Matthew 16:24, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Matt 19:29, John 10:10, Rom 5:3-4, Heb 12:7

Richard Brear

Have you ever read a book or watched a TV show? I'm sure you have. Have you ever written a book or made a TV show? I suspect most people would say no. We are all consumers. We eat, watch, read, buy and use every day. Our decision making often centres on the questions, 'what do I get from this?', 'do I want to do this?' or 'does it cost too much?'. This consumer mentality is popular in our society and in the church. But should it be? Jesus was a revolutionary, he liked to turn things on their head; he was a contributor, not a consumer. He ultimately made the greatest contribution of all, his own life to save us. We need to reform our way of thinking and to get our lives in-line with Jesus.

The Cost

Jesus said this to his disciples shortly after explaining that he was going to be killed:

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24.

This isn't picture language. Jesus' disciples will have understood his reference to the cross to mean 'if you would come after me you must be willing to lose your life, literally to die'. God's grace is free; the Son of God gave his own life so that we could have salvation at no cost to ourselves. Following Jesus, on the other hand, is costly. We need to be willing to give up everything in the world and to put him before even our most basic needs. We need to contribute, not consume and our contribution is ourselves.

The nature of the contribution we need to make is different for each one of us. The Bible tells us about Paul the apostle who, before encountering Jesus, was a highly regarded religious leader. He gave up his status and reputation to follow God's call on his life. While following this call he was beaten, flogged, lashed, stoned, shipwrecked and imprisoned (2 Cor 11:24-25). Stephen, a man responsible for distributing food to widows in the early church, was stoned to death for his outspoken faith in Jesus (Acts 6-7). As a more recent example C.T Studd, an Englishman who played in the very first Ashes test match, left his cricketing career to tell people in China about Jesus. Countless others throughout the centuries have left family and career, given money and possessions and been imprisoned or even killed, all for Jesus.

But giving things up is not the same as following Jesus. We are called primarily to obedience, not to sacrifice. We should make obedient sacrifices, not just making sacrifices for show or to justify ourselves, rather making obedient sacrifices that honour God. God said this about Paul the Apostle: "I have picked him as my personal representative to non-Jews and kings and Jews. And now I'm about to show him what he's in for-the hard suffering that goes with this job." (Acts 9:15 Message). Paul was following God's plan for his life when he suffered all those things. Many other people have suffered and sacrificed in ways and circumstances that have nothing to do with God. So make sure, when you're paying the cost, that you are in-step with God's plan for your life. As Paul no-doubt knew, it's dangerous and difficult, but there's no safer place to be.

The Reward

Following Jesus is costly. If we evaluate our christian lives based on what we are getting out of it in this world, it may well not add up; from the point of view of a consumer it doesn't make sense. So why bother? We need to look at the bigger picture. Paul the apostle looks back over his life and says "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day" (2 Timothy 4:7-8). His reward comes in Heaven and, though his contribution was huge, Jesus implies that he will be given more than he gave as he says to his disciples "everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." (Matt 19:29).

We need to get our perspective right, taking into account the reality of our situation: this world is just a shadow of the one to come, and our reward will come in the next world. The things we build here on earth will not last, so we should make our contribution a long term investment in the kingdom of God. C.T Studd, the English cricketer, had it right when he said "I knew that cricket would not last, and honour would not last, and nothing in this world would last, but it was worth while living for the world to come.".

Finding Life

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Matthew 16:25.

If we accept the cost that Jesus asks us to pay then we will find the life that He came to give us, life in overflowing abundance (see John 10:10). Jesus is referring to eternal life but I believe that starts now. We are born again on earth, marking the start of our eternal life in relationship with God. How does that life look? It bears the characteristics of the Kingdom of God: righteousness, peace, joy and power. (Rom 14:17, 1 Cor 4:20).

Paul the Apostle tells us that the cost of following Jesus builds character and perseverance into our lives. 'we .... rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.' (Rom 5:3-4). The cost of following God shapes us, matures us and works into us a greater trust of him. We should "endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?" (Heb 12:7). We are children of the God of the Universe and this is God treating us as sons, in that he allows us to endure hardships as an opportunity to be discipled. But this is not an excuse to neglect the needs of those around us, or even our own needs. Much of the suffering and hardship in our world is experienced by people who are not Gods children, so surely they cannot be being disciplined? We must do everything we can to meet their needs, both spiritual and natural.

God sends the Holy Spirit to his sons and daughters; our Father sends help to those who he is disciplining, to those who will lose their life for him. The Holy Spirit gives us peace and joy in the most unlikely situations, and equips us with power to demonstrate his glory. Paul the apostle gives us a perfect example. Whilst in Philippi Paul and his co-worker Silas are stripped, beaten severely and thrown into jail for disturbing the peace. At about midnight we find them in the inner cell of the jail, bound by their feet, praying and singing to God! Imagine yourself in the same situation. In my own strength I don't think I'd be singing, but Paul and Silas have been equipped by the Holy Spirit to find peace and joy even in this situation. Now the Holy Spirit does a powerful thing: there is an earthquake, all the prison doors come open and all the prisoners chains fall off (Acts 16:16-26). Even now the same Holy Spirit who did these things makes himself available to his children, to those who deny themselves and follow Him.

Be A Contributor

So in your church, your job, your marriage, your school, your community and especially in your spiritual life, ditch the consumer mentality and become a contributor. You will be rewarded in heaven, and you will find abundant life on earth. Three questions to finish:

1. What does following Jesus cost me?
2. Do I believe that I will be rewarded in Heaven?
3. Does my life bear the characteristic of the Kingdom of God: righteousness, peace, joy and power?