The Cost of Discipleship

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.

Luke 9:23

We live in a society, indeed a world that is dedicated to the pursuit of self expression and individual freedom above everything else. In fact, the generation that now lives upon the face of the earth could well be labeled the "me first" or "self first" generation. Moreover, this generation of "self first" has reached the four-corners of the globe through mass marketing.

Advertisers continually pummel us with messages aimed at the aggrandizement of self, including advice on how best to express our "selves."

Rebellion and non-conformity are now the norm in a world that has no norms. Look in any bookstore and you will see whole sections devoted to "self-help" books: books with advice on building self-esteem; how to transform yourself into someone you are not; someone you think you want to be; someone you think you ought to be.

Self-image, self-help, self-esteem, self-love, etc., etc., self, self, me, me, me.

One needn't look past the prophet Jeremiah to see that the way of man is not in himself.

Jeremiah 10:23:

O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

Indeed our salvation and calling have nothing to do with "self."

Ephesians 2:8:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

1 Thessalonians 2:12:

That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory

As stated, our calling has nothing to do with self. God called us. He moved. Before we answer God's call, the message seems to be, "look out for number one," "develop yourself," "be all you can be."

The Word of God, spoken from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ however, tells us that we must deny our "self" if we are to follow Him.

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

Let us again take a look at our text. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Yes, we are to deny ourselves if we are going to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. "If any man will come after me," said Jesus.

The Lord in effect is exhorting us to make up our mind. A firm decision on the part of a disciple is required.

Yes, Salvation is free because it cost so much, but as we shall see, there is a cost to discipleship, to being a follower of Jesus Christ.

Before he died, Joshua, the prophet who led the children of Israel into the Promised Land had the Israelites make a firm decision concerning whom they would follow. Having now entered into the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey, Joshua brought all of Israel to the point of making a decision.

Joshua 24:15:

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

It really doesn't sound like such a difficult decision to make, although it seems that many have often made a bad choice when making the choice the Israelites were now faced with. "Choose you this day, whom ye will serve." The gods that were on the other side of the flood, which by the way weren't strong enough to save those who perished in the flood -- or the gods of the Amorites in whose land the Israelites now dwelt.

Recall if you will how it came about for them to dwell in the Promised Land.

Exodus 26:8:9:

And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:

And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Our discipleship begins with a firm decision, a commitment if you will -- to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anything less and our discipleship will fall short.

Paul the Apostle, is a fine example of a Christian who made a firm decision to follow after the Lord.

Acts 20:24:

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Paul's witness brought Felix to the point of making a firm decision. The decision Felix made, however, was essentially not to decide.

Acts 24:25:

And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

Jesus Christ never said, when you have a convenient season, follow me. Jesus Christ wants a firm decision. Following Jesus is not a matter of convenience, but one of conviction.

Thus Paul's question to King Agrippa one day….

Acts 26:27-29:

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

When Paul preached to King Agrippa, the king answered that Paul had "almost persuaded him to be a Christian." Almost isn't good enough. It never is. Jesus Christ said, "come."

Next in the cost of discipleship is self-denial. Jesus Christ said, "let him deny himself." This is exactly the opposite of what we are taught by the world. Those of us who have made Jesus Christ our Lord are to "deny ourselves." This aspect of discipleship is often difficult for people in their walk with God. It needn't be. Once again the Lord Jesus Christ gives us the answer.

Matthew 6:33a

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; 

The Apostle Paul again provides us with an excellent example of someone that denied himself. He did it by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. When we wholeheartedly seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, we effectively deny ourselves. That is, by seeking God first, we deny ourselves.

Galatians 2:20:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me

Paul realized that the life he lived in the flesh, was not his own. Paul understood that he had been bought with a price.

1Cor:6:20:

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

In order to deny one's self, a thorough understanding of the Grace of God is needed. In fact, it is the Grace of God that teaches us to deny those things that get in the way of our disciplined walk with the Lord. It is the Grace of God that is the basis for our discipleship.

Titus 2:11,12:

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  

Dead animal sacrifices are no longer required by God. He has done away with them.

What God truly desires are living sacrifices.

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

It is reasonable service because of the mercy that has been extended unto us. To the extent that we deny our self, can we truly live for Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:4:

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life

Having been buried with Christ, we are exhorted to walk in newness of life. As we deny our self, we become a living sacrifice. When self-denial replaces self-indulgence and self-sacrifice replaces self-glory, we are well on our way to being a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. I once heard this concept explained with the following words, "all of me, none of God; some of me, some of God; none of me, all of God."

Beautiful, succinct, true. 

Philippians 2:3:

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves

In our text we are reminded that a man must "take up his cross daily." Jesus Christ never promised the proverbial rose garden. In fact, we are told of our Lord, to be yoked to Him.

Matthew 11:29,30:

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light

Jesus Christ, who suffered and tasted death for every man, exhorts us to be yoked to Him. He never promised that living for Him would be easy. He did promise that being yoked to Him we would find rest for our souls. It appears that many Christians commit themselves to the pursuit of living materially, comfortable lives. In doing this, however, they may be denying themselves the eternal rewards that are to come from a disciplined walk with the Lord here and now.

1 Peter 4:16:

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf

2 Timothy 3:12:

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

I remember the first time this verse ever meant anything to me. I was reading a book by Brother Andrew entitled "God's Smuggler." In the book he was relating a story of his attending an illegal church meeting in a then-Eastern Bloc country. One of the Christians present who had suffered greatly for his faith asked Brother Andrew what people in the West did with above verse. As I recall, Brother Andrew's response was, "we do nothing." I felt shame as I read that incident because my idea of suffering persecution as a Christian until then meant that I didn't get a front row parking space or that when I took a taxi it wasn't a shiny, new, big Mercedes.

Part of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ upon the cross was to redeem unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.

Titus 2:14:

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works

The doing of good works is part of taking up our cross. Our Lord Jesus Christ did good and not evil. We should too.

Acts 10:38:

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him

Our Salvation is not the result of our good works, but our good works are to be the result of having been saved.

Eph:2:8-10:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast [that his salvation is of or by his works]

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Good works are to follow our Salvation, they are not the basis for it. By our works we show forth our faith. Thus people will glorify our Father in heaven when they see our good works, the results of our faith.

Mt:5:16:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 As we are told by the Solomon of the church age, faith without works is dead.

James 2:17:

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

As we live by faith, we will show that Jesus Christ is our Lord. Our works bearing witness to our discipleship. Our disciplined walk will be evident. After all, Jesus Christ said we are to  "follow Him," and this requires our wholehearted commitment.

1 Peter 2: 21-24:

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

If we are to follow Jesus Christ, then it will cost us nothing less than our self, our ego, and our foolish and selfish pride.

2 Corinthians 3:5:

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

Indeed, Jesus said without Him we can do nothing.

John 15:5:

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Time and again in the Scriptures we are exhorted to seek the things above, to set our minds on heavenly, not worldly things. If we are to follow Jesus we must be so minded. Let us not forget that Jesus didn't seek His "own" will.

John 5:30:

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me

Paul's words now have a greater meaning when we see them in the light of his discipleship.

1Corinthians 15:31:

I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily

Indeed, Paul was a disciplined one of Christ, a man who took up his cross daily. Let us not forget what the Lord Jesus Christ said for all who have ears to hear.

Luke 9:23,24

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.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Yes, salvation is a free gift. Becoming a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, however, comes at a great price. Being a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ costs us our very lives. That is, it costs us our "self."