The Cost of True Discipleship

Welcome to the intense podcast with Charles Stanley Friday, January 28. Explore what it means to be devoted to Christ as you learn about the cost of true discipleship.

All disciples are believers, but all believers are not disciples suppose of the church is long on one thing in short on somebody else's list. We're long on membership short on discipleship. Lots of emphasis on the figures, but not much emphasis on growing and I believe, according to the New Testament. If a church is doing what it ought to be doing it ought to be discipling God's people. And when you and I begin to think about disciples usually think about the 12 apostles as disciples, but Jesus Christ intended for all of us to be one. Because here's what he said. He said as you go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, the son of the Holy Spirit and then use what he said, teaching them, instructing them to observe all the things that I have commanded you. And as you do that he says you have this problem. I'll be with you to the end of the age. I'm asking this whose life is being changed because of who you are, he says as you go. That is, he says as you go about your life mate disciples, that is, our lifestyle is such that we should be such a challenge to other people that they too will become learners now what is it that motivates someone else to become a learner looking at your life in my life.

What motivates them to start beginning to feel a hunger in their heart for God, something that goes on in their life. Something about our testimony is something that God is doing in our life. You see, our success isn't that I just out of sin.

Success is that my life is glorifying the living God to the point it is making a definite decided eternal difference in someone else's life.

Now that's not easy. And if you turn the 14 chapter of Luke you will ponder where it's not easy. The 14 chapter of your notice verse 25 now. Great multitudes were going along with him, and he turned and said to them, if anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life he cannot be my disciple and I watch how many times that same phrase mentioned that he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple for which one of you when he wants to build a tower is not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he is not the completed otherwise when he is laid a foundation is not able to finish all observe and begin the ridicule and mockery and make fun of him saying this man began to build and was not able to finish or what king, what he sets out to meet another king in battle, not first sit down and take counsel whether he's strong enough with 10,000 men to encounter the one coming against him with 20,000 or else while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation asked terms of peace. So therefore no one of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. Therefore another. Therefore, salt is good, but if it loses if even Saul has become tasteless with what will it be seasoned. There was a certain kind of salt. They found those days that could lose its twang. Not all of it is useless either for the soil over the manure pile is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear this diseases website. Are you listening now.

What is the real price of discipleship. I can tell you what is not is not accepting Jesus Christ as Savior being baptized, joining a church and sit and listen to sermons that is not the price of discipleship. Now I want you listen carefully. Beginning in verse 26 he says, here is the first price tag on a true genuine follower and is allowing Christ Jesus to live his life in and through them. A true disciple. He says this is the first price tag. If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life counting out, he or she cannot be considered a disciple of mine.

What did he mean when he said, unless you hate them well let me tell you what the word means the let me explain what he says here the word he uses here does not hate means to love less, you go back in the Old Testament Hebrew and trace the use of the word and how we choose. It means to love less to his what he say unless anyone does not love less, his father, mother, wife, children, gay brothers and sisters in his own eyeball so unless he loves them.

Less than he does me. He cannot be my disciple and essence. Here's what he say that the law that is within us must be so strong told the Lord our loyalty and devotion and love to Jesus Christ, must supersede our love for anyone and everyone else to the point that in our obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ and we have yielded to his Lord, to the point that are yielding to him may bring about in the thinking of those whom we love and love us that we do not care that we are not concerned that we do not love them as much as we ought to. That is, there is a degree of pain and suffering that can develop in our true obedience to Jesus Christ and my friend to live a Christlike life. Nowhere is even implied that it's simple or easy all that all of your Christian friends and family will agree with. Now he says, except a man love less, those whom God has given him the love unless his love, devotion and loyalty toward the Lord Jesus Christ exceeds his love for all others, even to the point that he or she is totally misunderstood may be criticized and persecuted by the own family.

He says you cannot be a true follower of Jesus Christ that here's the problem. We live in such an affluent world and such a we did generated church body today. The discipleship, it is totally way out in left field compared to our thinking or will we have to do is to get back to ask ourselves the question did Jesus mean what he said I don't have any evidence anywhere in the Bible to Jesus meant anything except this that my love and devotion to, and obedience to Jesus Christ must supersede my love and devotion, and obedience to all of those even the point of being misunderstood and it be painful in the process of doing so. Second price tag. Listen to this.

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. That is when Jesus Christ died on the cross.

How many times we said this, Christ is crucified, and Paul said, I too was crucified with him. I am crucified with Christ taking up the cross means that I choose death to the self life that is I had chosen death of the flashlight does not mean that I will never participate in it. But it means as a way of life in a lifestyle I've chosen their to the old way. He says that is the cost of discipleship. Whosoever does not carry his own cross and come after me, and whatever words come up to me means is and attach himself to me. Let me ask a question what are you attached to is similar biggest things that needs to happen. The body of Christ is there needs to be a great attachment, a follower of Jesus Christ sinks very very very rare light roots because the truth is, you know, must be available to do what he says when he says where he says that at any moment whatever his choice may be.

You see, this is Satan satanic cloak the church today is working to get acceptance by the world. God deliver us from acceptance by the will. Did you know that the worst thing that could happen in the to the church in America is for the unbelievers, disable table, stop persecuting the church. Let's accept them.

Listen, I'll tell you what would happen friend that would be a total collapse.

We will be accepted by them. We want them to accept our Christ. That's what we desire. That's what discipleship is all about that in the middle of this. He drops in this parable is is now for which one of you what he wants to build a tower and they would build towers so tall in the middle of their vineyards to keep the robbers out.

He says which of you in deciding the ability how it is not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete. Otherwise, please lay the foundation is not able to finish all who observe and begin ridiculing say this man began to build and was not able to finish what is he saying he says look is not easy to be a follower of Jesus that is a true committee follower of Christ. So he says not before you leave. He says look real good and be sure you understand what it means to be a follower of Christ… Then he says 14 when he sets out to me another king in battle, not first sit down and start to think he's got 10,000 soldiers versus 20 is he going to tag or is he going to be the kind of fellow who goes to negotiate his paster then look at this next verse, so therefore no one of you three times. He says it no one of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. I was waiting for that he says now who does not give up all his own possession. Now we can rationalize this we can reason all this out weeks anything more to say but that's exactly what it means there must come a time in your life when you say God it's all yours you do with it what you choose, because God is the one is given you what you have. The question is not how much do you have but how much of you does God have my friend when you stepped across the land.

God has all of you. You know of God's interest in the things in your life. He knows they're not yours to begin with. And you know that not yours, and he knows that he has access to any and all of it and any split second in your life. We must learn to live with, but above and detached that silicon you will be free. Freedom is the greatest treasure and light when you can live amidst and among when you can be freed and liberated you not attached. Nothing is attached to you but you walking in the freedom of the liberty of Jesus Christ doesn't make any difference you see what he says unless a person who does not give up all his own possessions. Never the rich young ruler. He said I want you to sell everything you have given to the poor and come after me, you just think about this for a moment he meant exactly what he said he does not require everybody give up everything that have that is sale every single position I have and follow Jesus. He does require that everybody but he didn't answer the question how many of us would be willing to do it every once in a while I had to bring it to my mom's okay got this point my life. Is there anything there which I'm attached. Is there anything that has any attachment upon me. He said the rich young ruler you sell it all come, follow me, you think about this for a moment. What a foolish mistake. He held on to his attachments and gave up following Christ. What a foolish move on his part.

My friend anything that you attached to anything that has an attachment to you anything that you've not given to him anything that he is not ready access to is cheating you out of God's best in your life. Let me ask a question.

Is there anything you own. Boy you own it. I want to tell you that you're not free, because whatever you own owns you and you not free, he says, except a man a woman give it all to him can be a follower of mine because you say. A man cannot serve things in Christ, he cannot be attached to things and to Christ is going to be attached want to let you see the same thing is true relationships. We can have no attachments that are not of God, no attachments to things all the people that are not of God but me ask you what you attached to I'm talking about things you not know about the people get attached to natural your be attached to your wife and your sons and daughters and your husband.

That's a divine attachment that God cements a love relationship.

I'm talking about things or relationships whereby there is a tug whereby there is a relationship that is between you and God. What is it that has an attachment upon you that you would be willing give up the massive question. Are you living in it. Are you driving it. Are you wearing you have a relationship with it. The wanted to sit on you and the Christian life is a life of liberty and freedom, not just the rejoice in the Lord, but liberated from the attachments of life. What he says no one is my disciple unless we were in the land, all before him become detached, they sure his names on the will is names on the deed. Everything you and are supposedly old. It's all his he's really taking the time he chooses. Given back and multiplied if he chooses. And here's the wonderful thing about God friend the more you become detached. You know what happens.

Oftentimes, the more he swirls around and as long as you stay detached. God is able to trust you with more to give more to enjoy in life. On the other hand, it may not be true, it just depends on what God's perfect plan is for your life. But the key is detachment, not ownership.

Detached and listen to what he said.

Therefore, salt is good, but if even salt has become tasteless. What good is it, what is it was saying in the last two verses here is this what real good are we the kingdom of God. If we're not going to be true followers of him is what happens. It's all wrapped up in one word, not so Garibaldi was a was an Italian revolutionist really and probably one of the most recognized guerrilla fighters in modern times, but this was back in the 1800s and in his desire to unify and liberate Italy. He set out to do that in one day he was walking along, he saw these fellows in the street, and asked him to follow him and they said to him, what do you offer and this is what Garibaldi said I offer you hardship, hunger, privatizations, innumerable rags, sleepless nights, foot sores and long marches and victory in the noblest cause that rescue was Jesus Christ over us. My friend the first thing he offers us is across and most folks on the duck that just get in the kingdom and rejoice in the blessings from the Christian life's tough. It's tough.

Now it's going to be taught and is going to get tougher in this country. It's going to be more and more difficult for more and more God's people to live, separated, and to keep the cross, not in the night in the background of their mind but in the forefront of their thinking.

It's that they've learned to live detached from the world and have attached the hill from our prayer in Jesus name in my life and every single one of us. Wherever there are attachments surface them right now in our thinking so that we can confess them, repent of them and walk away from them. Surrender and yield them totally and completely to you with no grass and no grip. But to say Lord here. Laura not only things but here Lord and mine father you know that when we really sit here in my the whole, the things really don't make any difference in a more because a man who was crucified on the cross can be attached anything else. So father would you allow those wonderful words of the apostle Paul to become a reality in all of our lives that we might be able to say with him. I have been and am now in the present state of being crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live yet not but Christ now lives in me and the life which I now live.

I live with the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Therefore I live in the liberty and the freedom detached from the world attached to my intern is my prayer in Jesus name, amen. Thank you for listening to the cost of true discipleship. If you'd like to know more about her family more intense ministries.in test tantalizing podcast is the presentation of intense ministries Atlanta, Georgia