only big jobs and important works. He loves to give and reward obedience, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to us.
God bless you.
Pastor O Ojo
