by Theodore Wright.
Taking up your own cross.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
– Luke 14:27 (KJV)
The gift of eternal life is free.
Discipleship has a cost.
Count the cost for being a disciple.
Luke 14:28-33 (KJV)
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
This is with you willingly having Jesus as lord of your life, going where He decides, doing His will. It is no longer living with you as lord of your own life, going where you want. The Lord calls us personally to follow where He leads us each individually.
John 21:18-22 (KJV)
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
Never mind what the Lord has some other Christian to do, we are to obey the Lord’s personal call for each of us. This is what it means to live as Maverick Christians. As for those in the hall of faith mentioned in the New Testament book of Hebrews chapter 11…
Hebrews 11:37-40 (KJV)
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
This is the call to discipleship by our Lord.
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
– Luke 9:23 (KJV)
