1. What are you prepared to pay to follow Jesus?
Cost of Discipleship
Luke 3:15-20
Luke 14:25-33
What are you prepared to pay to follow Jesus?
St James, Taunton, 4 Sep 2016

2. Did Jesus really mean ‘hate’? What about loving your neighbour?
If you want to be a disciple of Christ, you must hate your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters ...
(Luke 14:26)
What does hate mean?
Did Jesus really mean ‘hate’?
What about loving your neighbour?
Loving your enemy?

3. “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.” Matt 10:21
“a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”
Matt 10:34 from Micah 7:6
“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”
Matt 10:37

4. Did Jesus really mean ‘hate’? What about loving your neighbour?
What does hate mean?
Did Jesus really mean ‘hate’?
What about loving your neighbour?
Loving your enemy?
Total detatchment
Figure of speech
‘as yourself’
‘and pray for those who persecute you’
Jesus is giving a warning of the commitment required
Jesus is more important than:
Family
Self

5. “And whoever does not carry their cross
and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27
We reflect the glory of the Lord

6. Not about bearing the ordinary burdens and troubles of life.
‘If any would come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me’
Luke 9:23
Crucify self
and live
for Christ
We reflect the glory of the Lord
Not about bearing the ordinary burdens and troubles of life. 

7. ‘Costly Grace’ Nachfolge : to succeed; to emulate; Discipleship
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
‘Costly Grace’

8. What is the cost of discipleship?
of loyalty to Jesus?
of standing up for what is right?
of upholding Kingdom values?
loss of life
denial of self

9. What is the cost of discipleship?
assess the cost
sit and think!
Is it a cost you are willing to pay?

10. In terms of hating your family:
Don’t let them distract you from your Christian duty
Don’t break Kingdom laws to suit them
Give up everything
Deny yourself
for the sake of Christ

11. The cost of discipleship?
Standing up for Christian values ...
may make you unpopular
may bring humiliation
may require you to give up
personal pleasure, comfort, time, ...
may bring persecution
Can you accept the consequences?

12. The cost of discipleship?
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, 
“no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for
the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come, eternal life.” Luke 18:29