Reflecting on the Cost of Following Jesus

Posted on by Hoosierdaddy101
 In Matthew 10, Jesus is preparing to send out the Twelve disciples.  He gives them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal every kind of disease and sickness.   What was going through the minds of the disciples in those moments?  Some fishermen, a tax-collector, men later referred to as “unschooled and uneducated” (Acts 4:13) . . . and here they were being invited into God’s mission upon this earth. . . they were being told who God saw them as.

Jesus tells them in Matthew 10:8 to heal, raise up, cleanse, and cast out.  In verse 9 they’re told this Gospel is not for sale.  In verse 10 they’re told to travel light because the worker is worth his support.  In verse 11 they’re told to stay with a worthy person in the town or village they come to, until it’s time to leave. 
Can you imagine this commission today: 

  • “Hey boys…Go!  And take no books or DVD’s to sell . . . Heal, Raise up, Cleanse, and Cast out!  Acquire no money for your work but trust in my provision…take nothing . . . no sets of shirts or pants, smartphones or tablets, and when you get there, find someone worthy to stay with – don’t set yourself up in a comfortable hotel while you’re there.”

 

Think about this!  The Gospel is not for sale.  Could you live such a life where you rely solely on the Lord to meet your “NEEDS” (not “WANTS”)?  Would you praise the Lord as you missed a meal or two . . . Would you trust Him to sustain you when you were unsure where you would lay your head to sleep at night?

Read on about this Commission . . . it seems to get more challenging . . .

In Matthew 10:16-23, Jesus warns the Twelve of the war they are entering into.  He tells them to be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves; He tells them to beware of men because of the “Name” they come in.  This “Name” will be so controversial they will be brought before Courts.  Jesus tells them . . . Us! . . . ME! . . . that when I stand before the authorities, I can trust that his Holy Spirit will be right there . . . and he will give me the words to speak.

Jesus warns us that if we stay the course . . . if our hearts and our courage don’t fail us and we continue to follow Him . . . that those who were once dear to us will be used by the enemy to put us to death . . . brother against brother . . . father against children . . . children against fathers . . . He tells us that we will be hated by “all” due to the name of Jesus.

Jesus then offers this promise; He says “those who endure to the end” will be saved. 

Endure to the end . . . . . . . .

He’s talking of those who cross the finish line, but what of those who pull out midway through the race?  Obviously they showed up for the race.  That should count for something.  They paid the entrance fee . . . they were there when the starting gun went off, they started off with the pack?????  What about those?  What about those “many” disciples mentioned in John 6:66 who “withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore” because the teachings got tough and their faithlessness was revealed?  Outwardly they were referred to as “disciples” . . . they were following Him, listening to Him, amazed at His teachings . . . . but when things got tough . . . something the Lord saw from the beginning became exposed as they “withdrew” from Him.

I paused here this morning to think about this.  My first thought is that I am one of the Twelve because, even when I’m dry I believe in Jesus as Savior.  But then something creped into my consciousness . . . a question . . . .  Do you believe in the Jesus of the bible or do you believe in a Jesus you’ve created in your own mind . . . one created out of a mixture of positive stories of the bible about grace, mercy and love seasoned with all your “wants” and “desires for convenience?

  • Does your Jesus say “he who is not with me is against me”?  (Matthew 12:30)
  • Does your Jesus say “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword”?  (Matthew 10:34)
  • Does your Jesus say “no one can serve two masters” because he will love one and hate the other?  (Luke 16:13)
  • Does your Jesus draw a line in the stone and say “if you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of [all your false gods] and commit yourselves to the Lord.”  (I Samuel 7:3) Or does your Jesus have this special “grace” and “mercy” . . . a weird “tolerance” that leads him to be real gentle and patient as you continue to sleep with all those old girlfriends on the side?
  • Does your Jesus say he has come to bring fire to the earth?  (Luke 12:49)
  • Prior to saying what he said in Luke 12:49 . . . . does your Jesus say “from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much will be asked” ?  (Luke 12:48)
  • Is your Jesus “demanding much” and “asking much” of you?
  • Does your Jesus come into this world bringing judgment?  . . . and are you the blind who have been made to see or are you one who thinks you see but have become blind?  (John 9:39)
  • Finally this . . . Does your Jesus tell you that if you do not take up your cross and follow after him, then “you are not worthy of him”?   (Matthew 10:38)

Galatians 1:6-7 has troubled me for some time.  Paul tells the Galatians that he is “astonished that [they] are so quickly deserting” Christ and turning to a different gospel – which really is no gospel . . . and he goes on to talk about the mission of the enemy – distorting the Gospel of Christ.  I look around me and I feel clueless at times . . . like I am wandering in the dark.  What I see in the Christianity of my culture . . . it seems like it has become a message of wise and persuasive words but lacking the power of God . . . (I Corinthians 2:4) . . . and I am questioning so much . . . have I been presented a gospel that over the years has turned away from the hard teachings of Christ in order to make it more digestible to us?  And does this newer improved “gospel” have a new and improved “Jesus” which is easier to follow because he requires less from us?

I am not questioning the Word of God . . . that is the only thing off the table right now . . . everything else is on the table and open to questioning in my mind.

One thought on “Reflecting on the Cost of Following Jesus”

  1. Wow. You give us a lot to think about here in one big chunk. 🙂 I think, as Christians the times we are living in require more of us all at times than what we are willing to give. If we are really honest with ourselves we all have to decide just what that means to us such as the cost, sacrifice, etc. as we sometimes slink back and hope no one really cares whether we are living our lives to please ourselves, others or Christ. But, when Paul spoke about the fruits of the spirit he said the greatest of these was love, and that is the first and foremost thing we can offer to another which will without a doubt have the greatest impact on them than whether we have an enormous amount of faith, hope and charity if we are to love others as Christ did. And, if we can love another like Christ the other fruits of the spirit will be there as well.

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