In Luke 14:26-33, Jesus spoke of the “cost” of being His disciple, emphasizing that following Him must not be taken lightly.
Jesus doesn’t want us to be delusional about the commitment of true discipleship. Following Christ demands forsaking whatever we must in order to please our Lord. It’s a 24/7 lifestyle that may involve losing earthly possessions (cf. Matt. 19:21), or close friendships (Luke 14:26). It may even involve facing physical persecution, as many of the 1st century Christians did (cf. Rev. 2:10).
Those whose minds are focused only on temporal things may wonder why someone would choose such a life. What could be worth forsaking so much?
God’s answer to this question gets to the value of discipleship. While the commitment Christ demands is great, the value of belonging to Him far outweighs the cost. Consider the parables of the kingdom in Matthew 13:44-46: Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
If we see the kingdom of heaven as the treasure that it is, whatever we must give up to be a part of it will seem light comparatively.
Consider also the example of the apostle Paul. The “cost of discipleship” was steep for him. He was shipwrecked, beaten, and stoned (cf. 2 Cor. 11:24-27). Yet, as he suffered in service to Christ, he said, “our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; while we don’t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17-18).
Why would Paul call severe hardships “light affliction?” It’s evident from verse 18 that he was spiritually-minded. He lived for the purpose of pleasing and glorifying God rather than making temporal endeavors his life’s focus (cf. 2 Cor. 5:9). Paul experienced joy and peace in Christ that was much deeper than anything the world could offer. This made hardships and persecutions seem relatively light in his eyes.
Being Christ’s disciple allows one, like Paul, to experience the joy of honoring the One whose glory we exist for. The Christian vocation gives meaning and purpose to one’s life (cf. Eccl. 1:1; 5:10; 12:13).
The Christian lifestyle allows us not only to help others with their temporal needs, but also with our supremely important spiritual needs.
Christ’s disciples not only provide spiritual help, but also have the most wonderful Helper whose ears are open to our prayers (cf. 1 Pet. 3:12).
Walking with Christ brings an inner peace that surpasses understanding (Phil. 4:6-7), a joy that is unspeakable (1 Pet. 1:8), and a hope that is a steadfast and sure anchor of the soul (Heb. 6:19).
This hope has as its object the ultimate comfort provided to those who follow Christ: eternal life in heaven.
If we set our affection on things above, like Paul did, we will realize that while the cost of discipleship is high, the value far outweighs the cost. May we choose to do whatever we must in order to submit to Christ. Being His disciple is more than worth it.
– Michael Hickox