The Cost Of Discipleship

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born Feb 4, 1906 and died Apr 9, 1945. He was a German Lutheran pastor who became a leading spokesman for the Confessing Church and was active in the resistance movement under the guide of employment in Military Intelligence (Abwehr). He was arrested and imprisoned in 1943. The discovery of documents connecting him with the 1944 attempt on Adolf Hitler's life led to his execution a month before the end of World War II. One of his best-known works is The Cost of Discipleship (1937). (c/o www.encyclopedia.com)

What is our belief in Christ costing us?

Nothing or everything?

Our time (with family, friends, ourselves)? How do we manage it?

Our talents? Are they only for us or Christ?

Our treasure? Are we using it just for us?

Luke 9: 51-62:

51 When the days were approaching for His [a]ascension, He [b]was determined to go to Jerusalem;

52 and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to [c]make arrangements for Him.

53 But they did not receive Him, because [d]He was traveling toward Jerusalem.

54 When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

55 But He turned and rebuked them, [[e]and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of;

56 for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”] And they went on to another village.

Exacting Discipleship

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.”

58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the [f]air have [g]nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”

60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”

61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.”

62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Footnotes

Luke 9:51 Lit taking up

Luke 9:51 Lit set His face

Luke 9:52 Or prepare

Luke 9:53 Lit His face was proceeding toward

Luke 9:55 Early mss do not contain bracketed portion

Luke 9:58 Or sky

Luke 9:58 Or roosting-places

(biblegateway.com)

COST IN NEW TESTAMENT (NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE):

Luke 14:28 - "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?

Revelation 21:6 - Then He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.

Revelation 22:17 - The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.