COUNT THE COST Jesus said, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross, and come after Me cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26, 27). This is a hard saying. What did the Lord mean? The Greek word "Miseo" is the word for faith & is defined by Vine as "relative preference of one thing over another, by way of expressing either aversion from, or disregard for, the claims of one person or thing relatively to those of another." In Matthew's account he said "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10 36, 37). He will not love his family or his life any less who follows the Lord but He will simply put the Lord first in his life. He will love the Lord God with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength. (Luke 10:27). In this context the Lord also said, "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it-" "Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?" (Luke. 14:28,31). We need to count the cost of discipleship to Jesus Christ. To eagerly obey the principles of the gospel without considering that this is a life time obligation might cause us to lose our love for the Lord and fall by the wayside. It is wonderful to enjoy the blessings of salvation but that comes with the obligation with taking up our cross and following the Lord. Taking up the cross requires self denial. The cross is a symbol of doing our duty even at the cost of the most painful death if that be required of us. Christ says, "follow me"and that means to take Him for our master, our teacher and our example. It means to believe his doctrine, to uphold his cause, to obey his precepts, and to do it though it leads to heaven by the way of the cross. 1. One cost is to promote the local congregations of the Lord's church. Every time that the New Testament gospel preaching was successful and souls were saved in obedience thereto it always resulted in congregations of the church beginning in communities. These people were to continue in teaching the lost, edifying the saved and helping needy people. They were to be true and faithful to the Apostles' doctrine. They were to worship regularly especially on the first day of the week which by the time John wrote Revelation was always referred to as "the Lord's day". (Revelation 1:10). This meeting was to "break bread" which was partaking of the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 10:16). They came together to sing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual songs also (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Contributions were taken on this day as well (I Corinthians 16:1,2). These Christians spent time in prayer and in the study of the scriptures. Preachers sometimes preached until midnight (Acts 20:7). The New Testament leaves a pattern for us to have local autonomy, organize with elders and deacons, and to reach out for the Lord. 2. A Second cost is to live daily for the Lord. This requires honest talking, honest dealing, and honest working. (2 Corinthians 8:21). This requires being truthful (Colossians 3;9, 10). This requires sober living (Ephesians 5:19). This requires laboring to have to give to the needy (Ephesians 4:28). This requires morally upright behavior toward one another. This requires honoring father and mother. This requires recognizing marriage, holding it sacred, and being faithful to one another if in this relationship (Hebrews 13:4). This requires respecting one another and getting along with one another if possible (Matthew 7:12; Ephesians 4:17-32). 3. A third cost is turning your life over to God. This requires "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). Also, "do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2). Those who do this know that the way of man is not in himself and that he needs the Lord to guide his steps (Jeremiah 10:23). He also knows that God gave us the Bible to lovingly guide us into what to do to be saved initially and what to do to keep saved as we live on this earth (1 John 2:1,2). It took God about 1500 years to give us the Bible. He was dealing with men and giving prophecies and promises through out the Old Testament to bring us the promises through Jesus Christ of the New Testament. The way people accomplish this is to "set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2). Some observations of men are good but man needs to learn to trust in the Lord with all his heart leaning not on his own understanding (Proverbs 3:5,6). Then in every relationship of life there will be seeking the good of all. Notice that "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through Him." (Colossians 3:17). This would be for wives to submit to their husbands while the husbands are to love their wives (Colossians 3:18,19). It would include children obeying their parents (v. 20), and fathers to not provoke their children (v. 21). This include being a good worker and being a good boss if you are on that side of the matter (Colossians 3:22-25; 4:1). 4. Fourth, the cost requires preparation to teach the gospel to others. Christians are to study to show themselves approved to God workmen that need not to be ashamed because they rightly divide the word of truth to the world hungering after spiritual things. (2 Timothy 2; 15). Study of the word, meditating on what it says, pondering those things not understood, seeking what is right and true are all part of that preparation. The dedicated disciples give attention to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine (1 Timothy 4:13). These workers Meditate on these things, giving themselves entirely to the task of learning and teaching. (1 Timothy 4:15). 5. Fifth, the cost includes endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. This first is accomplished by walking worthy of the calling. This would be with a mind of lowliness, gentleness, longsuffering and bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:1,2). Always realizing upholding and promoting the one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father of all. (Ephesians 4:4-6). God loves you, Christ died for you, the Holy Spirit has revealed the truth.
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