on following Jesus... again!

Following Jesus makes life dangerous in the best possible way. To follow Christ is to entrust yourself—without reservation—to the most compelling, beautiful, and disruptive Person the world has ever known. There is no monotony in Him. Jesus does not make men and women dull. He makes them holy, and holiness is something altogether different from religious boredom.

Biblical holiness is radiant, attractive, and costly. I suspect many of us draw back not because we doubt Jesus, but because we fear what obedience may require of us.

Let no one deceive you: following Jesus Christ is costly. Everything we admire in Him and long to see formed within ourselves will never emerge from lukewarm devotion or cautious mediocrity. Jesus repeatedly made this clear. God gives Himself wholly to us, but He also asks for all of us in return.

Jesus outlined very clearly what it will cost to follow Him:

Large crowds were travelling with Jesus, and turning to them he said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters— even his own life— he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14.26-32)

He asks every would-be disciple five searching questions.

Are you prepared to put Me first?
Jesus said that unless a man “hates” father, mother, spouse, children, and even his own life, he cannot be His disciple. Christ was not commanding cruelty toward family, but absolute allegiance to Himself. Every other love must eventually bow before Him. Jesus does not merely ask to become part of our lives; He insists upon becoming our life. In Him alone we discover the true meaning of family, identity, friendship, and purpose.

Are you ready for this?

Are you prepared to carry your cross?
The cross was not private or symbolic. It was public, humiliating, painful, and costly. To carry your cross means to openly identify with Christ wherever He leads, regardless of misunderstanding, rejection, or loss. You may at times be mocked, excluded, or wounded for your obedience to Him.

Contrary to popular language, “carrying your cross” is not merely enduring inconvenience, illness, or frustration. It is the deliberate choice to publicly follow Jesus without self-protection, self-promotion, or retreat.

Are you ready for this?

Are you prepared to keep going?
Jesus compared discipleship to a builder estimating the cost before beginning construction. He never sought impulsive admirers or emotional decisions. He sought disciples who would endure.

Many people begin passionately and end distracted, discouraged, or spiritually exhausted. Jesus is not asking for a momentary commitment but lifelong allegiance. He is not looking for occasional enthusiasts, but men and women who will continue walking with Him when the emotions fade and the road grows difficult.

Are you ready for this?

Are you prepared for a struggle?
Jesus likened discipleship to going to war. To follow Him is to enlist in conflict against the powers of darkness both within us and around us. It means waging war against greed, lust, selfish ambition, pride, fear, and unbelief. It requires integrity when compromise would be easier, courage when silence would be safer, and conviction when popularity would be more comfortable.

We will not complete the battle in our lifetime, but we are invited to participate in Christ’s victory as His Kingdom advances through surrendered lives.

Are you ready for this?

Are you prepared to stand in the minority?
Human beings naturally move with the crowd. Our fashions, opinions, entertainments, and ambitions are often shaped by the instinct to belong. Yet Jesus warned that the path of discipleship is narrow and that relatively few will walk it.

Christians will often find themselves outnumbered—not because they are superior to others, but because many have not yet surrendered to Christ. Faithfulness sometimes means standing apart from the prevailing spirit of the age and remaining loyal to Jesus when compromise would be easier and applause more immediate.

Are you ready for this?

Following Jesus is costly—but the cost of refusing Him is far greater still.

The deepest joys in life are found not in self-protection, comfort, or control, but in wholehearted surrender to Jesus Christ. The call to discipleship is severe only because the glory awaiting the disciple is so great.