The cost of discipleship is one of the most challenging teachings Jesus laid out for His followers. It’s not just about believing in Him; it’s about committing your entire life to Him, even when it’s tough. Jesus was clear that following Him would require sacrifices—big ones.
First, He talks about self-denial. Imagine Jesus saying, “If you want to follow me, you need to deny yourself, take up your cross every day, and follow me.” That’s from Luke 9:23. What He’s getting at is that we have to put aside our own desires and be ready to face whatever challenges come our way because of our faith. The “cross” here symbolizes those tough moments, maybe even suffering or rejection, but we carry it because we’re committed to Him.
Then there’s the idea of total commitment. In Luke 14, Jesus uses some pretty strong language, saying that our loyalty to Him has to be greater than our loyalty to anyone else—even family. He doesn’t mean we should literally hate our loved ones, but rather that our love for Him should be so strong that it makes other commitments look small by comparison. He even says that if we’re not willing to give up everything we own, we can’t be His disciples. It’s a call to hold everything loosely, knowing that our true security is in God, not in our possessions or relationships.
Following Jesus also means that sometimes we have to leave behind comfort and what’s familiar. In Matthew 8, when someone says they’ll follow Him wherever He goes, Jesus reminds them that He doesn’t even have a place to lay His head—He’s always on the move, and it’s not an easy journey. Another person wants to wait until they’ve fulfilled a family obligation before following Jesus, but Jesus says, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” It’s a way of saying, “Your priority has to be following Me, even if it means leaving behind what you thought was most important.”
And then there’s the reality of persecution. In John 15, Jesus doesn’t sugarcoat it—He says that if the world hated Him, it’s going to hate His followers too. Being a disciple can put you at odds with the world because you’re living by a different set of values. It’s not an easy path, and it can be lonely or even dangerous.
But here’s the thing—Jesus also promises that it’s worth it. In Matthew 19, He says that anyone who gives up things for His sake will receive a hundred times as much and inherit eternal life. The cost of discipleship is high, but the reward is infinitely greater.
So, in short, following Jesus means putting Him above everything else, being ready to face challenges and sacrifices, and sometimes standing against the tide of the world. It’s not an easy road, but it’s the one that leads to true life and an eternal relationship with God.
