Is Jesus Worth It?

Luke 14.25-33

At first glance, Jesus's requirements for being his disciple might seem harsh. If someone wants to follow Jesus, then that person must (1) hate his/her family and his/her own life, (2) bear his/her own cross, and (3) count the cost that is required to be committed to Jesus.

The purpose of this passage, however, is not primarily to intimidate those who seek Jesus. Instead, the purpose is to highlight how worthy Jesus is of one's utmost dedication and commitment.

Jesus is worthy of our lives for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons is that all of his demands are things that he himself has already demonstrated for us. In order for him to save us, he (1) was abandoned by God the Father, (2) had to bear our cross of sin, and (3) has counted the cost that is required to conform sinners into his own perfect likeness.

It is only when we consider how worthy Jesus is that we are able to follow him as true disciples. This passage on discipleship is timely as we are getting ready for a new season of discipleship where we will focus on how to read the Bible meaningfully. Reading the Bible meaningfully will allow us to be continually reminded of the gospel of Jesus Christ so that we stop taking ourselves so seriously and that we start taking God more seriously. As we grow in this, we will also reflect upon how we can help others to do the same.