The Cost of Discipleship

Luke 14:26-27 – “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”

You may know the story of Deitrich Boenhoeffer, the great German pastor and theologian who was killed for his stand for Christ in the closing days of World War II. His most famous work was inspired by Jesus’ words above. The Cost of Discipleship fights against the notion common in his day (and ours) that grace is cheap. The grace that enables those guilty of horrible offenses against God like me (and all of us) cost the holy Son of God his life as a ridiculed, unjustly accused criminal in a torturous crucifixion.

Jesus is clear that following him comes with a cost, too. The most precious earthly relationships we possess, and even our own comfort and pleasure, must fall far behind our commitment to Jesus on the scale of life priority and value. Three times in this chapter Jesus drives this home with “…he cannot be my disciple.” Between the second and the third he gives us two parables to warn us to ”count the cost.” Sadly, not everyone is willing to pay the price. However, following Jesus is not choice one in a menu of good options. It is the only choice with a good ultimate outcome.

Are you willing to follow Jesus? It is not cheap. It is not easy. But the rewards are out of this world, and it is what you were created to do.