Series: Good to Great in the Eyes of God
Make Great Sacrifices
Luke 9:23
We all ask the question "how much?" when we are at the bargaining table, when we are out shopping we all look at the price tag. What will it cost me? Before we commit to the purchase we want to know what is going to be the sacrifice on my end.
It is not any different when it comes to the cost of Christianity. We want to know what it will cost. Some have said salvation is free. Well then I'm in.... and we live that way we give little or nothing to the Kingdom of God because we have believed a lie.
Free salvation has been taught in pulpits around the world for centuries and we have responded as a result of this cheap grace we have given casual commitment and accepted comfortable Christianity. This type of false doctrine has run ramped in our Americanized Christianity. I believe we have preached and taught and lived this lie enough.
Salvation is not free. It cost God his one and only son, It cost Christ his dignity, the cross and his life. It cost the first century followers. They were greatly oppressed, all of the 12 apostles met a martyr's death all but John who lived in exile in prison till his death.
Steven was stoned, Paul was imprisoned the beheaded. Many early Christians were thrown to the lions just for sport and endured all sorts of cruel persecution.
When Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 9 "deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me daily" they had a little better idea of what he was requiring then we do.
The first disciples left their Jobs and families to follow him. They lived with him as they followed him. He had no house, he had no money no car no promise of food for the day. They knew a little about sacrifice they saw it exampled in him and lived a life of depravity their selves.
So how do we grasp the depth of this call, as we sit on our padded pews in an air-conditioned building? How can we possibly understand Jesus call for us follow him in to death when we have believed that salvation is free and grace is cheap?. Well simply put, we can't.
Let's take off our 21st century glasses tinted with our American privilege for a while and simply listen to the plea that is before us.
This entire idea of Going from Good to Great in God's Eyes is based on strengthening our commitment. When we decide to commit our lives to Christ it we accept a certain level of sacrifice.
We get this idea of sacrifice from Christ. We can't think of Christ without also thinking of the Cross. So when we commit Christ we also commit to the cross.
The disciple's conduct is patterned after that of his master. A disciple of Christ is one who has determined to become Christ-like. If we are going to be like Jesus then we are going to have to take up our cross.
The Cross: It is important to understand that God has given us salvation. It was paid for by the cross of Christ. Along with this salvation comes discipleship.
Jesus said if you are going to be His disciple, you have to bear your cross.
The call of Christ will always include the call of the cross! Let's talk about that call of the cross for a few moments today. First notice . . .
1. The Clear Call of the Cross.
Look again at our text.
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. [Luke 9:23]
Notice particularly the words: "And he [Jesus] said to them all.."
Jesus was always very clear regarding His call, and as we read scripture we find that the call is as clear today as it was 2,000 years ago. The call has not changed. The requirements for discipleship have not changed. It is important for us to notice that . . .
Jesus never recruits followers under false pretenses.
He never promised His followers a life of ease and comfort. He wanted those who would follow Him to clearly understand what they were getting into. The clear call of discipleship is that you will be required to live a life of self-denial and sacrifice.
The modern trend in church growth is: "Don't speak of the 'tougher' teachings of Jesus when attempting to win someone to the Lord."
However, this may very well lead to defections from the faith when difficult times arise. It is neither ethical nor scriptural to tell people if they accept Christ as Savior they will have no further problems in life.
Throughout scripture you find Jesus dealing openly and honestly with people that came to Him. He told the rich young ruler the truth, and it caused the young man to go away from Christ.
In Luke 18 we find an example of the rich young ruler. 18 A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
19 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'[b]"
21 "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
Jesus would not compromise for the sake of popularity. He made sure everyone understood the requirements for service, and He refused to change those requirements.
The call of the cross is a clear call.
2. The Conditional Call of the Cross ["...if.."]
Look again at the text. Notice the next 2 letter word "if." It has great implications.
There are those who say the Bible is a book of blessing. That is true to an extent, the blessings in the bible are conditional and that is what this little two letter word indicates. God responds to obedience.
There are conditions [requirements] attached to discipleship. There are many today who call themselves disciples of Jesus, yet they will not accept His cross. They want a crown, but they'll have no cross. But Luke 14:27 states: "And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."
One of the main conditions of discipleship is bearing one's cross. Listen, no cross -- no crown.. The "cross life" is greatly missing in many churches today.
Jesus said later in luke 9 in v26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
The mandate of God is that we are to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily! That leads to our next point ...
3. The Costly Call of the Cross [..deny himself]
Christ is seeking those who are willing to abandon all in pursuit of Him. Discipleship is costly. It will cost a man his life. Dietrich Boenhoffer once said: "When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die!"
We have made the call of Christ much too easy. Salvation is not cheap! It cost Christ His precious life! Bonhoeffer speaks of "Cheap grace." Allow me to read a couple paragraphs from his book The Cost of Discipleship:
"Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ."
Bonhoeffer contrasts cheap grace with costly grace: "Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field: for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods -- it is the call of Jesus at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows Him.
Such grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow Him.
There is a great need to understand the cost of discipleship. This is not the day to offer a "bargain" religion.
Preach the word. Make disciples. Inform the Christian of the requirements of discipleship.
Discipleship involves ---
1. Servanthood [Matthew 20:25-28]
25 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
The only way to servanthood is through the Cross: until we have died to self, there is no true servanthood. God does not want our contribution, He wants our surrender .
2. Stewardship [Matthew 25:15-28]
Stewardship is based upon the biblical assumption that everything we have and are belongs to God and must be used according to God's will.
3. Sacrifice [1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Tim. 2:1-4]
We MUST understand that "we are not our own, for we've been bought with a price."
* The Lord has not called us to comfort and ease.
* We're not called to a life of luxury and great esteem.
Jesus clearly taught that the servant was not above his Master.
"A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. Matthew 10:24
4. Suffering [Phil. 3:10;
The disciple of Christ may be called upon to suffer for His name. What a wonderful attitude the Apostle Paul displayed when he wrote:
"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, " [Phil 3:10]
He not only desired the joy of resurrection power, but he was willing to share the fellowship of Christ¡¦s suffering. He had learned the secret. "No Cross -- No Crown!"
And then Discipleship speaks of ---
4. The Continual Call of the Cross ["daily"]
Discipleship is a daily cross walk. Jesus says if we are to be His disciples, we are to take up our cross DAILY.
Discipleship speaks of consistency. There is no discharge from this army.
Discipleship requires carrying your cross
when things go well, and when thing goes wrong.
It is required in the good times and the bad times.
One thing is certain: The disciple will find a cross waiting for him every day of his life.
The cross is that which keeps him firmly planted on the "narrow way." It is an anchor for the soul. It is our compass. It is what makes life meaningful. It is the only way for us to be approved by God.
And finally, discipleship speaks of ---
5. The Conquering Call of the Cross ["follow me"]
Let's return one final time to our text.
And he [Jesus] said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. [Luke 9:23]
Discipleship means ultimate victory. You see, we are following the One who knows the way to victory. The path may sometimes seem hard. The weight of the cross may sometimes seem too heavy. The splinters from the cross might sometimes wound us. But one thing is certain. The way of the cross leads home
Let's get this idea of the cross down and apply it to real life. Cross living means that we are unashamed of the Christ we say we serve, there is no shrinking back in our commitment.
When we are at work do we blend in to the chatter around the water cooler ? When we are at school we are not called to fade in to the crown in order to avoid being picked on.
Christ calls for boldness in our homes work and community.
The church of Jesus Christ has been quiet long enough we must stand out and be the light that draws the lost to Christ. We must be the salt that influences the ones around us and they know the true measure of being a Christian. That measure calls for daily sacrifice to do his great work.
Listen to the Apostle Paul :
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. [1 Cor 1:18]
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.. [Gal 6:14]
Thank God for the cross. Like the words to that old song says:
"I will cherish the old rugged cross
Til my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to that old rugged cross
And exchange it someday for a crown."
Go forth. Make disciples. Instruct them in the Clear Call of the Cross; the Conditional Call of the Cross; the Costly Call of the Cross; the Continual Call of the Cross and the Conquering Call of the Cross. In so doing you will be preparing sold-out men and women of God, ready to reap the end time harvest of God!
If we are going to go from great in Gods Eyes then we are going to make great sacrifices. And we do that daily.
It is not a one-time offering and we are done. It is a life time commitment to a savior who offers us eternal life.
