THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP: What Following Christ Requires
TEXT: Matthew 16:24-27
INTRDOUCTION:
A. The words of our Lord here are powerful, profound, life challenging and life changing.
B. Consider what is involved in following Christ
I. FOLLOWING CHRIST REQUIRES CHOICE
A. “If any man will come after me…”
1. There are conditions: “If” - and a choice must be made: “will”
2. But there is opportunity afforded to any and all: “any man”
B. We must make a choice to follow Christ!
1. The Lord neither forces nor forbids man to come.
2. Some choices are good, some bad; some easy, some hard; some inconsequential,
some eternal in implication!
3. I’ve long been convinced that we pretty much do what we choose to do!
II. FOLLOWING CHRIST REQUIRES SELF-DENIAL
A. “Let him deny himself…”
1. Not just a denial OF self, but denial TO self – from self to Christ!
2. We are solider of Christ – and a good solider doesn’t think of saving self, but of
winning the battle!
S: Yes, you have one more thing I want – I want YOU – You, yourself, too – All are mine –Now
I’ll let you use these things for the time being, but remember, they are all mine, just as
YOU are mine – whenever I call for them, you must give them up, for they belong to me.
C. ILLUS: We have all heard that young people today don’t want “the old values and religious practices of the past” – Interestingly, in 2000 the Phillips Foundation awarded a $50,000 grant for a study of the relationship between young people and Christian orthodoxy – the study dealt with values, worship styles, and lifestyles among generations X and Y – Last fall the study was published and the results somewhat surprising – the study showed that “young adults reject the immorality of American culture and racy television shows that are in prime time. They are also looking for worship that is less showy and entertaining and involves more personal reflection” (Christianity Today, 8/5/02 – cited in Does God Exist? Jan-Feb 2003)
1. What does all that mean? Simply this – there must be a cost to Christianity to make it worthwhile and fulfilling!
2. A religion of convenience and ease doesn’t satisfy - and a religion that costs nothing is worth just that!
3. 2 Sam. 24:24, David offered to buy a threshingfloor, wood, and oxen to make sacrifice to God – the owner offered to give it to him for free – but David insisted on paying fifty shekels of silver – WHY? He said, “…I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing.”
III. FOLLOWING CHRIST REQUIRES CROSS-BEARING
A. “…and take up his cross”
1. Take up your cross voluntarily: John 10:17-18 (READ)
2. Take up your cross sacrificially: Matthew 10:34-38 (READ)
B. Jesus took His cross!
1. Poem, They borrowed a bed to lay His head, When Christ the Lord came down,
They borrowed an ass in the mountain pass for Him to ride to town.
But the crown that He wore, and the cross that He bore were His own.
He borrowed the bread when the crowd He fed, On the grassy mountainside,
He borrowed the dish of broken fish with which He satisfied,
He borrowed the ship in which to sit, to teach the multitude;
He borrowed the nest in which to rest, He ne’er had a home so crude.
He borrowed a room on the way to the tomb, the Passover lamb to eat,
They borrowed a cave, for Him a grave, They borrowed a winding sheet.
But the crown that He wore and the cross that He bore were His own,
The cross was His own.
2. Jesus took His cross – and tells us we must take ours!
3. But how are we able? The poem continues…
The thorns on His head were worn in my stead, For ME the Savior died,
For the guilt of my sin the nails drove in, when Him they crucified.
C. When you think about the COST of following Christ, think also of the cost of NOT following
1. What will it cost to NOT follow Him? Salvation, fulfillment, hope, purpose, eternity!
2. POEM,
You’ve counted the cost of following Christ and find it too much, you say;
But what of the cost of rejecting Him and turning His love away?
It will cost you far more than money can buy, it will cost you a lifetime of pain;
And then when you life on earth is done, you’ll have to start paying again.
For the cost of rejecting Christ, my friend, is not paid at the close of life;
You’ll pay with your soul at the bar of God, your conscience will cut like a knife.
It will cost countless ages away from the Lord and leave hopeless pangs of regret.
Oh think once again and turn to Christ, ere judgment forever is set.
IV. FOLLOWING CHRIST REQUIRES FOLLOWING CHRIST
A. “…and follow me”
1. I don’t mean to sound redundant, but think about it: some have the idea they can be a
“Christian” and do what they want – No!
2. “Follow me” means we walk as He walked; talk as He talked; live as He lived; do as
He did; serve as He served; love as He loved!
3. “What Would Jesus Do?” is not merely a question adorning a bracelet or T-shirt – for the Christian, that question and its answer directs the life!
B. We must persevere in following!
1. ILLUS: A young boy grabbed his snow shovel and started to clear away snow after a big downfall – A neighbor hollered and asked him, “Young man, how are you going to clear away so much snow?” – “By keeping at it,” replied the lad!
2. That’s it! In following Christ, we’ve got to “keep at it”!!!
CONCLUSION:
A. Why is it important? Verse 26
B. Judgment is coming! Verse 27
John M. Brown, Flatwoods church of Christ
P. O. Box 871
Flatwoods, KY 41139