Discipleship's Costs
Gospel of Mark: Jesus a life to serve • Sermon • Submitted
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· 30 viewsDiscipleship has cost but has great reward too
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Personal encounters
Personal encounters
Life is full of of personal encounters, personal relationships and in our passage today Jesus is in one of the encounters speaking of counting the cost of being a disciple.
(insert picture personal encounters)
Jesus has just dealt with rich young ruler (MK10:17-22)
(quickly summarize)
22 But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.
Jesus has taught about kingdom and riches (MK10:23-27;Mt19:27-30)
(quickly summarize)
26 They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
We can glean a little more information by bringing in the Matthew parallel passage here.
27 Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” 28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
MT19
29 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. 30 “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.
Matthew brings in “what will be there for us” - still thinking materially and Jesus is speaking eternally
Matthew does though make reference to eternal thrones to those who follow Jesus, but what is the cost? Today we are looking at:
Cost in relationships and in possessions
Rewards in eternal relationships and eternal possessions
Let’s take a look at the passage and a couple of questions
28 Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake,
30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 “But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
What did they leave (v.28)?
What is Jesus promise (v.30)?
Cost of Discipleship
Cost of Discipleship
Personal relationships are important aren’t they? OK, so that is really a rhetorical question, but there is no more important relationship than that with Jesus Christ which is with Him and the Father who is in heaven. Jesus is trying to help them understand the cost and the reward.
Relationships; there is, or can be a cost in earthly relationships
Jesus speaks of leaving family; some versions include “wife” while others do not (Mk10:29; Lk18:29; 1Cor9:5)
Luke is one version that mentions wife, not all the Mark versions do, some of the early versions do not include the wife.
29 And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
But, giving up, leaving family, and wife, is not always necessary as we can see in
5 Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
I am blessed to have my wife with me in my ministry work.
Sometimes we leave family or family leaves us because they are against us (Mt10:21; Mt10:35-36)
Sometimes we leave family or family leaves us because they are against us (Mt10:21)
Leaving family
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
Just a little later in Matthew Jesus speaks that he came to bring sword not peace, and that the sword (the Word of God) will divide families
God’s Word can turn
35 “For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
Mt10:35
Jesus, and the gospel, must come first, even before family (Mt10:37; Lk14:26)
Jesus, and the gospel, must come first, even before family (Mt10:37; Lk14:26)
26 “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.
Sometimes the greatest cost of being a disciple of Jesus is within your own family.
That now leads to cost regarding earthly possessions
Cost of discipleship: earthly possessions
Cost of house and lands (Mk10:29); and again not always the case (1Cor16:19; Rom16:3-5)
We already read Mk10:29, but all do not have the same cost and some did not have to give up all possessions
19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
Why? in this case it was the possessions were going tobe used, were being used, would continue to be used for God’s purpose and glory.
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;
5 also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.
ROm16
Rom16:5
5 also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.
Rom16
Many did offer, willingly their homes by selling (Act4:36-37) or opening doors for others (Philemon1:22); even look at Paul’s example, cost (Php3:7-8)
Many did offer, willingly their homes by selling (Act4:36-37) or opening doors for others (Philemon1:22); even look at Paul’s example, cost (Php3:7-8)
36 Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), 37 and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
No one told Barnabas to sell his land, but it appears the Lord led him to do it. Not from obligation but from revelation due to dedication.
Then there was the N.T. prophet room,similar to that in the O.T.
22 At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.
for great was the cost personally to Paul, but look at his attitude in it.
7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
Php
Jesus and His kingdom must come before this world and its possessions (Lk14:33; Mt6:33)
Jesus and His kingdom must come before this world and its possessions (Lk14:33; Mt6:33)
33 “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.
Don’t let possessions posses you! A disciple of Jesus is willing to give up all things for Him and to seek Him first
33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
We must be willing to give up, forsake all things necessary to be a disciple of Jesus. Each has his own cost, the cost is between you and the Lord.
We must be willing to give up, forsake all things necessary to be a disciple of Jesus. Each has his own cost, the cost is between you and the Lord.
The cost of discipleship is great, for some it may seem greater than others, or more than others. But for all, it needs to be willing to bear the cost so as to bear the rewards too of discipleship.
Rewards of eternal relations and possessions
Rewards of eternal relations and possessions
Who does not love a good rewards program? Especially if it does not cost you anything! But how about eternal rewards of both eternal relations and eternal possessions, that is what we are looking at now as it relates to the cost and reward of discipleship.
Regarding eternal relationships
30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.
Jesus speaks of eternal relations
Jesus speaks of hundred fold (Mk10:30)
30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.
What is the time frame in this verse? (present age) - expand on this that this was written for them then, what they were going to see, what they were going to receive. The birth of the church on Pentecost (Act2:1-47) the multiplication of the church (Act12:24); it would also come in the age to come, church age, our age!
What were the things that would be 100 times? (houses brothers, sisters, mothers, children and farms, as well as Persecutions
What kind of persecutions do you think Jesus is referring to? keep in mind who he is speaking to?
Eternal family (Mk3:31-35)
31 Then His mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. 32 A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.”
33 Answering them, He said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” 34 Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers!
35 “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Notice Fathers missing (Mk10:30 and Mk3:31-35); but . . . . we have eternal Father in heaven (Mt23:9)
Notice Fathers missing (Mk10:30 and Mk3:31-35); but . . . . we have eternal Father in heaven (Mt23:9)
9 “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
Eternal family, family of God (1Tim3:15)
Eternal family, family of God (1Tim3:15)
15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
Jesus mentions houses, lands, farms too, may we consider these passages (Act4:32; Rom16:3-5)
No one considered what they had to be their own
32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.
Many even sold what they had for the common good (i.e. Barnabas)
Others used what God gave them for the common good like this
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;
5 also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.
They opened their hearts, opened their home for the church to meet.
Today there are great eternal rewards and relationships that we build as members of the church, the family of God. That leads to
Eternal possessions:
again look at Mk10:30 and the time frame for eternal possessions
30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.
In the age to come for eternal possessions, eternal life (Mk10:30; Mt25:46)
46 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Some will go to eternal punishment at the end, others to eternal life with God.
In the end as Paul puts it (Rom6:22-23)
22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Outcome eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, can’t get much better than that can you?
Eternal possessions, eternal life for people of God (Rev21:3)
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
Eternal life for the people of God who will dwell with God and God with them!
Eternal possessions in our eternal home (Jn14:1-3)
In our heavenly home that Jesus spoke of that is ours because of our belief, our faith and knowing He keeps His promises
1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
Eternal possessions in new heavens and new earth (2Pt3:13; Rev21:1)
13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
we will dwell in the new heave and earth where righteousness dwells
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
we were to become the righteousness of God because of Jesus, not a righteousness of our own, but his, but one day we will dwell with righteousness and have our eternal home, eternal reward.
Eternal possessions in the holy city, the new Jerusalem (Rev21:2; Re21:23-27)
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
Oh how glorious that will be when we, as the bride of CHrist, will be adorned in the righteousness of Christ, ready to be His eternal bride
23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; 26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it;
27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Eternal life, eternal rewards for those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. there is no greater eternal gift or possession!
But that is not it, Jesus also spoke of something else too, look again at the verse, what have we not covered yet
30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.
Persecutions to come (Mk10:30)
Persecutions that we are in good company with others (Mt5:10-12)
10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
What is the reward for those who are persecuted? - they are blessed,, they are rewarded greatly in heaven.
Jesus finishes off this section with one last statement
4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
31 “But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”
31 “But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”
5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
This is not the only time we have seen this, it is found previously in Mark, it is also seen in Matthew, remember He has been teaching about the kingdom of God and kingdom dwellers and kingdom entrance.
As servants we need to do that, serve, and know whatever the cost of disipleship is, it is eternally worth it, close out with the words of Paul.
17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
May we have eternal eyes, eternal hearts and eternal hands to apply these eternal truths about discipleships cost.