The Cost of Discipleship

The Demands of Discipleship

Deny yourself. Jesus calls for us to surrender our lives over to Him completely. Discipleship is not a part-time work, but an attitude of heart that says “not my will but thine be done.”

Take up your cross. Jesus calls for us to be willing to join Him in being rejected even to the point of giving our lives for His cause.

Follow me. Jesus calls for us to follow His way, not the way we want to choose for ourselves.

The Paradox of Discipleship

A paradox is a statement that seems to be contradictory, yet arouses curiosity (Ps. 2:11; 2 Cor. 6:9-10; 12:10). [Antinomy = Crisis in thought. I am lying (If I am lying when I say that then I must be telling the truth, but how can I be telling the truth if I’m lying?) Liars Paradox]

Jesus said, If we live for ourselves, we lose ourselves, but if we lose ourselves for His sake and the Gospel’s, we find ourselves (Mk. 8:35).

To save one’s life, one has to lose it. Losing ourselves is both an act of devotion and duty (cp. Lk. 9:59, 61). [devotion (for My sake) and duty (and the gospels); me first not He first]

The Question of Discipleship

Consider Jesus’ question (Mk. 8:36-37), “What benefit is it if a person has power over the entire world but forfeits eternal life with God?”

The most powerful and wealthy people die, yet no amount of money or power is valuable enough to be used in exchange for one’s soul (Lk. 12:16-21; 1 Tim. 6:10-17).

Jesus said we must side with Him now, or we will not be at His side in the glorious age to come (Mk. 8:38).