May 23, 2016

Christian cost and gain

a gathering of evangelical Christians praying
Jesus talks about cost before He sends out His disciples. The cost of stability and relationship. The cost of tradition.The cost of comfort. The cost of love. But He talks about gains too. What are they?
Luke 9:57-62 New Living Translation (NLT) The Cost of Following Jesus
Cost of stability and comfort
57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
Cost of relationship and tradition
59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”
The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead![a] Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
Cost of love
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
Jesus speaks of the gains too.(Luke 10:1-20) What are they? 
The gain of the Kingdom of God. The gain of following Jesus is tremendous: money and material (Luke 10:4); provision (food and drink and lodging); power to heal the sick (10:9); authority of Jesus over spiritual enemies (10:16, 18-20); book of life (10:20); know God (10:22); see what others cannot see (10:23-24).

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