When you walk into Wal-Mart, and at some point this week we probably all will, those bargain hunters among us are drawn to the “Rollback” signs dotted throughout the store by happy yellow smiley faces. This sign indicates that an already good price on an item has been reduced even more, or rolled back to what Sam Walton-ites might refer to as an insanely low price. We all enjoy getting more bang for our buck and a rollback is a welcome experience when it comes to buying soft drinks or pet food at the world’s largest retailer.
But, there are some things in life where the cost remains steady and you will never see it fluctuate. In fact, you will NEVER see it drop or decrease. We see that truth as we examine the cost of what it takes to maintain a healthy marriage or a strong friendship. Those things cost daily sacrifice and effort, and to demand a rollback on that price tag is not only naive, it is selfish. (But we still try to cut corners, don’t we?!) Another such example of the fixed cost of living is in the area of our discipleship to God. That price has been steady and unwavering for millennia, and it will remain so. For you see, the price tag of discipleship is, and always will be, everything.
“If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison–your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:26-27Luke 14:26-27
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
26 . You cannot be my disciple, unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot come with me unless you love me more than you love your own life. 27 ; ; . You cannot be my disciple unless you carry your own cross and come with me.
WP-Bible plugin (cf. Matthew 10:37-39Matthew 10:37-39
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
37 If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 38 ; ; . And unless you are willing to take up your cross and come with me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 39 ; ; ; . If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.
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If it is the intent of your life to follow after Jesus, then you have no choice but to “take up your cross and follow Him.” What does that mean, exactly?
Well, it means that pleasing Him and doing His will, rather than your own, will be your first priority. It means that you will do your best to intentionally dedicate each moment of each day to His service and not anyone or anything else’s. We are clearly told that Jesus must be more important to us than our parents, our spouses, our children, our siblings, and even our own selves. And when we read those words, we are tempted to think they sound harsh or that God is telling us we need to hate everyone except Him. Of course He isn’t saying that. God is the embodiment and personification of Love, so He isn’t instructing us to hate people. But, what He is saying is that no one and no thing is to take preeminence in our lives over Him. If He is not first in our lives, then we’re not His true disciples.
And the one we have the hardest time “hating” by comparison in reverence and deference to God is ourselves. We struggle to be authentic disciples of God because we’d rather be the one on the throne of our lives than allow God to sit there. Oh, we may not say that with our words so much, but our actions betray the motives of our hearts. When we are called to “take up our cross” and “crucify” our selfish motives and ambitions, we rebel, we balk, and we outright defiantly resist. It is actually an ugly scene.
But, Jesus did the opposite. Like a lamb preparing for the slaughter, Jesus literally picked up His cross and carried it to Golgotha, where He was nailed to it and killed, paying the ultimate price for your salvation and mine. Jesus can ask us to give our lives to Him because He gave His for us!!! And though the price tag is painful at times, and it does cause us to cringe and experience sticker shock on occasion, the rewards for obedience are indescribable. Nothing compares to the return that is received for our willingness to pay the price of discipleship and commitment to God. We will reap the benefits of such obedience for the rest of our lives…and that means forever.
Where is your cross lying at this moment? Is it on your back or on the floor? Does the price tag look too high? Let me quickly remind you of one last thing…the cost for not obeying is even higher!
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’”
Matthew 7:21-23Matthew 7:21-23
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
A Warning 21 Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. 22 On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, “We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles.” 23 . But I will tell them, “I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!”
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Jesus did the will of His Father, all the way. We must do the same if we want to be a true disciple of Christ. No rollbacks here. The price is everything, but so is the reward!
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