“The Price of a Powerful Life”
Luke 14:25-27.
There is a price to be paid if you want to lead a powerful life. Jesus put it like this ...
... any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:33)
Friends, if you want to lead other people to greatness you must pay the price of a powerful life. And this means at least three things.
1. Put Christ before personal relationships
Large crowds were travelling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:25-26).
Jesus saying my love for and dedication to Christ must be so strong that my love for my family looks like hatred.
Would you give your children to God? To serve him wherever he want’s them?
2. Put Christ before personal ambitions
Once, when Jesus was alone with his disciples, he told them this ...
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? (Luke 9:23-25)
The price you have to pay, if you want to lead other people to greatness, is to first, lay aside personal relationships, and then to also lay aside personal ambitions.
3. Put Christ before personal possessions
While Jesus was teaching his disciples about this he said ...
... any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:33).
Money – fame – wealth – none of these is wrong in itself. But they become wrong when they become the chief goal of life. If you want to lead others to greatness, you have to pay the price of a powerful life. A Christlike character is far more valuable than fame, wealth or possessions.
Why would anyone live like this?
But why would anyone want to live like this? Well, there are actually some really good reasons you and I should be rushing to pay the price of a powerful life – a life of leading others to greatness. Today I just want to give you four.
a. The satisfaction of knowing that God rewards
“God is not unjust,” says the writer of Hebrews. “He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Hebrews 6:10).
Jesus said, those who pay the price of a powerful life will get their reward in heaven.
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12a)
b. The satisfaction of knowing I have been obedient.
When I give my whole life to Jesus, I can simply enjoy the satisfaction of knowing I have been obedient.
There is a deep satisfaction in being obedient.
c. The satisfaction of knowing that your pain is not wasted.
God wants my whole life, even the painful parts. The illness, the abuse, the bitterness, the shameful things – he wants your whole life. He wants to take these things and turn them around for good.
God can open up opportunities for you to influence others who are going through a similar ordeal. He’s just waiting for you to give him you’re whole life, even the painful parts.
d. The satisfaction of knowing that your sacrifice will make an eternal difference.
I want to pay the price of a powerful life because I know it will make an eternal difference. God takes a long term view of your sacrifice.
Out of all the experiences I’ve had, nothing is more satisfying than having a front-row seat to watch Jesus revolutionise the life of another human being.
Now what?
Ask yourself:
1. What price do I need to pay in order to be obedient to God in my relationships?
2. What price do I have to pay in order to make God’s ambitions for my life my ambitions?
3. And thirdly, what price do I have to pay in order to place my personal possessions under God’s control?
CONCLUSION
God can be counted on to bring fulfilment and satisfaction to all who are prepared to be his followers.
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