The Cost of Discipleship - Mark 8:34-38
The Cost of Discipleship - Mark 8:34-38
By Pastor Lee Hemen
May 30, 2010 AM
I remember when I was 10 years old saying I would cut our neighbor’s grass for a couple of dollars, but I had not considered that I would have to rake grass clumps afterwards, edge the lawn, and clean the mower. My father related something that has held me in good stay for the rest of my life after I had complained to him about what was involved. He simply said, “You should have counted the cost.”
How do you measure the cost of something? I know that when I began to shop for a certain item that I want, I begin to look at reviews of the product online, I read up about different manufacturers of similar items, and I look at the manufacturer’s reputation, customer service, and quality of goods. That may work fine for say a camera or big screen TV, but what about other things in life. What about when we begin to count the cost of a relationship, a job opportunity, or say being a disciple of Jesus? How does one count the cost of the latter? Jesus, here in Mark’s gospel gives us the answer and it may be far tougher than we ever figured. Let’s look at the cost of discipleship.
READ: Mark 8:34-38
Today’s church so easily invokes Jesus’ name, often times without a thought to what it means to “follow” him. I am told that during the first few centuries of the early church, not only did one have to prove their faith walk with Christ; they also had to publicly swear their allegiance to Jesus. It was a commitment that took applicants sometimes one to two years to complete. Today’s church encourages a lackadaisical or laissez-faire attitude toward faith in Jesus, but Jesus never promoted this way of thinking. We discover that there are three steps in counting the cost of discipleship…
I. Step One: One cannot be a hanger-on! (Vv. 34-35)
1. Are you really a disciple of Jesus? We discover Jesus calling the crowd, the world, the “hangers-on” to him as well as his disciples, those who should have by now understood what it required to be a follower of his. The crowd wanted their needs taken care of and a Messiah that would throw the Roman “bums out.” Jesus was neither. And here we find him throwing down the gauntlet in front of both groups so that they would completely understand his position on the matter. Following Jesus is not as simple as just saying a prayer and having heartburn. Jesus succinctly states, “If anyone would come after me,” which tells us immediately that while anyone does have the opportunity to follow Jesus; the immediate qualifier that “he must deny himself” disqualifies many. People have a hard time denying themselves. Denying oneself is the antithesis of the world’s motto today: “It’s my life I can do what I want.” We live this out so much so that we find children having sexual relations and it does not surprise us. Unwed mothers are the norm as is the notion of living together out of wedlock. And we would never tell someone that his or her sexual proclivity is ungodly. We are so averse to denying ourselves that we allow our government to pay for another’s lousy business practices and poor personal financial practices through governmental bailouts! And heaven forbid that a church might actually ask you to change your lifestyle, repent or your ungodly life, and actually join, tithe, or serve! However, the bare truth is that denying oneself carries with it the notion that it costs the follower something. A disciple gives himself and his stuff willingly away for the Lord. If you want to try and save your life by following Jesus, forget it. You have to be willing to lose it for him and the gospel’s sake. You have to be willing to let Jesus save your life, die to yourself, and lose it all for the good news. Does that mean I have to give up and surrender my life to someone I cannot see or hear. Absolutely! Faith, by its very nature “is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) If you are still struggling with seeing your old life as dead you can never live for the Lord. Step One: You cannot be a hanger on.
EXAMPLE: In our day and age, we are encouraged to spend money we do not have on things that we do not need to do inane pleasures. Plus, in today’s society, you do not need to have the means to buy the junk we fill our homes with or do the absurd things we do! Now least you think I am being “high and mighty” let me warn you ahead of time that we have a strict rule in our family: If you do not have the cash, you do not buy it. We have only a few exceptions to this rule: When buying a good used car or when purchasing a home. But even here, we make sure we have a large down payment beforehand, we shop around for the very best interest rate, and we pay both off early. Now I do not want to get into the argument of Christian finances, but rather the idea of denying oneself. And, I am speaking to those who call themselves “Christian.” You cannot “take up” your “cross and follow” Jesus with your arms full of stuff. Remember old Harry Truman, not the President, but the mean drunken old codger that owned Spirit Lake Lodge near Mt St Helens. For Harry, his life was his lodge. He refused to leave “his mountain” and ended up being buried under 300 feet of hot volcanic ash and debris. Step one: You cannot simply be a hanger-on.
There are some good questions in life. You know like when you begin to ask yourself, “What will I do for the rest of my life?” “Whom will I marry?” “Is there meaning to life?” These are all good questions, but they are not great questions. Great questions go a little deeper and have staying power for our lives. A great question stands the test of time and here in Mark’s gospel, Jesus gives us a great question: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Now that is a great question. Because of this question, we learn what it means in counting the cost of discipleship…
II. Step Two: One has to be willing to give up the world! (Vv. 36-37)
1. Can you bargain for your soul? The answer is a resounding, “NO!” When Jesus asked, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” he was not inferring a person could make a bargain for it. Rather, Jesus wanted his listeners to give reasons why it would be “good” for someone to “gain the whole world” and yet be willing to “forfeit his soul.” Sadly, because of Hollywood, there are those who actually think Satan wants to wheel and deal for your souls. This comes from a misconception of who Satan is and what he can or cannot do. Satan cannot acquire or bargain for anyone’s soul. This false theology comes from a misinterpretation of when Jesus told his followers, “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” (Luke 12:4-5) He was talking about the Pharisees who wanted to kill him and God who has the power to throw you into hell. Now, let’s get back to Jesus’ question: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” The answer is you have nothing you could exchange for your soul, nothing -- except, denying yourself and following Jesus. God has a plan and that plan was Jesus coming into the world, sharing the good news, being betrayed, dying on a cross, and rising again after three days. Jesus was exchanged for your soul. He was the payment price God accepted for your sinful life. Paul says, “You are not your own; you were bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Come to grips with this reality: You have absolutely nothing God is interested in whereby you could bargain with him concerning your soul. He has already paid the price. Stop trying to bargain with God and deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. Step two: One has to be willing to give up the world.
EXAMPLE: It is interesting to watch mothers with their little toddlers trying to get them to obey. Some yell, others plead, and then there are those who try and bargain. It is kind of like watching a mini form of “Let’s Make A Deal,” an old TV show. The mother pleads with the tiny reprobate by bargaining. “If you do this for mommy, she will…” you fill in the blank. Junior can have a complete meltdown in the candy aisle, because he wants a Milky Way, and mom then bargains that if he obeys her now, she will give little Michael malefactor his bribe later. He has just learned how to “make a deal” in his favor. Sadly, there are those who actually think God works this way as well. God does not bargain for your soul, and we have learned that Satan cannot either. The Psalmist wrote that, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him--the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough--that he should live on forever and not see decay.” (Psalms 49:7-9) God has already made payment for your soul, and you have nothing he desires. Can you bargain for your soul? No! Count the cost of following Jesus. Step Two: One has to be willing to give up the world!
As a young boy my uncle George related to me, “Lee, never be ashamed of who you are. God has made you just the way he desires.” His words ring true. What we fail to realize is that if we become ashamed of Jesus or his gospel around others, we are admitting that we are embarrassed about our relationship with the Lord. We learn from Mark’s gospel that in counting the cost of discipleship…
III. Step Three: One cannot be ashamed of Jesus! (v. 38)
1. Are you a red-faced Christian? Perhaps you will be. Jesus succinctly addresses the notion that we as human beings often forsake God in order to run after things that ultimately do not matter. It cannot be any clearer than what Jesus tells his followers, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels.” Now you might protest and declare, “I’m not ashamed of Jesus, I love Jesus!” But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty shall we? Let’s boil the Barbra Streisand away. Let’s look at the sinful dregs you have left in your life’s empty cup. You cannot say you “love Jesus” on one hand and then not be found regularly in worship (Hebrews 10:25). You cannot say you “love Jesus” and yet never open his word and read it regularly (2 Timothy 2:15). You cannot say you “love Jesus” and not give of your tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8). You cannot say you “love Jesus” and yet are not a member of a local church (Matthew 18:20 & 1 Corinthians 12: 27). You cannot say you “love Jesus” and do not do what he commands (John 14:15). You cannot say you “love Jesus” and are not living a holy life (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:15-16) And, finally, you cannot say you “love Jesus” and have never come to know him as your Savior and Lord (John 3:16-18, 36; John 6:47). And Jesus makes it plain that if you are “ashamed of me and my words” in the world today, he will “be ashamed” of you when he “comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” This is why Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16) and why Jesus warned, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) Are you a red-faced Christian? In counting the cost of discipleship, Step three: One cannot be ashamed of Jesus!
EXAMPLE: Try as hard as he might, not even Bill Gates will have anything more than the most meager soul after he is dead. Yet, I firmly believe Bill is in store for some big time embarrassment. You see when Gates hits the Pearly Gates; so to speak, man is he is going to be surprised that his billions of dollars, his sponsorship of abortion, and the buying of mosquito nets for the children of Africa, did not gain him a ticket inside heaven. He will not even be able to climb through a “window” to get in. In fact, he will find more of a hot time in the old town for eternity instead. But let’s just suppose old Bill gave his immortal soul to the Lord, will he matter more than the most impoverish person? Nope. In fact, he still will be embarrassed because Bill did not live his life for the Lord, as he should have. He was and is “ashamed of [Jesus] and [his] words in this adulteress and sinful generation.” In fact, Bill is just the same as millions of other make believe believers who think they have played it safe and will enjoy all there is to enjoy once they get to the throne room of the king of glory. SURPRISE! Will they ever be embarrassed! Jesus tells us that he is going to be “ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” In counting the cost of discipleship, Step three: One cannot be ashamed of Jesus!
Conclusion:
We discovered three steps in counting the cost of discipleship with Jesus: Step One: You cannot be a hanger on. Step two: One has to be willing to give up the world. Step three: One cannot be ashamed of Jesus. Have you counted the cost?
---
Pastor Lee Hemen has been the outspoken pastor of the same church for 25 years in Vancouver, WA. He writes regularly on spirituality and conservative causes and maintains several web blogs. This article is copyrighted © 2010 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission. You now have my permission…
By Pastor Lee Hemen
May 30, 2010 AM
I remember when I was 10 years old saying I would cut our neighbor’s grass for a couple of dollars, but I had not considered that I would have to rake grass clumps afterwards, edge the lawn, and clean the mower. My father related something that has held me in good stay for the rest of my life after I had complained to him about what was involved. He simply said, “You should have counted the cost.”
How do you measure the cost of something? I know that when I began to shop for a certain item that I want, I begin to look at reviews of the product online, I read up about different manufacturers of similar items, and I look at the manufacturer’s reputation, customer service, and quality of goods. That may work fine for say a camera or big screen TV, but what about other things in life. What about when we begin to count the cost of a relationship, a job opportunity, or say being a disciple of Jesus? How does one count the cost of the latter? Jesus, here in Mark’s gospel gives us the answer and it may be far tougher than we ever figured. Let’s look at the cost of discipleship.
READ: Mark 8:34-38
Today’s church so easily invokes Jesus’ name, often times without a thought to what it means to “follow” him. I am told that during the first few centuries of the early church, not only did one have to prove their faith walk with Christ; they also had to publicly swear their allegiance to Jesus. It was a commitment that took applicants sometimes one to two years to complete. Today’s church encourages a lackadaisical or laissez-faire attitude toward faith in Jesus, but Jesus never promoted this way of thinking. We discover that there are three steps in counting the cost of discipleship…
I. Step One: One cannot be a hanger-on! (Vv. 34-35)
1. Are you really a disciple of Jesus? We discover Jesus calling the crowd, the world, the “hangers-on” to him as well as his disciples, those who should have by now understood what it required to be a follower of his. The crowd wanted their needs taken care of and a Messiah that would throw the Roman “bums out.” Jesus was neither. And here we find him throwing down the gauntlet in front of both groups so that they would completely understand his position on the matter. Following Jesus is not as simple as just saying a prayer and having heartburn. Jesus succinctly states, “If anyone would come after me,” which tells us immediately that while anyone does have the opportunity to follow Jesus; the immediate qualifier that “he must deny himself” disqualifies many. People have a hard time denying themselves. Denying oneself is the antithesis of the world’s motto today: “It’s my life I can do what I want.” We live this out so much so that we find children having sexual relations and it does not surprise us. Unwed mothers are the norm as is the notion of living together out of wedlock. And we would never tell someone that his or her sexual proclivity is ungodly. We are so averse to denying ourselves that we allow our government to pay for another’s lousy business practices and poor personal financial practices through governmental bailouts! And heaven forbid that a church might actually ask you to change your lifestyle, repent or your ungodly life, and actually join, tithe, or serve! However, the bare truth is that denying oneself carries with it the notion that it costs the follower something. A disciple gives himself and his stuff willingly away for the Lord. If you want to try and save your life by following Jesus, forget it. You have to be willing to lose it for him and the gospel’s sake. You have to be willing to let Jesus save your life, die to yourself, and lose it all for the good news. Does that mean I have to give up and surrender my life to someone I cannot see or hear. Absolutely! Faith, by its very nature “is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) If you are still struggling with seeing your old life as dead you can never live for the Lord. Step One: You cannot be a hanger on.
EXAMPLE: In our day and age, we are encouraged to spend money we do not have on things that we do not need to do inane pleasures. Plus, in today’s society, you do not need to have the means to buy the junk we fill our homes with or do the absurd things we do! Now least you think I am being “high and mighty” let me warn you ahead of time that we have a strict rule in our family: If you do not have the cash, you do not buy it. We have only a few exceptions to this rule: When buying a good used car or when purchasing a home. But even here, we make sure we have a large down payment beforehand, we shop around for the very best interest rate, and we pay both off early. Now I do not want to get into the argument of Christian finances, but rather the idea of denying oneself. And, I am speaking to those who call themselves “Christian.” You cannot “take up” your “cross and follow” Jesus with your arms full of stuff. Remember old Harry Truman, not the President, but the mean drunken old codger that owned Spirit Lake Lodge near Mt St Helens. For Harry, his life was his lodge. He refused to leave “his mountain” and ended up being buried under 300 feet of hot volcanic ash and debris. Step one: You cannot simply be a hanger-on.
There are some good questions in life. You know like when you begin to ask yourself, “What will I do for the rest of my life?” “Whom will I marry?” “Is there meaning to life?” These are all good questions, but they are not great questions. Great questions go a little deeper and have staying power for our lives. A great question stands the test of time and here in Mark’s gospel, Jesus gives us a great question: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Now that is a great question. Because of this question, we learn what it means in counting the cost of discipleship…
II. Step Two: One has to be willing to give up the world! (Vv. 36-37)
1. Can you bargain for your soul? The answer is a resounding, “NO!” When Jesus asked, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” he was not inferring a person could make a bargain for it. Rather, Jesus wanted his listeners to give reasons why it would be “good” for someone to “gain the whole world” and yet be willing to “forfeit his soul.” Sadly, because of Hollywood, there are those who actually think Satan wants to wheel and deal for your souls. This comes from a misconception of who Satan is and what he can or cannot do. Satan cannot acquire or bargain for anyone’s soul. This false theology comes from a misinterpretation of when Jesus told his followers, “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” (Luke 12:4-5) He was talking about the Pharisees who wanted to kill him and God who has the power to throw you into hell. Now, let’s get back to Jesus’ question: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” The answer is you have nothing you could exchange for your soul, nothing -- except, denying yourself and following Jesus. God has a plan and that plan was Jesus coming into the world, sharing the good news, being betrayed, dying on a cross, and rising again after three days. Jesus was exchanged for your soul. He was the payment price God accepted for your sinful life. Paul says, “You are not your own; you were bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Come to grips with this reality: You have absolutely nothing God is interested in whereby you could bargain with him concerning your soul. He has already paid the price. Stop trying to bargain with God and deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. Step two: One has to be willing to give up the world.
EXAMPLE: It is interesting to watch mothers with their little toddlers trying to get them to obey. Some yell, others plead, and then there are those who try and bargain. It is kind of like watching a mini form of “Let’s Make A Deal,” an old TV show. The mother pleads with the tiny reprobate by bargaining. “If you do this for mommy, she will…” you fill in the blank. Junior can have a complete meltdown in the candy aisle, because he wants a Milky Way, and mom then bargains that if he obeys her now, she will give little Michael malefactor his bribe later. He has just learned how to “make a deal” in his favor. Sadly, there are those who actually think God works this way as well. God does not bargain for your soul, and we have learned that Satan cannot either. The Psalmist wrote that, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him--the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough--that he should live on forever and not see decay.” (Psalms 49:7-9) God has already made payment for your soul, and you have nothing he desires. Can you bargain for your soul? No! Count the cost of following Jesus. Step Two: One has to be willing to give up the world!
As a young boy my uncle George related to me, “Lee, never be ashamed of who you are. God has made you just the way he desires.” His words ring true. What we fail to realize is that if we become ashamed of Jesus or his gospel around others, we are admitting that we are embarrassed about our relationship with the Lord. We learn from Mark’s gospel that in counting the cost of discipleship…
III. Step Three: One cannot be ashamed of Jesus! (v. 38)
1. Are you a red-faced Christian? Perhaps you will be. Jesus succinctly addresses the notion that we as human beings often forsake God in order to run after things that ultimately do not matter. It cannot be any clearer than what Jesus tells his followers, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels.” Now you might protest and declare, “I’m not ashamed of Jesus, I love Jesus!” But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty shall we? Let’s boil the Barbra Streisand away. Let’s look at the sinful dregs you have left in your life’s empty cup. You cannot say you “love Jesus” on one hand and then not be found regularly in worship (Hebrews 10:25). You cannot say you “love Jesus” and yet never open his word and read it regularly (2 Timothy 2:15). You cannot say you “love Jesus” and not give of your tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8). You cannot say you “love Jesus” and yet are not a member of a local church (Matthew 18:20 & 1 Corinthians 12: 27). You cannot say you “love Jesus” and do not do what he commands (John 14:15). You cannot say you “love Jesus” and are not living a holy life (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:15-16) And, finally, you cannot say you “love Jesus” and have never come to know him as your Savior and Lord (John 3:16-18, 36; John 6:47). And Jesus makes it plain that if you are “ashamed of me and my words” in the world today, he will “be ashamed” of you when he “comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” This is why Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16) and why Jesus warned, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) Are you a red-faced Christian? In counting the cost of discipleship, Step three: One cannot be ashamed of Jesus!
EXAMPLE: Try as hard as he might, not even Bill Gates will have anything more than the most meager soul after he is dead. Yet, I firmly believe Bill is in store for some big time embarrassment. You see when Gates hits the Pearly Gates; so to speak, man is he is going to be surprised that his billions of dollars, his sponsorship of abortion, and the buying of mosquito nets for the children of Africa, did not gain him a ticket inside heaven. He will not even be able to climb through a “window” to get in. In fact, he will find more of a hot time in the old town for eternity instead. But let’s just suppose old Bill gave his immortal soul to the Lord, will he matter more than the most impoverish person? Nope. In fact, he still will be embarrassed because Bill did not live his life for the Lord, as he should have. He was and is “ashamed of [Jesus] and [his] words in this adulteress and sinful generation.” In fact, Bill is just the same as millions of other make believe believers who think they have played it safe and will enjoy all there is to enjoy once they get to the throne room of the king of glory. SURPRISE! Will they ever be embarrassed! Jesus tells us that he is going to be “ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” In counting the cost of discipleship, Step three: One cannot be ashamed of Jesus!
Conclusion:
We discovered three steps in counting the cost of discipleship with Jesus: Step One: You cannot be a hanger on. Step two: One has to be willing to give up the world. Step three: One cannot be ashamed of Jesus. Have you counted the cost?
---
Pastor Lee Hemen has been the outspoken pastor of the same church for 25 years in Vancouver, WA. He writes regularly on spirituality and conservative causes and maintains several web blogs. This article is copyrighted © 2010 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission. You now have my permission…
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