The Cost of Discipleship

Text: Matthew 10:32-39

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (11/11/01)

Introduction:   

ILLUS: Taking an easy Road  - Our experiences on the backroads behind mission. (Sylvester Road – logging roads)

1. Turning John Anderson’s Van around on a steep and narrow shale logging road in the fog.
2. Getting our Volvo stuck in the snow and Ice.

We took risks, but we found some beautiful pristine mountain lakes.  (Salisbury and Kenyon).

The Road Not Taken – Robert Frost

            (Last Stanza)

I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference. 

There is a cost involved in true discipleship to the Lord Jesus Christ.  But the riches of Christ are eternally valuable.

There are several points made in our text that illustrate or define the cost of Christian discipleship.   By the way you cannot divorce those two words.  Being a Christian = Discipleship!  As a Christian, You are a follower of Jesus Christ!!!

I. Our Discipleship is a Public Matter vs.32-33

Some say “It’s a personal matter, Private, Secret, God knows my heart.”  I agree, but….

Notice the Words - “Before Men”

There is a call for this in Church through a public profession or baptism, but there is also a need for this in our conversation and conduct.

A. We have Two Options

1. Confess Him (Profess)

1 Timothy 6:12-13  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

13  I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

We are to acknowledge Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour and our dependence upon Him and attachment to Him as fully as possible and in every situation possible.

Not in one act, but in every act!

Here there are a host of applications.

Do you confess Christ in your home? At work? In your neighbourhood?  In your circle of influence?

The only other option is…..

2. Deny Him

Titus 1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Peter’s denial was threefold.  His were denial’s of association, of separation, and of dsicipleship.

May not be outright, may be silence.

B. We have Two Outcomes

Christ will either confess or deny us before the Heavenly Father.

II. Our Discipleship is not a Peaceful Matter vs.34-36

You may ask… “What are you talking about?”

To be sure our conduct is to be peaceful.  We are to be a peace-loving people.

However, our profession of Christ will stir controversy and in some cases may provoke the sword.  The sword of intolerance, the sword of ostracism, the sword of indifference, the sword of hatred, the sword of violence.

Christ is not speaking of His purpose in coming but the effect.

The cause is the wickedness of unregenerate hearts.  Who is holding the sword that Christ speaks of in vs.34?  Not the disciple, I believe the world wields that sword.  Why?

A. Discipleship is intolerable to the world.

It is as if they say “Do anything you want, but don’t become a fanatic Christian!”

They would be happier if you lived in debauchery.  Why?  Because Christian discipleship is convicting to them.  You are being salt and light.

ILLUS: Not drinking alcoholic wine.  This is not an offense, but a testimony.

B. Discipleship creates enmity among close relations.

When you are saved you have a new family.

Matthew 12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

This leads us to our next example…

III. Discipleship is a Matter of Priorities vs.37

Key words here are “More than these”.

Love of earthly family is naturally productive and good.  But no earthly love should usurp or stand in the way of the believer’s love for the Lord.

If Christ is not loved supremely, He is not loved at all!

Let’s take you to the shore of Galilee as Christ a meal of fish with His disciples by the crackling fire.

Christ focused his challenge and attention on Peter…

John 21:15  So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

Just what is meant by “these” is not clear. Jesus could have been pointing to the disciples sitting around.  Or, Jesus could have been pointing to the fish, the nets, and the boat. Perhaps Scripture is unclear at this point in order to make “these” apply to anything and everything in our lives.

Parents / Teenagers / Young People  -  What is it you love more than God?

NOTE: The test of love is a test of our worthiness.  A test of true discipleship or conversion.

1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 3:21  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

One More Thing….

IV. Discipleship Means there is a Price vs.38-39

There are two emblems used in these verses that help us identify what that cost is.  One we are to take up, the other we are to lay down.

A. The Cross

1. The Cross of Christ – Uniquely His

Briefly describe the events and suffering of the cross.

But there is something else you should know….

2. Note Emphasis “HIS” (own) cross.

We have a personal cross!!

When persons were condemned to be crucified, a part of the sentence was, that they should carry the cross on which they were to die to the place of execution. Thus Christ carried his, till he fainted from fatigue and exhaustion. See [Mt 27:31].

The cross was usually composed of two rough beams of wood, united in the form of this figure. It was an instrument of death. See [Mt 27:31]. To carry it was burdensome, was disgraceful, was trying to the feelings, was an addition to the punishment.

So, to carry the cross is a figurative expression, denoting that we must endure whatever is burdensome, or trying, or considered as disgraceful, in following Christ. It consists simply in doing our duty, let the world think of it or speak of it as they may.

It does not consist in making trouble for ourselves, or doing things merely to be opposed; it is doing just what is required of us in the Scriptures, let it produce whatever shame, disgrace, or pain it may. This every follower of Jesus is required to do.

B. Our Life

1. Contrast of temporal vs. eternal life.

2 Corinthians 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

2. Two ways to lose our life

a. Lost in death.

John 12:24-25  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

25  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

Lazarus Death glorified God.

Ecclesiastes 7:1  A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

Psalms 116:15  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

b. Lost in life

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.

Conclusion:     (Review)

Are you willing to take the road less traveled?

1. To take your Discipleship out of the closet and allow it to be a public matter.

2. To suffer the sword of indifference, intolerance, or injustice or come what may to follow Christ.

3. To make Discipleship your number #1 Priority, to love God supremely above all others and all else.

4. To pay the price, to take up your cross, and lay down your life.