The great cost of following Jesus

Everything in life has a cost and brings consequences. If you buy a car, additional costs are generated such as fuel purchase, washing, maintenance, etc. If you have a child, additional fixed expenses are also generated, such as diapers, clothing, food, etc. In short, the point is that in life everything has a cost and following Jesus is no the exception.

Many believe that serving Jesus is like going on vacation to a five-star hotel, or that Jesus is an Aladdin or Santa Claus who fulfills all wishes. Jesus is more than all of that and therefore, to follow Him is a higher cost than everything else.

In the whole history of the church, serving Jesus has always represented a high cost, and we have seen this since the death of Stephen in Acts 7 to this day, because, in countries like Nigeria, Egypt, China, Afghanistan, among others, it is still difficult to preach the gospel. And of course, if we read the book of the Martyrs written by John Fox, we will realize how much it costed the reformers to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And in the Bible there are many stories from which we can learn, from people who did not prefer to follow Jesus because of the high cost of their calling, a good example that we have is that of the rich young man (Matthew 10: 17-30) who preferred riches before following Christ. It is good that we as believers know this, that the Christian life is not an easy life.

The call of Jesus is the following:

And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14: 27

You realize? It is not an easy call, the cross is pain, vituperation, being betrayed, abandoned, flogged, dejected, that is the cross! And Jesus is saying that everyone who wants to come to Him needs to take that cross and that if we do not take it we can not call ourselves His disciples.

There are those who call themselves Christians or disciples, but they are not carrying the vituperation of the cross, and this is a problem, since that is what identifies us as true Christians.

Beloved brother, serving Jesus represents a great cost, and this involves even the rejection of society by our way of seeing the world. Take our cross, follow Jesus with all your heart, for a day will come when that high cost will become a great joy.

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5 comments on “The great cost of following Jesus

  1. The great cost of following Jesus
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    It’s sure that to follow the steps of Jesus means to lead a life of holiness, leaving our own selves aside, striving to be different from what we are by nature. Jesus is a perfect and divine man, while we are people inclined to do evil things. However, we can imitate the Lord in his way of living, his behaviour; and we need to be ready to suffer any troubles for his name’s sake.

    Jesus, our Lord, said to us to love Him over all things or any other person—like our mother, father, son, daughter, even our wife or husband. If any of them takes first place in our lives, rather than God, we don’t deserve to be called Christians, or to call Him “my Lord”. Because Jesus is over all, He also must be the first person in our lives. All people or things of that world are transitory: all finish or die; but we are saved to live eternally with Him in Heaven.
    “He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:37

    Besides, we must encourage one another to resist and, if it is necessary, to suffer any tests. We are called to deny ourselves in order to please Him, and to bear witness to our faith by our good works wherever we go. The Lord God knows we are weak people and will not allow us to be tested beyond what we can resist. But he says to us:
    “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
    Luke 14: 27

    May our Lord Jesus go with us on our way, as we carry our crosses always, into eternity. And may He be the first in our lives

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