Daily Devotional

In these verses Jesus has just told His disciples that He would soon suffer many things and be killed. That news rocked the disciples’ world. And if that wasn’t enough, He added, “If you are going to follow Me, it’s going to cost you something as well.

As I was growing in my faith, being discipled by my parents, youth leaders, and pastors, I was often told that there’s nothing you can do to save yourself from sin. Jesus paid the price for your sin at the cross. You can’t be good enough. You can’t do enough. It has already been done. And that is true. But what I didn’t hear about very often was “The Cost of Following Jesus”. To be a genuine follower of Jesus Christ there are three things we follow.

1. Deny ourselves

This is letting go of things that might keep us from an all-out, passionate walk with Jesus. Some desire from our past. Promoting, protecting or gaining from our own selfish pursuits. We don’t want anything to get in the way of our desire to love and serve the Lord with a whole heart. Selfish desires and kingdom living don’t mix. So we set aside things that don’t align with Scriptures and God’s desire for us. We want to glorify God in everything we say and do.

2. Sacrifice daily
 
The phrase “take up his cross daily and follow Me” can be confusing. Does this mean I go and get a cross, put it on a chain and wear it every day? Does this mean getting some wood and making a cross and carrying it around with me? No. The cross is a symbol of Jesus’ sacrifice for you and me. It is the place where Jesus willingly gave His life for the sins of the world. And it represents a willingness to go and die for the sake of others, out of obedience.

If we are wholeheartedly following Jesus Christ, our lives will reflect the sacrifice He made for us. As we connect with other Christians in community, and love those who don’t know Christ, God will give us opportunities to die to ourselves and serve like Jesus did. And in those moments we will have to ask ourselves, “Will I make the sacrifice?” Does God really want me to serve this person? The answer is, “Yes, He does.” Because He served you and me with the ultimate sacrifice. Who might God want you to serve today?

3. Surrender it all

If the first two points in this devotional didn’t cover everything, this point will. Jesus wants us to “surrender it all”. He’s not interested in getting your “leftovers”. He doesn’t want out “if I have time” hours, or a Sunday morning gathering once in a while, or an “if I feel like serving someone, I will.” He wants to be prioritized. You can say following Jesus is a priority, but those are just words. How can you show Jesus is a priority? By giving of your time every single day.

To surrender it all to Christ means we are willing to do what He says. If God wants me to switch jobs. If He wants me to serve overseas. If He wants me to give sacrificially to make Him known. If He wants me to take the risk of sharing the gospel with a non-Christian friend or family member, I’m going to do it, because He wants me to. My life belongs to Him.

Following Jesus is going to cost us something, but what we receive in the end will make it all worth it. So pay the price. Follow Christ. You’ll never regret it.
 

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.