Scripture Reading: Luke 9:23-24 (NIV) "Then He said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.'"
My brothers and sisters, we gather here today to reflect on one of the most important truths of the Christian life—salvation is freely given to us through Jesus Christ, but following Him comes at a great cost. It’s a paradox that while grace is a free gift, there is a price we must pay to walk in the footsteps of our Savior.
Jesus invites us to come and receive eternal life without charge, but at the same time, He calls us to "take up our cross" and follow Him.
1. Salvation is Free, But the Call to Discipleship is Costly
Let us be clear: salvation is a gift that no one can earn. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
Salvation is not something we can buy, bargain for, or work to attain. Jesus paid the full price on the cross, and it is available to all who believe in Him.
However, to truly follow Jesus as His disciple requires a life of sacrifice and surrender. Jesus Himself warned us about this when He said, "Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:27).
There is a cost to following Jesus, and that cost is nothing less than our entire life.
2. The Cost of Self-Denial
The first cost Jesus mentions is self-denial.
Jesus calls us to go against the grain in a world that promotes self-gratification, self-promotion, and self-preservation. He says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves..."
Denial of self means that we lay aside our own desires, ambitions, and will to make room for God’s will in our lives. It means saying "no" to sin, "no" to selfishness, and "yes" to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
This is not easy. We all have dreams, ambitions, and goals. Yet, we must ask ourselves: Are these aligned with God’s purposes for our lives?
Following Jesus means surrendering our own plans for the sake of His greater plan. It is a daily choice to deny the desires of the flesh and live in obedience to God’s Word.
3. The Cross We Must Carry
Next, Jesus calls us to take up our cross daily.
In Roman times, the cross was a symbol of death, shame, and suffering. For us today, it means we must be willing to bear the burdens that come with being a follower of Christ.
Carrying our cross could mean persecution, rejection, or suffering for the sake of our faith. It could mean standing up for righteousness in a world that opposes the values of Christ.
The cross we carry may take different forms for each of us, but it will always involve sacrifice. It might be the sacrifice of relationships, comfort, or worldly success.
Yet, in carrying our cross, we are drawn closer to Jesus, who carried His cross for us. The cost may seem high, but the reward is far greater—eternal life and the joy of walking in fellowship with our Savior.
4. Losing to Gain
Jesus gives us this paradox in Luke 9:24: "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it."
In other words, if we try to cling to our old life—our old ways of living, our own desires—we will ultimately lose what matters most.
But if we surrender our life to Jesus, we will find true life, both now and in eternity.
This is the great exchange: we give up our temporary, fleeting desires in exchange for eternal joy and peace.
We let go of our plans so we can embrace God’s perfect plan for us. The world may see this as foolishness, but we know that true life is found in Jesus alone.
The Reward of Following Christ
The cost of following Jesus is great, but the reward is far greater.
Apostle Paul, who endured great suffering for the sake of the gospel, said, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). The glory that awaits us—eternal life in the presence of God—far outweighs any sacrifice we make in this life.
So, as we reflect on the price we must pay to follow Jesus, let us not forget the price He paid for us. He gave His life so that we might live. And in following Him, we find the true meaning of life—life that is not rooted in our own desires, but in the will of God.
Let us pray for the strength to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus with all our heart. Amen.
