Counting the Cost: The Reality of Following Jesus

Welcome to Equipped for Purpose. I'm your host, Vincent Ream, and this is the podcast

where discipleship meets impactful leadership. Whether you're new to faith or a seasoned

follower of Christ, this podcast is designed to help you deepen your relationship with

Jesus, grow as a leader, and make a difference in every area of your life. Together we'll

explore practical tools, biblical insights, and real-life strategies to equip you for

the purpose God has called you to. Let's dive in.

Welcome back to the podcast. Today we're confronting a question that strikes at the core of

what it means to follow Jesus. Will discipleship be easy? Many of us might wish for a simple,

comfortable path when we first consider following Christ. But is that what scripture promises?

In this episode, we'll explore what the Bible and some other sources reveal about the reality

of Christian discipleship, specifically the serious cost it demands. The question isn't

just academic, it's personal. Have you ever considered what it truly means to follow Jesus?

Before we can assess the cost, we need to define what discipleship is. The word disciple and its

variations appear over 250 times in the New Testament, underscoring its centrality to the

Christian faith. The term Christian was originally used to describe disciples,

those who follow Jesus. So, what is a disciple? Well, at its core, it's a follower of Jesus

in a teacher-disciple relationship. It involves being on the way with him, as scripture often

describes it. But it's more than a title, it's a way of life. Early Christians understood discipleship

as their very existence, confessing Jesus as Lord, believing in his resurrection, and submitting to

his sovereignty. Some would call this a gracious summons to enter his kingdom and glory, requiring

not just words or debate, but a single act of surrender and ongoing obedience. There's no menu

of Christian lifestyles to pick from. There's only one Jesus Christ, and we're called to

imitate him in every circumstance. Now, the specific definition I use for a disciple,

beyond the literal definition of one who follows, is one who has faith to intentionally place

believing trust and loyalty in Jesus Christ as the Messiah. One who is taking intentional

and focused daily action to see the fruit of transformation to be more like Christ, and one

who is taking intentional and purposeful action to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that's

a lot, but that helps get to some specificity of what we can define a disciple to be. But then

there's also the specific definition I use for discipleship. And this is one who is first a

disciple of Jesus Christ, and second is seeking replication of disciples. This is done through

one daily prayer of relationship building and petition, two deep study of scripture,

three engaging in community by encouraging one another in the faith, challenging one another

to grow in spiritual maturity, and holding one another accountable to the collective calling of

the Great Commission and the individual assignments we each carry, and four, sharing the gospel of

Jesus Christ in such a way that it's inviting and conveying good news. These are the current

definitions I'm working with. And again, I say current because we can't hold too tightly to the

way we define things. The Holy Spirit may bring about a revelation that forces us to change.

And you can't be afraid of change because it will happen as you grow in spiritual maturity.

Now let's turn to Jesus' own words. Does Jesus promise an easy path? In Luke 14, 28 to 33,

he challenges us with two parables. Imagine a builder starting a tower without calculating

the cost only to run out of funds and face ridicule, or a king marching to war against a

stronger foe realizing too late he can't win. That passage of scripture specifically says,

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost,

whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to

finish, all who sees it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish.

Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and

deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty

thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks

for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be

my disciple. Jesus ties these images directly to discipleship, saying, So therefore, any one of you

who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. That's a high bar forsaking everything.

Jesus doubles down in Matthew 16, 25-26 when he says, For whoever would save his life will

lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if

he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

What does this mean? It's not primarily about eternal salvation. Jesus was speaking to

believers like Peter, already saved. Here, save means preserving your physical life from

harm or risk. If you cling to safety and comfort, avoiding sacrifice for Christ,

you'll lose the true life of reward and purpose he offers. But if you surrender your life for him,

you'll find it in the deepest sense. But then comes the piercing question,

for what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?

Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? Nothing in this world, no wealth, approval,

or possession can match the value of your life fully given to Christ. The answer is sobering.

There's nothing you can trade for it. Jesus doesn't leave us guessing about what this

cost looks like. In Mark 8.34, he lays it out. If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself

and take up his cross and follow me. Let's unpack this. Deny himself,

essentially surrendering your will. First, Jesus says we must deny ourselves. This isn't about

giving up little comforts like skipping a latte or a night out. It's about something far more

profound, setting aside your agenda, your plans, and your desires to embrace God's will instead.

It's a shift from living for yourself to living for him. In using Jesus as our example in the

Garden of Gethsemane, the night before his crucifixion, he prayed,

My Father, if it is possible, let this cut pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as

you will. Even in his human anguish, Jesus surrendered his will to the Father's plan.

That's the heart of denying oneself, saying yes to God even when it's hard.

What might this look like today? Maybe it's choosing a job that serves others over one that

promises wealth or status because you sense God's leading there. It's a daily wrestle,

often fought in prayer, asking, What does God want from me in this moment?

Denying yourself, you can reflect on this question. What personal desires or plans

might you need to lay down to align more fully with God's will?

The second demand from this passage in Mark is take up your cross, embracing suffering and sacrifice.

This is a heavy phrase, take up your cross, and we need to grasp its weight. In Jesus' day,

the cross wasn't a symbol of faith. It was a tool of execution, a public, agonizing death sentence.

When someone picked up a cross, they weren't coming back.

For us, this means being willing to face suffering, rejection, or even death for Christ's sake.

This isn't about chasing hardship, but about accepting it when it comes because of our faith.

In some places, this is literal. Believers are imprisoned or killed for following Jesus.

Here, it might mean standing up for biblical truth when it's unpopular, losing friends, or

sacrificing opportunities because you won't compromise your convictions.

You can think of Jim Elliot, a missionary who died sharing the gospel in Ecuador. He wrote,

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

That's the mindset of taking up the cross, seeing beyond the temporary cost to eternal gain.

Again, Luke 9.23 reminds us this is a daily choice, not a one-off act of bravery.

So, ask yourself, where might God be asking me to take up my cross today? Maybe in a tough decision

or a bold stand? And the third demand from this verse is follow me. Jesus says follow me. And this

is where discipleship comes alive. Following Jesus isn't just agreeing with him. It's walking where

he walks, leaving as he lived, obeying his words every day. It's active, it's not passive.

This means aligning our lives with his example, loving the unlovable, forgiving the unforgivable,

and serving the overlooked. It's also a journey we take together. The first disciples didn't

follow alone. They left their nets and tax booths as a group, learning from Jesus side by side.

We need that, too. Friends who spur us on, a church that holds us accountable. Practically

following Jesus might mean carving out time for prayer when your schedule's packed or

sharing your faith with a neighbor even if it feels awkward. It's a marathon, it's not a sprint,

and it changes us over time into the people who look more like Jesus. A question to reflect on

here is what's one step you can take today to actively follow Jesus? These demands, denying

yourself, taking up your cross, following Jesus, they aren't light. They ask for everything. Your

will, your comfort, your life. But Jesus walked this road first. He denied himself. He took up

his cross and followed the Father's will to save us. And in that surrender, we find life, real,

abundant, eternal life. That's the cost, and that's the promise. With demands like these,

it's no surprise discipleship is difficult. It's a transformation from our old carnal

into who God created us to be. This is like a sculptor chiseling a masterpiece.

God chips away at our anger, pride, lies, laziness, and hidden sins, those habits we claim to when

we're hurting or tired. It's painful, it's not pleasant. We might crave a break, but there's no

pause button. We're either moving toward God or drifting away. This journey unfolds in a hostile

world, one that has rejected its creator. Living by God's values puts us at odds with a culture

that prizes self-interest and comfort. Suffering becomes a badge of discipleship, a mark of

belonging to the fellowship of the crucified. Jesus' path of suffering sets the pattern,

rejection, ridicule, even division from family. His biological family misunderstood him,

yet he redefined family as those who do God's will.

Something to consider. Following Jesus might mean losing relationships or facing shame for your

faith. Again, Mark 8.38 warns that if we're ashamed of him now, he'll be ashamed of us later.

It's a marathon, not a sprint, a lifetime of surrendering to God's chisel.

By now, you might be wondering, is this burden too heavy? Well, here's where grace changes

everything. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book The Cost of Discipleship didn't aim to pile on rules

but to recover true grace. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, not earned by our

efforts. Yet discipleship flows from that grace and its cost, though high, is reasonable. Why?

Because of the gift we've received. Jesus paid the ultimate price, giving His life as a ransom.

In light of that, forsaking all our possessions, our safety, our will, it makes sense.

And there's a promise, losing our lives now gains us treasure. And that treasure starts here,

a new family in Christ, a hundred-fold return, and stretches into eternity with rewards at

Christ's judgment seat. Suffering now pales beside the honor awaiting us, just as Jesus's

humility led to exaltation. So will discipleship be easy? No. Scripture agrees it's a path of denial,

cross-bearing, suffering, and surrender. God's chisel works relentlessly, shaping us through

trials in a world that resists Him. It's tough, far from the lie that faith makes everything simple.

Yet this is the path Jesus walked and calls us to follow. It's transformative, molding us into new

creations. The cost is steep, potentially everything, but it's reasonable when we see the grace behind it

and the eternal reward ahead. So I challenge you, count the cost, embrace the cross daily.

Trust that what you gain in Christ far outweighs what you lose.

Thanks for joining me and sticking it out through this heavy topic. I hope this episode has deepened

your understanding of discipleship's cost and call, and that as you go forward, counting the

cost of discipleship, you will always keep in the front of your mind the promise of life.

Thank you for tuning in to Equipped for Purpose. I hope today's episode gave you

tools and inspiration to deepen your discipleship and strengthen your leadership. Don't forget to

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share it with someone who could benefit. Let's connect on social media and through my website,

and remember, you are being equipped for a purpose. Go make an impact.