Cost of Discipleship

Lesson Three of the Discipleship Series

Key Scripture Text: Luke 14:25-33

Objective: To gain an understanding of the characteristics of a disciple and the principles of discipleship, the costs of being a disciple and the rewards.

The most expensive price was paid on Calvary’s Cross when Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world. Jesus shed his innocent blood for the remission of sins; he gave his life essence on the Cross. He paid that heavy price so that people can be saved and know Him personally through water baptism in Jesus Christ’s’ name, baptism (or infilling) of the Holy Ghost, speaking in other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance. There is no amount of money that could ever repay Jesus Christ for the price he paid for humanity. So it is only fitting that we should seek to lose our lives so that it may be found. What does this cost us? What is the cost of this discipleship? Discipleship costs EVERYTHING! However, the rewards are limitless.

1. Discipleship costs everything

2. What do you mean everything?

3. You must love Him more than anything

4. It is no longer your will, but His will

5. You must follow Him

6. Take up your cross

7. Cross is a symbol of pain and suffering

8. Denying self

9. Willing to suffer

10. Go through struggles

11. Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12)

1. You have to count up the cost (Luke 14:25-33)

2. Are you willing to make the sacrifice

3. This is not a part time job

4. You have to determine if you are willing to follow Him

5. You have to be willing to follow Him to a higher standard of commitment beyond poverty, social status into real sacrificial servitude and discipleship lifestyle.

6. This cannot be done with selfish intentions

7. If this is done with selfish intentions or egotistical gains

8. It will not be real or loving

9. Pride, spiritual blindness, and vacillation will become our mentors

10. We will not have His will and glory in our sights

11. We must learn to yield to His will and not to the desires of our will, that is when the discipleship process starts

12. When we refuse, we will become the strife and the conflict and we become the problem rather than the solution.

13. We must consider the cost before we commit, otherwise, we will not remain and will become a bigger hindrance than if we never bothered following at all.

1. The Scribe (Matthew 8:18-20)

2. He came to the Lord wanting to be a disciple

3. Lord I will follow thee where ever you go

4. 20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

5. But Christ saw his heart, and answered to its thoughts, and therein teaches all how to come to Christ. (Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.)

6. His resolve seems to have been from a worldly, covetous principle; but Christ had not a place to lay his head on, and if he follows him, he must not expect to fare better than he fared. (Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.)

1. One of his disciples (Matthew 8: 21-22)

2. Saying permit me first to go bury my father

3. Jesus said Follow me and let the dead bury the dead.

4. He asked leave to attend his father to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. (Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.)

5. He had not true zeal for the work. (Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.)

6. If Christ requires our service, affection even for the nearest and dearest relatives and for things otherwise our duty, must give way. (Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.)

1. What is sacrificial servitude and discipleship living?

2. Building up the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:31-33)

3. Prepare for persecution (Matthew 10:34-39)

4. He that does the will is his disciple (Matthew 12:46-50)

5. Not worrying about worldly affairs (Luke 10:38-42)

6. Must go through tribulation (Acts 14:21-22)

7. Suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:10-12)

8. Chosen generation and royal priesthood that show forth the praise of Him that have called you. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Reflection Questions:

1. What was your best excuse for getting out of a job, chore, or homework?

2. How does the fact that Jesus knows our hearts and what is motivating us stimulate our decisions and actions?

3. Are you willing to be taught by Jesus?

4. Are you willing to follow Jesus as your Lord and Master?

5. Do hard demands discourage you from commitments? If so, why?

6. What can you do to take an honest and introspective look at why you want to serve Him?

7. What does a higher standard of commitment mean to you and how can you put it in practice?

8. Is Jesus blessing you or just bearing with you? (Luke 9:41)

9. What can you do to make sure that you and your church do not get into or remain in a status quo of being uninvolved, sitting in a pew with no impact or reason for being a church?

10. Have you counted the cost? Are you willing to pay the price? Do you know that both are required to follow Jesus?