Dec 24, 2014
MY FRIENDS, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, SO COUNT THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP, AND RESPOND!!
“Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then He said to 
another, “Follow Me. But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:57-62 (NKJV)
The above text, a disciple tells Christ “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go,” before counting the cost of discipleship. So Christ tells him and also each of His chosen vessels in the 21st century who seeks his presence and kingdom.
We must lay aside every thought of worldly possessions. In addition, “the Son of Man [who is our example] had 
nowhere to lay His head.” Even though the “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests” So we must ask ourselves, How much are we willing to give up for discipleship.
In Matt.16:24 (NIV) Christ tells us “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Christ then ask another disciple to count the cost of discipleship and follow Him, then the disciple asked if he could be excused for a few days to go bury not just a love one, but the man who gave him life his father.
“Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” is Christ response. But the scriptures teaches us “The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.” Prov. 30:17 (ESV)
So you have a mother telling her son come home bury your father and Christ saying “let the dead bury their own dead” My friends if we are God’s chosen vessel who seeks his kingdom, there can be no other option or excuse for neglecting discipleship and following Christ.
Another disciple is willing to follow Christ, but he needs time to socialize with his friends and family, and set his household affairs in order, but Christ tells him “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
My friends there are those who “have a form of godliness but denies its power.” Who continues to look back, before they made their life changing commitment for discipleship, looking at the way things were and all they have or had at one time.
But we must remember “wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who [will] go in by it.” Friends if we seek God’s kingdom, we must continue until we have completely crossed the threshold into the promise land and our savior tells us personally, “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!’ Matt. 25:23 (NIV) Luke 14:26 also tells us “If anyone comes to me and does not hate
father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes, even their own life–such a person cannot be my disciple.”
First of all we know hatred would “be contrary to the laws of God,” “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8 (NKJV)
But in life there are choices and options we make but only one choice that leads to God’s kingdom and life eternal and that is giving it all to the Master. So my friends today count the cost of discipleship and respond, time is of the essence!!
So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY
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