Count The Cost

By Joe Keim

September 1, 2009

In Luke 14:26-27 Jesus said, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

The passage is ever so clear, if we want to be a follower of Christ, we must be willing to loose everything, including the people who are closest to us. If we are unwilling to do this, we will fail. And if we say, "we are a follower of Jesus, and yet are not willing to obey this command", we hinder others from following Him as well.

Not everyone will have to forsake his/her parents, children, brothers and sisters to be a disciple of Christ, but some will be required of God to do so. Not everyone will have to give up their life and die for the sake of being a follower of Christ, but some will.

But wait, before you make the decision to be a follower of Jesus Christ, sit down and count the great cost? If you start, are you willing to finish? In the verses that follow, Jesus is once again very clear when He says, sit down and count the cost.

Luke 14:28-30 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

There is absolutely nothing in this entire world that is of more importance or holds more value than the relationship Christ wants with us. The Christian must forsake all, renounce and give up all that he is and has. When a Christian counts the cost, he needs to think about two things.

It will cost him all he is.

his heart: total devotion and commitment.
his mind: being permeated and controlled by Christ.
his eyes: watching what he looks at.
his ears: watching what he listens to.
his hands: watching what he touches and picks up.
his feet: watching where he goes.
his mouth: watching what he eats and drinks and says.
his desires: watching, controlling, and changing his desires.

It will cost him all he has.

family: being put after Christ.
friends: being put after Christ and centered around Christ.
home: all the comforts and extravagances.
job: being centered around Christ and being used to earn enough to give to those who do not have.
money: taking care of personal necessities and then using the rest for God's cause.

Matthew 19:27 says, Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee...

Keywords: amish, amish voice, christian living, joe keim, map ministry, mission to amish people