The Cost of Discipleship

     Hey, friend!  To do anything, it will cost you something.  To learn to paint, or play an instrument- whatever you do, it will cost you.  It could be time, money, or maybe energy.  To be a true disciple of Jesus, it is going to cost you a lot of things.  Jesus didn't get excited when a large crowd was following Him. In fact, He knew they weren't all there for the right reasons.  He looked around and said that if anyone wants to be His disciple they had to hate their mother and father, children, sisters and brothers- even their own life (Luke 14:25-28).  Hate their families, wait a minute?  Jesus tells us to hate people?  He was getting his point across that compared to everyone else, He needed to be first.  He doesn't literally want us to hate anyone.  We should always put Jesus first and serve Him no matter what happens to us or anyone else around us. 
​   Sometimes being a Christian will cost more than not being a Christian.  If someone wants to be a Christian because of all the good stuff that will happen to them or what they are going to get out of it, that is not going to last.  Being a Christian is much more than just blessings and "good stuff".  It means to have an eternal relationship with Jesus himself.  Being a Christian is when people want Jesus and nothing more. 
   Dietrich Bonehoeffer said there are two types of grace... CHEAP GRACE and COSTLY GRACE... Watch and see!