If you're going to follow Jesus...

There is a cost in following Jesus

Jesus invested in the lives of 12 men.

The eleven who followed him until death in return invested in the life of Jesus.

If Jesus has invested in your life then, you must invest in His.

Investments have costs.

There are initial costs.

There are hidden costs.

There are unexpected costs .

There are planned costs.

The goal to all the costs is the reward you gain on your investment.

Discipleship is an investment.

Discipleship is not a means to earning your salvation.

Discipleship is process by which believers grow in Christ.

Unlike earthly investments the rewards are a means to make you financially wealthy.

The rewards for the disciple are eternal.

Mark 8:34–35 ESV

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Mark

Cost of discipleship is obeying the commands of Jesus.

… Denying your own self will and want.

… Committing to follow Christ.

This kind of investment take s full commitment and cost you everything.

If You’re Going to Follow Jesus...

1. You’re going to upset some people

Matthew 10:34–36 ESV

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.

Following Christ means living against the world which is opposition to Christ.

We are called to be distinct from the world.

Christians are in the world, but “not of the world.”

This means that some times even families are against their relatives who are believers.

The girl in India who only her and her husband were Christians.

2. He will bring about change in you.

Luke 19:1–10 ESV

He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

From sinner to saint.

The effects of salvation are evident in the fruit produced.

A good tree produces good fruit.

Zacchaeus made right his wrong.

3. He will challenge you to forward, not backward.

Luke 9:62 ESV

Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Philippians 3:12 ESV

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Phil.

As Christians we are pressing on towards the the eternal prize.

That means not looking back at how the world used to hold us in bondage.

Remember Lot’s wife.

As Christians the old man passes away and behold we are the new man in Christ.

Live like we are citizens of heaven, not hell.

4. You are going to have to lay some things aside.

Mark 1:18 ESV

And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

They left the riches of this world to follow Christ.

Following Christ means letting go of things that hinder your walk with Him.

5. He will impact every area of your life.

Romans 12:1 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Believers are indwelled by the Spirit of God and so our life should also be Spirit filled.

We are filled with the Holy Spirit, that means are life are to look Holy not corrupt.

Live like citizens of heaven, not hell.

6. You are going to hear His voice clearly.

John 10:4 ESV

When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

John

Sheep will not follow the voice of a stranger.

We are sheep of the flock of the Good Shepherd and do not follow the voice of strangers.

7. You are going to experience abundant life.

John 10:10 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Jesus provide a life opposite of Satan and his kingdom of this world.

Jesus may not take us out of the world, but gives us peace in the world.

A Christian knows that there is more to life than this world.

Having peace and assurance allows a believer to life an abundant life in Christ.

8. You are going to have to surrender your wallet.

Matthew 6:19–24 ESV

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Mat.

“Love of money is the root of all evil.”

Many people fail to live an abundant life due the bondage of money.

A Christian understands that money is means to provide for your family and the family of God.

Viewed correctly it seen as a blessing, not a curse.

9. It’s going to take a willingness to change the way you think.

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

As believers there are things we cannot put into our minds.

The eye is the gateway to the mind.

The mind becomes our worst enemy when it is corrupted.

Transformation is a process of change from within.

10. He going to move you mission.

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Making disciples is the imperative command.

Jesus made disciples and we should be making disciples.

The means by which that is done is baptizing (identifying them with Christ) and teaching them the commands of Jesus(Scripture).

We do this is the authority of Jesus.

We do this knowing that He is with us.

The Life of the Christian grows when one no longer lives for self, but for Christ.

Not about safety in this world, it is about sanctification through Christ.

Your walk with Christ takes work.

Your walk with Christ will cost you.

If your walk does not cost you something, then it’s not worth anything.