“How much will this cost me?” As cost-conscious consumers, you probably ask, or at least think that question often. Whether it’s waiting for car repairs, wheeling an overflowing cart to the Festival checkout line, or hearing your daughter say, “I need a new dress for homecoming,” we’re almost constantly asking, “How much will this cost me?”
But knowing the cost is only half battle. The other half is deciding “Is this worth the cost?” Some things are no brainers. If your child was being held for ransom, wouldn’t you pay any price to get them back? If your spouse needed to be airlifted to the hospital, would you stop the helicopter because the bill will be too much?
But some things are more subjective. Some people will pay any price for them, while others won’t even consider it. The new iPhone 7’s coming out this month, and there will be lines of people ready to pay any cost to have it. Others will stick with their flip phone. Some pay top dollar to sit in a box at the Packers game. Others would rather watch from home. Some find it necessary to buy the newest, fastest fishing boat. Their wives don’t.
Really, people decide whether something’s worth the cost by determining how valuable that thing is to them. People who prioritize family, or health, or the latest technology will pay any cost to have it. The perceived value of something determines how much we’re willing to pay for it.
For the last 3 weeks, Jesus has laid out the cost of following him, and he does again today. “Being my disciple could cost you…everything.” Now that we know the cost, we have to decide, “Is it worth it?” If following Jesus could mean setting aside everything else, Is Jesus Worth It? Is Jesus valuable enough to warrant the cost?
It wouldn’t be a hard question if Jesus said, “The cost of discipleship is setting aside the unused junk in your basement,” or “the people you’re Facebook friends with but don’t really like,” or “the temptations you don’t have to struggle to avoid.” If that was the cost, we’d all say, “Done, Jesus! No problem!”
But that’s not what he says. “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Everything includes everything we love and value most; the things we can’t imagine giving up. As Christians, we want to always prioritize God, but because we love and value so much of “everything else,” it’s tough to always answer, “Yes, Jesus is worth it.”
If you don’t think it’s tough, then try this: Make a mental checklist of the most important things in your life. I pray that God is on that list. Now, take a mental pen, and remove all but one of those things from your life.
That’s a painfully difficult decision, right? How could you choose? In our minds, those 3, 5, or 10 things are the best, most necessary parts of our lives, because we’ve determined those things give our lives meaning, happiness, and identity.
We view our lives like a bank account. Online, I can see all the money going into my bank account–the credits–and all the money going out– the debits. Obviously, I’m happier when credits are going in!
In our life account, we’ve deemed the “good parts”–the things we value or find identity in– as credits, and the loss of those “good parts” as debits. So when you think about your lovely family, your well-paying job, your position at work, your new home, your cabin on the lake, your health, the respect of your peers, and whatever else gives you pleasure—your life account number rises. According to the world, the higher that number is, the happier our lives must be.
So when Jesus says, “Set everything else aside to follow me,” we hear “empty your account. Don’t be happy.” And we fear that nothing could possibly make our life better than what’s been withdrawn. If following Jesus means we have to set aside all the “credits” from our lives, is he really worth it?
Paul thought so. In his former way of life, Paul had the self-confidence and identity most would deem a life account full of credits. “If anyone thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.”
Basically Paul says, “If your authority, your work, and your stuff, is all that matters, I could put everyone to shame.” In the field of legalistic Pharisees, Paul was at the very top! His life was just how he’d wanted it.
That is, until God blinded Paul and allowed him to see. When Christ converted him on the road to Damascus, Paul’s vision changed. “Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. What he once considered the meaning of his life, were now losses; meaningless compared to the untouchable greatness of having faith in Christ.
Paul put aside everything he had–as he said, “for (Jesus) sake, I have lost all things”— in order to follow Jesus. Kind of like a doctor who went through college, medical school, and residency, then set it all aside before he received the big paychecks for all his efforts for a career as a starving artist. We’d call that guy crazy for setting aside everything that gave his life purpose and meaning. But not Paul. Paul knew he wasn’t losing everything by following Jesus. He was gaining everything!
Paul felt that way, because he realized that the priorities of his former way of life were separating him from what made him truly rich. His legalistic Pharisaism was separating him from Jesus. He says, “I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him.”
When Paul thought about the things that used to give him joy and confidence, he realized that they were “rubbish” compared to having a relationship with his Savior. “Rubbish” is actually a polite translation. Really, Paul calls all that other stuff…what bears leave in the woods. So he saw two options: a life account filled with the all-surpassing joy and eternal promises of knowing his Savior by faith; or a life account filled with manure. “Is Jesus worth setting aside everything else?” is a lot easier to answer when everything else is dung in comparison. Paul understood that Jesus was worth it, even if it meant “sharing in the fellowship of (Jesus) sufferings,” because Jesus is better than everything this world offers.
It’s important to understand that Jesus isn’t telling you “abandon your family, sell your home, quit your job, never enjoy your hobbies, and become a monk.” What he’s saying is, “If any of those things is distracting you from me, or harming your faith, you need to set them aside to follow what is more important…me.” God has blessed our lives with so many wonderful things, but it’s a matter of priorities—Jesus needs to be first. And that’s only possible when the gospel changes our mindset about what’s best.
What can change our mindset to willingly set aside everything to live for Jesus? Jesus set aside everything—his power, his authority, his glory– to live and die for us. As Paul said in chapter 2 of Philippians, “Who, being in very nature God…made himself nothing…and became obedient, even to death on a cross.” Our righteousness, our salvation, our eternal life comes from him, not from ourselves. As Paul says, when we’re “found in him we don’t have a righteousness…that comes from the law, but one which is through faith in Christ.”
Consider this. There are so many things in our lives we attach promises to. Our spouse promises lifelong faithfulness. Our families promise love and connection. Our job promises fulfillment and providing for our needs. Sex promises pleasure. Getting drunk or high promises good feelings. Authority promises to make us feel needed. Money promises contentment and security. Sleep promises rest and peace. And yet, when you think about all of those things you depend on to make your life better, in the end, they all end up letting us down, or failing to live up to their promises.
Your spouse leaves, or makes you feel very alone. Your family tears you down. You get fired. Sex only gives temporary pleasure. The buzz wears off, and you feel worse. Your authority is undermined. Money makes you crave more money. Rest evades you because you’re too worried to sleep.
Yes, there are blessings, wonderful blessings from God in that group. But Jesus is better than any of them. Because the same Jesus who set aside everything to save us, promises to give us faithfulness, love, connection, fulfillment, happiness, identity, contentment, and peace like nothing else in this world can.
What’s more, when Christ is our priority, he even makes all those other things better as well. Your marriage, your family, your job, your identity, your stewardship, your peace, and your attitudes are all better when Christ is priority!
Most importantly, only Christ can lead us to eternal life. Only Christ can assure us that we will “attain to the resurrection of the dead.” Because Jesus died and rose for us, he makes the promise of a final resurrection, of eternal life in Heaven. Compared to eternity with Jesus, everything else is loss.
Abraham felt the same way. He left behind his homeland, his people, and his father’s household to follow God. And why? Because God promised to bring him to a new homeland and bless him. He couldn’t see that promise fulfilled yet as he left. Along the way, he lost sight of it and doubted it even. But he trusted that a life with God was better than anything this world could offer. He knew God would keep his promise.
Jesus is asking us to do the same. “Set aside everything else, take up your cross, and follow me.” We can’t see our Promised Land of Heaven yet, but he’s promised to bring us there. He’s promised it’ll be worth it, no matter the cost. So whatever it is you’re still hanging on to, drop it, and take Jesus’ hand. Because Jesus is better. Because Jesus is worth it.