The Cost of Following Jesus

Hello Women of Noble Characters,

Follow Me (Luke 9:59)!

So, exactly what IS the cost of following Jesus? To grasp the whole meaning please read Luke 9:56-62. The memory portion is vs. 59 “Jesus (He) said to another man, “Follow me.”

In these Scriptures we’ll see several responses to the cost of commitment. Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem, and He wants followers who can count the cost. There are three different levels of commitment represented in people He met along the way. And you know what? These levels of commitment expose the ways a lot of Christians relate to their discipleship today.

The first man made a pious commitment that didn’t go any further than words. (Actions speak louder than words, right?) He promised to follow Jesus wherever He went – so Jesus challenged the man to “count the cost.” That’s not unlike today’s world: We come to Jesus to get what we want to solve our problems or to get inspiration/wisdom for our challenges. And you know what? Jesus gives us both, but THEN calls us into a ministry of maybe concern and caring. We’re to do for others what He has done for us. But have you noticed – loving and forgiving aren’t always easy!

The second man had some unfinished business from the past. He WANTED to follow Jesus, but there was a “secondary loyalty” that kept him tied to the past. Paraphrasing, Jesus said “Forget the past; follow Me!” What does that mean??? Jesus isn’t suggesting the man have a lack of concern for life’s everyday obligations, but it was a call to be concerned about His call to live rather than worry about what’s dead and past.

The third man wanted to say goodbye to his family first. Jesus’ response to him stressed the urgency of our commitment. Jesus was concerned about “competing loyalties” in the man. Our commitment must be to unreservedly seek FIRST His kingdom. Jesus leaves us with a question about ways we have one hand on the plow of discipleship and the other reaching back to the past or to lesser commitments.

That brings us to thinking about loyalties other than Jesus or even lesser commitments: church responsibilities, working out at the gym, cooking, shopping, our yard, house or job, community commitments, our children’s extracurricular activities, completing our education, going to the beach, reading a book, watching television, e-mailing or texting, etc. etc.

In what ways are you looking back? What “secondary loyalties” do you have which make it difficult to give your whole mind and heart and will to Christ? What is your response to the cost of commitment to Christ? What did Jesus say? “Follow Me.”

In Love,
Becky