How much will it cost? It doesn’t matter how good an idea or meal might be, before we swipe the card or had over the cash we want to know just how much it will cost. What kind of steak do you want? What are you willing to spend on a car. We are constantly counting the costs these days.
Isn’t it a little curious that so many of us seem to not give a second thought to what the spiritual cast might be for an activity. Indeed, Jesus tells us the count the cost of being one of his disciples! What does God ask of us? Everything! He tells us to hate our family, yes, even our own lives? That doesn’t mean we should be malice filled and evil. It means that we are to renounce all natural affection, toward that person, activity, or thing that puts a cost on our soul.
The perfect example is Peter. Peter wasn’t too keen on the thought that Jesus would have to die. Things were going so well. How would his death help the political rise of Jesus of Nazareth?! When Jesus called him Satan, was that a little harsh? Maybe to our sensitive ears, but Peter, whether he knew it or not, was endangering the souls of the world. If put it that way, Peter sounds reckless… but we don’t like to think that way. We should. We need to count the cost.
As you watch this sermon, think about what areas of your life only go half way. Where have you failed to count the cost? Where you have failed, remember Jesus knew exactly what it would take to redeem your soul. He paid the price, so that you wouldn’t have to.
Topic(s): Cross BearingBook(s): Luke
Series: Weeks of Warning
Tag(s): Peter, Temptation