The Cost
The beautiful thing about salvation through Christ is that we did nothing to earn it. We ran from God and He ran to us. He rescued us from our own destructive nature and redeemed us. The grace we received is free. It cost us nothing. But if you want to experience the fullness of life in Christ, it will cost you everything. But it will be worth it.
Matthew 16:24 says, Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. And the NLT reads: Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
It will be worth it.
You will never regret making Christ a priority in your life. You will never reflect on your death bed that you wished you had read your Bible less.
Making time with Jesus a priority might mean sacrificing something. Giving something up that seemed important until you realized it wasn’t in light of eternity.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
― Jim Elliot
Some people are content to stand with Jesus. Content to be with Him but unwilling to go any further. They like some of the things He said, but passively skim or even ignore His other teachings.
They like Jesus, but they don’t love Him.
Loving Jesus looks different. When He was here on earth, His disciples traveled with Him. Side-by-side and Shoulder-to-shoulder with Jesus Himself. They eagerly listened to His Words, standing, sitting, and craning their ears so they wouldn’t miss a thing. They worshiped and praised and studied. He washed their feet and cleansed them. But they also shared meals with Jesus. They lived with Him. Not a once-a-week deal, but every day.
Don’t be content to stand with Jesus, walk with Him to.
When we love Jesus with our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30), we want to be with Him. We seek Him and find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). Don’t be content to just stand with Him. Walk with Him. Let Him lead you and shine light on your path.
Jesus warned His follows in John 16:33, that following Him would be hard. John 15 records Jesus’ words to His disciples after the Last Supper.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
-John 15:18-19
How much do you look like Jesus?
Do you resemble Him in the way to act toward others? Do you love people, even your enemies? Do you spend time with Him?
I have found myself very challenged with this question:
If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Read that again.
Do other people know you follow Jesus by observing your life? If you never said a word to someone, would they be able to tell you were different, simply because knowing Jesus makes you different?
Jesus preached, on the sermon on the mount, to:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
-Matthew 7:13-14
It takes intentionality to walk with Jesus. We have to choose every day to be with Him.
But it is the only way to real, full, satisfying life. Denying what could never fill us and clinging to the only hope for our souls. Gaining life in Christ is worth anything and everything we give up.