The Cost

Are You Willing To Pay The Price?

All things cost something. It may be a price as small as a moment of time or as large as all your wages or life. None the less we have grown accustom to a price tag. Some of us think in terms of price tags and dollars signs. It’s what can drive the lives of many. Some live for the sales, discounts and bargains. In Christ there will never be a sale on salvation. The price was paid in full. As Christians there never be a sale, discount or bargain on the cost of being God's child.

 

Christ Asked for You

 

         Christ asked for something different. Christ asked for you. Not a moment of your time. Not a dollar from your pocket, but you. In Luke 9:23 Christ is asking for you.  He says that if you want to follow Him you must deny yourself. He wants you to give up all your desires and notions of what you want and how you want to live your life. Then He says pick up you cross daily. You mean I have to sacrifice myself daily? I have to die to myself daily? Yes. You must be willing to take on the will of the Father. You must be willing to obey as Christ has (Heb. 5:8-9). Then He says to follow Him. You must stay on His heels. The only way to the Father is by Him (John 14:6. Acts 4:12). We must walk just as He walked (1 John 2:5-6).

All Of You

 

That takes all of you. We see Christ make a point in Luke 8:19-21. He points out that those that belong to the Lord are those who hear His word and obey.  Christ never wanted the faint hearted or the halfhearted. He always made a point that the faithful are those that are all in a hundred percent of the time (Matt. 13:18-23). This isn’t easy. It takes a lot to change how you think and begin to be what God desires you to be. It’s easy to read in the word (2 Tim. 3:16-17). But it’s not always easy to do.

 

 

                           The Cost Is High

In fact in Luke 9:57-62 we see that it’s going to take some commitment.  We see that you will have no home on earth, nor earthly riches (Matt.6:19-21; 2 Tim. 2:5; Rev.2:10). No place for rest, our rest is in Him. We learn that He has to come first. Nothing is more important than the Lord and His work.  Let the spiritually dead take of their own. For in Christ is life (John 4:14; John 6:47-48; John 17:1-3; Rm 6:23). We also need to note that we can’t start and then look back. Once you have begun you must follow through to the end. You can’t allow yourself to be distracted. If you do it will be hard to stay on the path.  Paul tells Timothy that all those that desire to live Godly lives in Christ will be persecuted (John 15:20; 2 Tim. 3:12).

 

 

It's Not Easy

 

       It’s not easy denying yourself daily to something another wants you to do. It’s even harder if you don’t understand why. Perhaps that why the word needs to dwell in us richly with all wisdom (Col. 3:16-17). It’s not about us. As much as we can see that Christ died for the sinner. That Christ offers salvation for all who will receive it. It’s not about us. Once you are immersed into Christ, it becomes all about Him.

Are you living willingly making sacrifices?

Are you truly seeking to please God?

 Are you paying the price daily?

Are you seeking to be a Christian a hundred percent of the time?

Have you been distracted?

Are you so distracted you don’t remember the last time you made such a sacrifice for Him?

What needs to change?