Price Tags-Counting the Cost

Some years ago, an American economist wrote in a national magazine and said: “The health of the American economy depends upon the ability of the American consumer to take on more debt.”

Now, I am no economist or financial wizard, but that statement sounds a bit off.

It totally runs the opposite to what we read in Deuteronomy which says that anyone who owes to another is the slave of that person.

Paul, in one of his writings reinforces that truth – and, in fact, plainly writes:

“owe no man anything.”

Debt, in a spiritual sense, is addressed by the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel (18:4)

The wage of sin is death.”

So, it is easy to see and understand that debt is a spiritual burden.

The depth of despair is reached when the sinner realizes the full weight of sin’s heavy burden upon a person’s life.

It is at that time – at a low point in life – That person becomes aware also of the weight of sin heavy burden on his conscience.

It is often when a person is at his or her lowest point of hopelessness – that they turn to the only hope they have is through Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit.

It is then that they realize what Paul writes in Romans 5:8:

“.....God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

God provided His Son's sinlessness to carry the sin of the world to the cross.

He canceled out our debt and removed our transgressions – “as far is the east is from the west.”

When we sing the old hymn “Jesus Paid It All,” how much thought do we give to the rest of that line in the hymn: “All to Him I owe.”

Life in Christ is free – but discipleship comes with a price tag.

I want to take a look at four price tags that must be paid as we live our lives in discipleship with our Savior.

I.             The Price Tag of Cooperation – Luke 9:46-50 

An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”

John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you.”

The Apostles were having a discussion – the Scripture actually calls it an argument. Who was the greatest among them?

Jesus, in typical very pointed manner of explaining difficult concepts to unlearned men – gives them an object lesson.

Verse 48:

and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”

Here, Jesus is illustrating the true nature of His kingdom and the real meaning of greatness. He illustrated that true greatness is the challenge for them to recognize and serve even the very least.

Entrance into the kingdom demands childlike obedience and selfless service.

His disciples saw another man casting out demons in Jesus’ name. They found fault in this man as well. They complained to Jesus: “Master, this man was casting out demons is Your name. And he didn’t even graduate from Cincinnati Bible College or Lincoln Christian College! So, we told him he couldn’t do that. Because he is not one of us who graduated from Johnson Bible College.”

 Jesus lashed out at them because of their attitude of superiority and false purity. Jesus told them, “Do not stop him for he who is not against you is for you.”

They didn’t approve, so these shouldn’t be witnessing to these non-Christian folks.

Satan sees situations like this and encourages the infighting among those who fail to understand the Lordship of Jesus.

II.           Another price tag with an enormous cost is the Price Tag of Compassion – Luke 9:51-56

While Jesus and His disciples were on their way to Jerusalem for the Passover, they were met with rejection in a small Samaritan village.

James and John were ready to call down fire from heaven to rebuke those who rejected them.

Jesus’ answer to their reaction to the rejection was this: verses 55b & 56:

“ You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”

What Jesus was teaching James and John here is to avoid righteous indignation. He was teaching them to have compassion for the Samaritans, even as they were being rejected by them.

III.         Jesus goes further in His teaching of His disciples as He teaches them the Price of Commitment.

During His walk on earth, Jesus encountered several well-meaning people who expressed a desire to join in His company.

Jesus knew very well the nature and scope of the task that He was calling them to – and to the strong commitment of the Enemy – Satan.

Any worldly entanglements the disciples had would impede their spiritual progress and would make it easy for them to fall prey to Satan’s lies.

Those who were already walking with Jesus had forsaken every earthly entanglement – that is what it takes to give total commitment.

That cost is still in effect today as we begin our walk with Jesus Christ.

We are also called to count earthly things as nothing for our place in God’s family.

True peace and joy in service to God cannot exist without the denial of self and total surrender to God’s will.

James gives us a name for the person who fails to surrender himself to God’s will ---

“The doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways.”

Unless we are willing to forsake the world and its temporary pleasures, we will always to unhappy and unsettled in our minds.

A final price of discipleship is found in Luke 9:62.

But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

In that statement Jesus is saying the need for those who are committed to His cause to continue faithful to the end.

He is speaking of the danger of taking our eyes off the goal at the end of the row and wavering in and out of our devotion to Him.

Paul writes of this same truth when he says:

“Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.”

The whole substance of the life of faith is found in the rewards of the harvest.

The realization that the Lord of the Harvest is always with us is the bright hope that keeps us going through the storms of life and the shadows of death.

You may remember the old hymn that encourages faithful followers:

When I come to the river at ending of day; And the last winds of sorrow have blown; There’ll be somebody waiting to show me the way. I won’t have to cross Jordan alone.”

Today, as followers of Christ, we are also debtors to one another. We owe it to our Lord to share the Gospel.

The day will come when all debts will cease. It is on that day that we will receive the crown of life from our Father’s eternal hand.

The essential question is this:

“Are you ready?”

Have you paid the price of Cooperation with the Gospel?

Have you paid the price of Commitment to the Savior?

Have you paid the price of Continuing in His Way of Life?