THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP!

THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP!

Luke 14:26-27

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:33

33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

           I’m learning something about discipleship. You can’t make a disciple of an unwilling subject.

           I could excuse some who fail at discipleship because there are so many distractions in our modern world. There is the constant prattle of television with so many bland options that our thumb may evolve to become as large as our great toe! And who can forget the variety of electronic gadgets and especially the cellular phone which is the most personal of them all? Ours is the most connected generation ever and the most lonely.

           The real culprit is a fear of ourselves and our own inner thoughts. We surround ourselves with noise and activity so as to drown out the sound of our own cries. Truly knowing God requires stillness so that we might hear His voice.

In a time void of electronic communication, Jesus lists three hindrances to real discipleship.

1.      RELATIONSHIPS! – Jesus said “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Now, Jesus would never advocate a hatred of family because it would be a violation of the fifth commandment! The meaning is clarified when he adds “and his own life also.” Our love for family and other earthly relationships should seem like “hatred” in comparison to our love for the Lord. Love for God must be superior and preeminent.

2.      NARCISSISM! – Self absorption will ruin discipleship. This person actually competes for attention with the One who should be worshipped. Paul highlights the right attitude in the following verse.

Acts 20:24

24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

3.      MATERIALISM – The accumulation of things greatly distract from devotion. If you track a man’s love it will lead directly to what he values most!

Luke 12:21

21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

           When Jesus said, three times, that “ye cannot be my disciple” he couples two Greek words. One indicates an absolute negative coupled with an absolute impossibility. The sense is that you absolutely cannot be a disciple of Christ unless careful attention is given to these three areas!

Dear Lord, I want you to be first in my focus. I want you to be the greatest of all my treasures. I want my life to be subjected to your will. I want to be your disciple. AMEN