The Cost of the Call – Part Two

Let me say right up front we must never sit back looking around to see what price others are called to pay. Each one of our lives has its own price for answering the call. It would be foolish of you to try and pay the price that I must pay for the call on my life. In the same way I cannot pay the price of walking in your call. We each have a price to pay and as we do — we can all go forward in the plan and unity of Jesus. It is the only way we will see His mission and purpose accomplished. Let’s take some time and look at a few examples of the cost of answering the call of Jesus.

Luke 9:23-26

23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

These verses seems pretty straight forward but how are you doing at living them out? Are they just good sounding or are they something that you understand with the same meaning as God does? Are you actually applying them to your life?

It says of the disciples in Luke 5:11, And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. These men answered the original call, but as we have said in part one, they had no idea what all the next steps would involve. They had no idea that the earthly ministry of Jesus would end at the cross. The same thing holds true for us today. We only see a small part. We do not understand the whole picture from the beginning to the end. We are to be sold out to the plans of Jesus and follow Him. I think it would be well if we all took the time to really evaluate the cost. It is very clear that we must pay it for there is no other way to lead fulfilled, purposeful lives.

As I think of my own life, when I said ‘yes’, I had no idea about the cost. I had no idea that the pathway for my life would really lead me through the valley of the shadow of death. I had thought about all the good things ahead. I really had no Godly concept of what dying to self would mean or what emptying self from all of the things of the world meant. Even if I would have had an idea I would never have dreamed that God would take me through the path of rejection, the path of being misunderstood, the path of being lied about or being stabbed in the back. I had no concept about the valley of the shadow of death. I certainly did not understand the 23rd Psalm in the way I do today. To me the path would have consisted of learning to deal with other struggles, doubt or other issues that seemed important to me. But God’s ways are different than our ways.

As we will truly take the step of being obedient and quit trying to analyse every inch of the way, we will start to see God’s way for our lives. It is there right before us, but because we are focussed in many different areas we quite often do not see what is right before us. So often we think in terms of our own intellect. Let’s us learn to relax and be Spirit-led. Do the things we do in our everyday life deny Jesus or do we daily pick up the cross and follow Him? We need to quit making all the excuses we make and we need to stop trying to justify so many of our actions. We do so many things and claim they do not matter, but we are only fooling ourselves. Every action we make takes us down the path either toward God or away from Him. Jesus demanded the consecration of the whole man to His cause. Is your whole life set apart for God or have you given Him just a part? What are the long term results for your actions?

On our journey with Jesus we often come across tough times but we must endure and keep going on. Always remember, we are committed to the call and we were never told about every bump on the road. Do not allow the bumps or troubles to get you discouraged. Rather allow them to cause you to draw even closer to Jesus. Stop letting them detour you away. You have to make the choice on how you respond.

Be careful not to try and carry everyone else’s burden or allow the misery of some steal your energy, purpose or mission. Even good things, if God has not called us to do them, are to be avoided for often they are sent from the enemy to bring distraction. Let’s make sure we only carry the burdens that Jesus lays upon us. We cannot handle everyone else’s burdens plus our own. We really must come to that place in our lives where we prefer salvation and the things of God more than the things of the world. We will say over and over again — let God show you the motives behind your decisions in every issue that comes your way. As you do, it will allow you to walk the narrow road with Jesus.

Let me say even now that Jesus is asking you if you will follow Him down His road. Will you pay the price? Today many who call themselves Christians want the glory without ever paying the price. Some will even start on the mission and then bail out or quit as soon as they do not get their way. Sometimes they find out that the cost is higher than they are prepared to pay. Others will stay on the road till it gets a little bumpy, but when they are asked to cross over, to come out of their comfort zones and follow the road that Jesus is travelling, they will not. In a way, what they are trying to say is, "I can’t handle this way so I will take the short cut over here and catch up to you further down the road when it is smooth again". They do not realize that it is impossible to catch up and they cannot rejoin the journey by after taking a short cut.

The stamina, the staying power and the faith are produced during those rough times but they will keep us in the days ahead. Without the rough times we would never be able to stand when the real storms come. We need to understand that we are in training, we are being prepared to hold more of God’s anointing so His plans can be completed. Without the proper training, the anointing would destroy us. Jesus walked the road of self denial, for He knew that was the only way, not only to please the Father, but to build up strength for what was to come.

How are you really doing? Many today see themselves doing great things for God, but get themselves sidetracked with their eyes on the glory or recognition they would receive. Think about it — many want to do great things, honestly want to make an impact, but as soon an opportunity comes along to begin to minister, they quit. In their minds it is not what they want or not part of their plan. Hear me plain and clear — if you will not allow God to form in you the heart of compassion in the small tasks you will never ever graduate to the big ones. Do not despise small beginnings for this is where the foundation for your future is built. During this building time you will learn many valuable lessons. You will learn to love as Jesus does. You will learn to be Spirit-led and your discernment will be fine tuned. Your faith will be built. If you will not complete the foundation stages, you will not stand when the storms came. Many Christians today are like the story of the three pigs, their houses get blown away.

I would encourage to complete your tasks with all your heart. If you are visiting someone in the hospital or prison, how well are you doing your job? Do you take it lightly or are you doing your best? Are there ways that you can improve on? Are you sold out or is this just something to do, a quick stepping stone to somewhere else? Are you allowing God to reveal His heart through you? What are you willing to sacrifice to do a better job? Is your ministry in the small things important to you or do they fall far down the list of important things. Be honest with yourself — if it is a prisoner you are visiting, how much of your time are you willing to sacrifice for him? Are you doing a haphazard job or are you spending quality time on your knees seeking God for directions on how you can do a better job? Do you do it for just recognition or because the compassion and love of Jesus compels you?

Sometimes people will step out and even start to do the small things only to quit when the storms come along. They buy into the lie that they must have missed God’s plan for if it had truly been from God, the storms would not have come. Others buy into the lie that if what they were doing was God’s will, they would not be persecuted. As soon as things do not go like they had planned, too many are quick to say, "This cannot be God. Let’s go back." Some, as soon as they are asked to sacrifice time or money, want to bail out. Will you pay the price that God is demanding for walking down His salvation road? Will you pay the price of being misunderstood; will you pay the price of being lonely? Will you pay the price to carry the load even when it becomes so heavy you do not think you can continue? Will you pay the price of heartache. Will you give your all?

Let’s continue with the story and see what else we can learn. V 23And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! Jesus does not say it can not be done but He says it is very difficult. It is very difficult for some to give up worldly security and to change security to rest in God. The young man went away because he could not have eternal life at a price he was prepared to pay. Many times a fool will keep things rather than give all to God. There are many today who are in hell because they would not respond and pay the price. What price will you and I pay for eternal life? What price will we pay to follow Jesus? Are there issues or resources that are wrong in your life? Are there other areas that you refuse to deal with and give to God ?

24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

As in this passage, even today there are many who would rather that we tone down the message or make things easier for people to respond. But Jesus went straight to the issue of the heart in this young man. Jesus would not make deals with him so he would follow. He did not run after him. This is an important example for us. We must learn to share the message, to tell it like it is and let the person make their own choice. We do not want people to be lost, but if they won’t pay the price, why should we dilute the message? I think this is another example of the high value God places on our free will to choose the path we follow.

Jesus loved the man, saw his potential, yet when the young man made the choice to not go all the way — Jesus let him go. Everything Jesus did was in response to the will of His Father. We need to come to grips with the whole idea that to be a follower of Jesus we too must surrender our will to the purposes of God. Jesus was not able to bargain with God. He did not have His own way or agenda or do what He wanted. God never made deals with Him so He would come and follow the ways of God. We see from this situation the difficulty of gaining true salvation for those who have an abundance of this world in them. It really shows us the miracle of salvation — for not all can be persuaded to leave the old ways and truly follow God all the way. It takes a dying to self and a living to the will of the Father.

Another lesson we can learn from this is that we really need to look, not only at things in the light of God’s Word, but we must also make the steps necessary to bring correction where we have gone off track. There are many temptations to grapple with, and many difficulties we need to overcome that do not lie in the way of those with less of the world in them.

25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. I believe this verse shows us that we must get rid of the burden of the things that we carry from the world. We must shun all of the things of the world. We cannot continue to mix the Kingdom of God with the things of this world and expect to make it. The things of the world or areas that we are secure in apart from God will hinder the salvation process. Securities other than Jesus will cause us to abort the journey and we will not be able to stay on the straight and narrow road. The narrow road that leads to eternal life is not wide enough to bring all the junk of the world: it is not wide enough to bring our old ways, or useless tradition. The narrow road is for the sold out ones whose total trust is in Jesus. We can and will make it as we follow the steps that Jesus has laid out for us.

26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?

27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

The understanding I have of these verses is that we cannot make it with our own skills or reasoning. Walking in our own strength, relying only on self, will hinder and stop us from completing the mission that God has for us. We must learn to yield to God in all areas and as we do, we will have His strength to walk in. It is His power and wisdom and love that get us to our destination. It is self that hinders; it is self that causes detours. As we follow and are open to the ways of God we are transformed into followers who complete the journey.

28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,

These verses speak volumes of the demands that come from the call of Christ. It is probably an area where many get detoured; where many refuse to go all the way. It is very clear that we must break with everything that is of the world — Jesus must be number one. We must choose to be closer to Him than any other. In the competition for our affections how are we doing? Are our affections tied more securely to things of the world than to Jesus? Are our affections more for wife, or husband? Are our affections more with job; more with things we have accumulated? Do our affections lie more with the security we have built, or even the inheritance that our parents might leave? I believe the message here in very clear. Nothing can be allowed to come before Jesus — for if it does it will detour us off the straight and narrow road. We must forsake all to walk in the call. We must lay down everything, I mean everything, and put Jesus first.

It is not the suffering, but the cause, that makes the martyr. What will you do for the cause? What will you not do?