Somebody Loves You

Raul Ries: The disciple has been to the cross already to what? To receive forgiveness for his sins. In working out from the cross, he expresses new life in Christ Jesus. The disciple regards Jesus as the model for ethical directives as he gives to my life to become a true believer.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Reese in Diamond Bar, California. When Jesus called his disciples to follow him, he was asking for a complete commitment, something that our world finds hard to understand. But as Raul takes us through Matthew's account of a teacher of the law who said he wanted to follow Jesus, the Lord made it clear that the choice he was about to make would cost him everything. Here is Raul Reese with today's study.

Raul Ries: This morning, if you have your Bibles turned with me to the book of Matthew chapter 8. Matthew chapter 8. The title of my message this morning, I want to speak to you about the cost of discipleship. I wonder how many here this morning would really like to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, a learner, one that applies himself to the master, to his work. And it's amazing when you read the story that Jesus brings about here because being a disciple of Christ means sharing the pathway to suffering, to being rejected by family, friends, and also by denying ourselves and taking up our crosses, the instrument of death, and then following Jesus Christ as our Lord and our Savior.

That is what he's calling us to. And yet there are so many people sometimes that want to be disciples of Christ, but when it comes to really making account of the cost in my own personal life, many are not willing to pay the price. And the price is very high to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Look what he says as Jesus now is getting ready to go to the other side of the actual Sea of Galilee. In chapter 8 beginning with verse 18, he says, and when Jesus saw a great multitudes about him, he gave a command to depart to the other side.

And then a certain scribe came to him and said to him, teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. And Jesus said unto him, foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head. And then what another of his disciples said to him, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. But Jesus said to him, follow me and let the dead bury their own dead. It seems that Jesus is discouraging those that want to follow him. He's not encouraging but discouraging because I believe that Jesus fully understood as he saw the multitudes of people coming to him, that they came because they were sick, they were weak, or they wanted something from him.

And he was always a giving person, always putting out. Never really had time for himself, didn't even have a house, didn't have his own bed or anything like that. He was outside in nature. He stayed with the disciples, he worked with the disciples. And yet when people were making that challenge and saying that they wanted to follow him, especially these young men, they came to him, Jesus didn't really encourage him to follow him, but he really discouraged him. Rather than insisting for him to follow him, he thought, you know what? You better think about it again because not everybody can be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

And we see that even in Luke 9 57 through 62, which we have the same story given to us by Luke, the writer of the Gospel of Luke, it means to forsake all, forsaking much when you really really want to follow Jesus Christ. When Jesus was talking to his own personal disciples in Matthew 16 24 to 26, this is what he said. He said, then Jesus said to his disciples, if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

For what profit is it to a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? I mean, as we look at people today and we look at the past too, a lot of people don't really want to give up anything. They want to gain everything. You see? And so it really puts a question mark in many people's minds when Jesus is calling them because as he makes the call here of anyone desires, there has to be a desire to really come after Jesus Christ.

And if that desire is there in my heart and my life, then the next step that I take is denial of myself. You see? Denial of everything that I possess. It's no longer about myself, my life, but it's not joining my life to the life of Christ in whatever he desires me to do or where to go. I'm able to do that. He says, and then you take up the cross, which is the instrument of death, and then you follow him. You see? Full submission. The requirements to really becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ because then he says, for whoever desires again to save his life, if you save your life in this world, you're going to lose it at the end.

You're not going to make it. But if you really choose to lose your life today, now, for Christ's sake and to become a follower of Jesus Christ, you're going to find it in the future to come eternally because you're choosing the kingdom of God. You're choosing what is eternal, not what's temporal. And then he puts a value on it. He says, for what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul? So it's really important that as we want to be disciples of Christ, that we have to do what?

We have to count the cost. Don't do it today, think about it. Look at the first observation made in this great lesson this morning in chapter 8 verses 18 to 20, the test of sincerity. How sincere are you today? The test of sincerity. He says in verse 18, and when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave a command to the part to the other side. So it seems that all these multitudes of people following, touching Jesus, no time for himself. It's all about people. All of a sudden after doing all these miracles and wonders, he decides, you know what, you guys, let's get into a boat and let's go to the other side so I can get about 10 or 15 minutes going across of peace and I can get my thoughts together.

So that's where he's heading to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. And then a certain scribe came and said to him right before they get into the boat, he said, teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. Can you imagine if somebody came to you and said, I will follow you wherever you go, you would say, do I know you? Who are you? Why would you want to follow me? What are you interested in? What do you want? I mean, why would you want to follow Jesus? He he had nothing. He had no house.

He had no riches. He had no fame. And yet this disciple, we don't know what disciple this may be. This is a scribe that had become a disciple. He came and said, I want to follow you wherever you go. And then Jesus responds back and says to him, foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man, notice, has nowhere to even lay his head. You want to follow me? Are you sure? I have nothing. I have nothing to give to you. That to me is an amazing answer that Jesus gives to this young man because here in Matthew's account that Jesus was surrounded by this great multitude of people emphasizes what?

His success, his fame in ministry. But then at the same time, he not only in chapter 4 as we read in chapter 4 before where Jesus was tested by the devil, that he not only preached the gospel around the Sea of Galilee, but his fame went all the way to Syria, 150 some miles away and even longer into that area of Palestine across to Syria where crowds heard about the fame of Jesus. And yet there were such great demands by the crowds. Jesus needed some freedom to keep his priorities clear. So what does he do?

He commands his disciples to take the boat and go to the other side. Let's go to the other side. The disciple has been to the cross already to what? To receive forgiveness for his sins. In working out from the cross, he expresses new life in Christ Jesus. That's the way the gospel is. The disciple regards Jesus as the model for ethical directives as he gives to my life to become a true believer. A true disciple of Jesus Christ, one who takes orders and one who obeys orders. Never questions his master. He taught it. He modeled it.

And now we need to model that what Jesus Christ has given to us. And how do we do it? It starts by dying to the cross of Jesus Christ. Take up your cross and die to follow Jesus Christ, the instrument of death. Jesus was a great great man of God. He was God himself, the king of kings, Lord of lords. And yet when Jesus was approached by the scribe and following him, he tested the man's sincerity. For the disciple must give up what? His earthly securities. And to know there is a greater inner security that comes only through the purpose of God in his son Jesus Christ.

That's where my security comes in in Jesus Christ. As I follow him, as I do exactly what he says. This term that is used here for the son of man, it's used in Matthew 31 times, 14 times in Mark and 25 times in the Gospel of Luke, 13 times in John. It's a beautiful title of Jesus, the son of man.

Guest (Male): This is Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Reese. We are here to help you firmly anchor your heart and life in God's word. Visit us anytime at somebodylovesyou.com to look through our full selection of resources. You can also download our free app for more connections to the word of God. Now back to more with Raul Reese.

Raul Ries: And yet notice observation number two, verses 21 and 22, the test of priorities here. The test of prior what are your priorities today? Who seems to be first? What does he say? Verse 21, then another of his disciples said to him, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. Then Jesus said to him, follow me and let the dead bury their own dead. Notice that. Why? Because to follow Jesus Christ is not in a day or two or three days or a week or a month because you know my father may die in 10 years.

So I'll follow you in 10 years. No, no, no. If you want to be a follower of Jesus Christ, it's today, right now. Not tomorrow, not in a couple hours. It's today, this very moment. You become a disciple of Jesus Christ. And that's why when the second person came and said, let me first go and bury my father, man, that he wished to remain with his parents until fulfilling their occupational expectations, whether they retire whether they died and then I'll bury them and then I'll come and follow you. It may be too late. It may be years before you follow Jesus Christ.

And yet the word let the dead bury their own dead. It's a word picture that Jesus Christ gives to us. They mean that spiritually dead or physically dead, no? Jesus wants you to come now and die to yourself. Let the dead bury their own dead. There's family behind that remains to take care of them. Yet however, literally it's expressed this way. Let that which is a part of the dying order of the age die and follow me. You see? And follow me. Don't worry about those that are dying. Jesus is calling to what? To prioritize your call.

First him, not your mom, not your dad, not anybody else. It's the Lord. In Matthew 6 33, but seek you first the kingdom of God, his righteousness, and all these things are going to be added to you. Jesus calls disciples and is asking him to put him and him above everything else. He has to be number one, number one. Otherwise you cannot be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Observation number three, listen carefully, the test of character to be a disciple. Number one character, obedience. Obedience is a fact. In the book of John 14 15 he says, if you love me, keep my commandments.

Keep my commandments. If you really love me, then keep my word. Whatever it says, you do it. Secondly, it is my faithfulness to him. How faithful am I to the Lord? I know he's faithful, but what about my faithfulness to him? Or am I unfaithful to him? In John 15 8 he says, by this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit, so then you will be my disciples. Bearing fruit makes you a true disciple of Jesus Christ as you come to him. And yet have you noticed how many people are always making excuses just like this man here?

First let me bury my father, then I'll come and follow you. And yet we should have no excuse when the call comes and the Holy Spirit speaks to us and we take upon ourselves to make that decision with our wives, with our children, or if you're single in your singleness of life, you have to understand that following Jesus Christ is going to require obedience, is going to require faithfulness. It's going to require perseverance in my life as I come, as I am to him, not wanting to backtrack, but going forward with him because he says thirdly in John 8 31, then Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, if you abide in my word, then you are my disciples indeed.

You see? If you really keep my word and you obey it, then you're my disciple. But if you don't keep God's word, then you're not really a true disciple. You're a trader to the faith. You can do that. You have to do what God says. You have to be faithful to him. And then fourthly, it is my love for him. In John 13 35, I love this. He says, by this all will know that you are my disciples. What's that? Everybody will know you're my disciple by what? Listen, if you have loved one for another, if you love people.

That's a great sign of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Number one, loving God. Number two, loving others. And maybe you're sitting here today and you don't have love for your parents or maybe your brother and sisters or friends. If we're going to be truly disciples of Jesus Christ, then we have to love all people. That doesn't mean we have to be with them. We have to love all people. We can't keep grudges. We cannot do that. If we keep grudges, then how in the world can you expect God to forgive you if you can't forgive others?

And there's a lot of that in the church where people hate one another, do not forgive one another. And yet if we truly truly believe God's word and we really expect to be disciples of Jesus Christ, he says, by this everybody will know you if you have love one for another. My love has to be a priority in your life, a priority. And number five, there has to be humility, not pride, humility. In Matthew 10 24 25 he says, a disciple is not above his teacher nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he may be like his teacher and as a servant like his master, but if they have call the master of the house Beelzebub, the god of the flies, how much more will they call those of his household?

This is when the Pharisees were coming against Jesus and they were calling Jesus the devil. And Jesus, you're getting close to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. You better be careful what you say. A true disciple of Jesus Christ knows what to say and what not to say. He's very careful with his words because a true disciple of Jesus Christ in that throw humility, we understand the love and the patience of God given to each one of us individually so that we can love and forgive other people because the next point is very important because we do know God's love that we are surrendering everything to the Lord.

I surrender my life completely and fully to him. If I'm going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, listen, verse 26 in Luke 14 26, if anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, hate his mother, hate his wife, hate his children, hate his brothers, hate his sisters, yes, and even his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. You see it in that in the Bible? That's in the Bible. Luke 14 26. The word hate here is literally to love less, love less, not to hate to murder. He's saying that you got to put God first, not your wife, not your father, not your mother, not your brother, not your sister, not your friends.

God has to be number one in everything that I do. He goes on to say this, so likewise whoever of you does not forsake all that he cannot be my disciple. You see? Forsaking everything to become a disciple of Jesus Christ that is I strip myself from everything, he will build me back up the way he wants me to be as a disciple of Jesus Christ. As I give him my hands and my feet and my eyes, my ear, my mind, my mouth, everything belongs to God. It is all his. That why Paul said in Romans 12 1 and 2, I therefore all Paul the apostle of Jesus Christ present my body as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God.

You see? I bring my body as a living sacrifice to God. And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind. And that can only happen as we sit here this morning as you read the Bible, as you study the Bible, as you pray, as you fast, as you give yourself to the Lord that the Lord can pour himself into you and then you can pour yourself into people. That's what a disciple is all about. Counting the cost and saying Jesus, here I am.

Guest (Male): We hope today's lesson has been a motivation for you to submit your life to the Lord following Jesus on the path of humble obedience. You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Reese. Today's study was titled The Cost of Discipleship. If you'd like to get an unedited version with much more teaching, we'll be glad to send a copy to you for a donation of $5 or more. The phone number to call if you'd like to get a copy is 800 634 9165. And to further equip you with insight into the abundance that comes from surrender, we'd like to offer you Raul's 10 part series called Chosen and Committed.

It's available on CD and thumb drive. Further exploring Jesus' invitation to journey through life and communion with him, you'll discover how to make the most of your gifts and resources to bring glory to God's name. Connect with us at somebodylovesyou.com or call 800 634 9165 to order Raul's 10 message series called Chosen and Committed. We'll send you the CD set for $22 or the flash drive for just 13. That's 800 634 9165. Our mailing address if you'd like to order this resource by writing is Somebody Loves You Radio, Post Office Box 4440 Diamond Bar, California 91765.

Look for podcast of all of these programs on iTunes and Spotify. You can also find them on the Somebody Loves You Worldwide YouTube channel, which is home of Raul's Straight Talk program streaming Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. West Coast time. Thank you for your gifts. Every contribution is tax deductible and enables us to keep reaching more and more people with the good news of the Lord Jesus. We invite you to join us again next time as we quiet our minds and open our hearts to hear more from the Lord through the pages of his word. Now here's Raul once again with the final thought from today's study.

Raul Ries: And lastly is burying your own cross, just as we read in Matthew 16 25, for whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it, will find it. And that's eternally. Don't think just about today, think about tomorrow and the next day and the future of eternity where you're going to be with Jesus. We're all going to die one day. And we're all going to be judged according to our discipleship. You're either a disciple or you're not a disciple of Christ. You either submit or you don't submit.

And how I thank God for all the people that have totally submitted themselves to Jesus Christ. I thank God for you. The God is going to use your life, he's going to bless your life, and he's going to bring you to a place not only of great submission, but of great usefulness in the kingdom of God because he knows your heart.

Guest (Male): This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You Radio in Diamond Bar, California.