There was a time that we received the gift of salvation, that time when we professed our faith and

come into a
relationship with Christ. Some of us can clearly remember that one time you professed your faith and instantly you
know you’re connected… or perhaps, we are that young people who profess our faith every youth camp… whatever
the case is, our hope in this group is to support you on whatever stage you are in your Christian journey.

Now, as new Christians, like how Paul described it when he was writing to the Corinth church. “I gave you milk, not
solid food…” (1 Cor 3:2) We were taking in the word of God slowly, trying to understand it, that’s why we have bible
studies, and talks about Christian disciplines (these are baby foods). Our topic tonight though, “Cost of Discipleship”,
I would say, is something intended for people who seeks to grow more in his/her own faith and my prayer is that as
we go through this, may God open our hearts and minds that it would allow us to understand the true meaning and
the cost that comes in Discipleship.

Out text tonight is from Luke 14:25-34, let me read the first few verses then we will pray.

Read v25-27

Prayer

If you try to go into the story, you can feel the sense that Jesus is, I don’t know probably annoyed by the crowd. Just
imagine this, a large crowd is following Jesus, he turned around and said, you know what, if you want to be my
disciple, you should hate your father, yep you heard me right, your father, your mother, include your brother, your
sister and even your own life, how about that?

We know that God doesn’t teaches hatred, remember, he even said to love your enemies. In my bible translation, it
says, “you must hate everyone else by comparison” or if I expand on that “to love God in a way that your love for
others will be like hatred in comparison”. Why do you think Jesus will list the family first? Well, I don’t know if this is
true to you, but our family is the closest relationship that we have and oftentimes these are the people that can
actually deeply hurt us more than anyone. I can tell from my own experience when I introduced Sheen to my Uncle
back in PH. This was when my immediate family is already here in NZ and my uncle’s household is kind of my second
family. This is also around the same time when Sheen and I finished our Marriage Discernment Process and my
relatives kind of knew that I will soon marry Sheen. The thing is, Sheen is a catholic and my family comes from an
evangelical background, so there is really a lot of tension. But, I wanted it to be formal, so I set up a dinner with him
and his family. While we were eating, the awkward conversation started when my Uncle in front of everyone said,
“Do you really intend to marry this non-believer?”, I was shocked, these people are the same people that I go to
church with and I pray with and I go to family camps with, to this day, I can’t even remember the rest of what
happened that night, but boy oh boy, it did really hurt knowing that your family is against to your Christian belief. So
it was really difficult when Sheen had to stay at my parent’s place when we arrived in NZ knowing that my father is a
pastor. But you know what, if there is a cost to pay, God is faithful he said in his words, and he will not leave us
empty. Last week my father celebrated his 60th birthday, we had a simple dinner, and I initiated an honouring.
When it was Sheen’s turn, she said, “Pa, I appreciate you accepting me even if I am catholic” and you know what my
dad responded “You know what, it really doesn’t matter, you believe Christ, you read the bible, and for me you are
part of our Christian family” and that was really something for me. Going back to the passage, note though that
there is no mention of spouse, so once you are married, he/she is not part of that hatred by comparison. OK?

Next, up, to be a disciple, “we must carry our cross and come after God”. What does the cross means? Cross
nowadays is more recognised as a symbol. We put tattoos with cross, we put in on top of churches, we have it in our
home, among other things. But did you know that the cross is not a symbol of Christianity during the time of the
disciples (Acts). In fact, it was said that the sign of the Christianity is the fish, you draw half the arc and the other daw
the other half, it’s like a secret code. But what cross symbolises during that time is actually the most excruciating
death that the Roman government can give as a form of punishment and death. It was known that only John the
beloved died of natural death. St Peter even died on a cross upside down because according to narrative, he doesn’t
see himself worthy of the same death as Christ. Now what this tells us is that being Christ disciple require us to
accept death to ourselves and to live for Christ. Galataians 2:20 says “I have been crucified with Christ and I no
longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and
gave himself for me.”. So does that mean we go to mountains and spend our lives in penitence? Well, I won’t do that
but for me, this means that in my daily life, I have to put God first above all else. And that means, my virtues, my way
of doing things, my thinking should all be in accordance to God’s ways. I could imagine now that while Jesus is
speaking this words to the large crowd, it becomes thinner and thinner… no really, it is difficult task to do, but I
believe it is really meant to be hard, why? Well, it only suggests that the only way for us to do this is for us to abide
in Christ, for in Christ, “all things are possible”, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” and “his
grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in my weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly
about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me”.

When Jesus continued his teaching, he has a practical reminder:

Read Luke 28-32

Let me repeat that line, “So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own” Your life, your
resources (talent, treasure, and time), you must give up everything for God.

I like how one of the book authors paraphrase this verse, he said, “The entrance fee to the kingdom of heaven is
nothing, the annual subscription is everything”. That make sense? Or perhaps let me put it this way. Do you
remember a time that you are so in love with this guy/gal, to a point that you can say, “I’m so in love with you that I
will give up the world just to be with you” You know what, if tell this phrase to God, he probably would respond,
“Well my child, you said it perfectly, if you want to be with me, you have to give up the world.”

Like, you know, “you and me against the world”.

Jesus ended his sermon about discipleship in this…

Read Luke 34:35

What do we mean about tasteless salt? Let me describe it this way… I have salted salt here… and I mix them up with
this tasteless salt… what do you think will happen? Nothing, everything becomes tasteless. God doesn’t want the
numbers; Jesus doesn’t want the crowd! All he wanted is me and you maintaining our saltiness. And what does a
flavoured salt do? It can be used as preservative (it preserves good values), it bring life to a food (it brings life to
people around you) and it stimulate thirst (thirst for the word of God). Question is, as Christians, do we have that
saltiness to begin with?

Question is, can we give up everything for Christ?

Question is, can we give up anyone for Christ?

Question is, can we deny ourselves for Christ?

Are we prepared to pay the cost? I don’t know about you, but for me, God has pad the price of my salvation, and it is
only but fitting for me to pay the cost to be his disciple, to follow his footstep and to lead others to Christ.

Let me end in this… During the lockdown, we came to a better understanding of the essential things that we need,
just the essential things and on top of that list is our faith. When the lockdown ended, I hope we are not too
distracted with the things around us and we keep on pursuing on knowing God, because at the end of our lives, we
will come face to face with God. And in that moment, nothing else will going to matter. One question though will
matter and that is, “Did you really know him?” and I hope God will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You
have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's
happiness”