The Cost of Following Christ, Part 5a

When you follow Christ, he asked you to count the cost. He says, you must be willing to do what I ask you to do. If need be, you must be willing to die, because that's the cost in following me. Those are incredible words, but they're true words. Because God says, you can't give up enough for me that will ever match what I will do for you.

You can't. The cost of following Christ is great, but the compensations of following Christ are greater. Unfortunately, we don't see it that way sometimes. Tonight, I want to be able to hopefully help you understand those promises, those privileges that Christ himself will give. We've looked at this parable in Luke 14, and we've seen what Christ has said to the crowds. He gave them two parables about counting the cost. He spells it out for them at the very outset of, of this sermon and says this is what it's about.

So count the cost. Make sure you're able to finish the building. Make sure you're able to face the battle. If you're going to follow me, you've got to be willing to renounce all that you have, everything, and come and follow me. Jeremiah Burroughs has said these words. There was never any man or woman so contented as a self-denying man or woman. No one ever denied himself as much as Jesus Christ did. He gave. He gave him. He gave his cheeks to the smiters. He opened not his mouth. He was as a land when he was led to the slaughter.

He made no noise in the street. He denied himself above all and was willing to empty himself. And so he was the most contented that ever any was in the world. The nearer we come to learning to deny ourselves as Christ did, the more contented shall we be. Isn't that true? I mean, there wasn't anybody more content than Christ, and there wasn't anybody who was more despised than Christ, and there wasn't anybody more ridiculed and rejected than Christ himself, and yet he was the most contented man that ever lived.

Christ said, what shall a man give in exchange for a soul? If you wish to save your life, you're going to lose it. But if you lose your life for my sake, you'll save it. Jesus said there's only two ways to go. You can give it away. That is your life, and you'll obtain my life or you can keep what you got and you'll lose everything. They'll die in your sins. Those are the only two ways you can go. This way or that way. There's not a both and here. It's an either or. I like what A.W. Toza said. He said, Christ's joyful resurrection followed hard upon his joyless crucifixion.

But the first had to come before the second. The life that halts short of the cross is but a fugitive and condemned thing doomed at last to be lost beyond recovery. That life which goes to the cross and loses itself there to rise again with Christ is a divine, deathless treasure. Over it, death hath no more dominion. Whoever refuses to bring his old life to the cross is but trying to cheat death. And no matter how hard we may struggle against it, he is nevertheless faded to lose his life at last.

The man who takes his cross and follows Christ will soon find that his direction is away from the sepulcher. Death is behind him and a joyous and increasing life before. His days will be marked henceforth not by ecclesiastical gloom, the churchyard, the hollow tone, the black robe, which are all but the shroud of a dead church. but by joy, unspeakable, and full of glory. And so tonight I want to help you understand some things. Christ says, come to me, come to me.

You come to me, you come to me, and I will do for you what you can't even imagine. The Bible says in Matthew 1128, you know, the verse, coming to me, all you that weary and heavy laden.

He beckons man to come. John 635, I am the bread of life. life. He who comes to me shall not hunger. He who believes in me shall never thirst. John 637. All that the Father gives me shall come to me, John 644. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. John 665. No one can come to me unless it has been granted him from the Father. John 737. If any man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. What do I tell you that? Turn with me to the first epistle of Peter.

Remember Peter was the one who asked, what's in it from what do we get we've left father mother we've left business we've left home we've left it all to follow you lord he was a spokesperson for the disciples but he picks up a pen and and the lord uses him to write two great epistles first and second peter and peter says this in the verse number four and coming to him that's a great place to stop and coming to him.

Peter says in 1 Peter chapter 2, verse number 4, that there's something unique about coming to Christ. At the moment of salvation, great things begin to happen. Things that are beyond what we can ever imagine. Things that go way beyond what we can dream. Having come to him, Paul was saying in Ephesians 1, verse number 3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Peter had experienced the privileges and promises of Christ in his life.

He says, having come to him. Now, that word come is very important. It's a word prosercomai, which is a word that means not only to come, listen very carefully. It's a word that comes and guarantees. a stain, a remaining. That's very important. Because Peter says, when you come to Christ, you stay with Christ. And you stay with Christ because he is precious. He is invaluable. And you have realized that. Denying father, mother, brother, sister, denying your own life, taking up your cross and following Christ, pales in comparison to what you receive in Jesus Christ himself.

And Peter says, having come to him, the precious living stone, the chief cornerstone, this one is unbelievable. And those who come to him stay with him because they realize the value of him. And so Peter, the man who asked, what's in it for me? What do I get? Says this. Coming to him as to a living stone rejected by men, but choice and precious in the side of God. You also are living stones are being built up. up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

And this is contained in scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a chief stone, a precious cornerstone. And he who believes in him shall not be what, disappointed. He who believes in him shall not be disillusioned. He who believes in him should not be ashamed. I want to tell you something. I've been saved for a number of years. I was saved in 1972. I can't recall one time I've ever been disillusioned by Christ. I can't recall one time that I've ever been disappointed in what Jesus Christ has done.

Those who come to Christ stay with Him and are committed to Him because they're committed to Him. know that coming to him never disappoints them. They will never be disillusioned. This is a quote from Isaiah 28, verse number 16. In Isaiah 28, verse number 16, it reads this way. I think is quite interesting. Isaiah 28, verse number 16 reads as follows. Therefore, thus the Lord God, says the Lord God, behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone, for the foundation, firmly placed, he who believes in it will not be disturbed.

Now, Peter doesn't quote Isaiah 2816, but he refers back to it. Isaiah says, he who comes to this chief cornerstone shall not be disturbed. In other words, literal translation shall not be, are you ready for this? In a hurry. In a hurry? What does that mean? Those who come to him are never, ready for this, are never in a hurry. hurry to leave him. Never. Because they're never disappointed. They're never disillusioned. They're never ashamed because he's the reliable one. He's the one that you can count on.

You're never in a hurry to run in fear because God has failed you. Oh my Lord failed me. I got to get out of here. It doesn't work for me. The Christian doesn't say that because he has believed in the chief cornerstone, the tested stone. That cornerstone was the hallmark of the building. It had to be set in just the right place so that every stone was built upon it. And Christ is that chief cornerstone, whether it's vertically or horizontally, every stone was built off the cornerstone. It had to be the perfect stone.

And Christ is that perfect stone, that perfect living stone, so perfect that those who come to him are never ashamed, are not disillusioned, or are not disappointed, are never in a hurry to run away saying, God, you blew it, you didn't do it right, God. Peter says this, this precious value, verse number seven, then is for you who believe. Man, that's so good. I was studying this yesterday and today, and I thought, man, I should just preach First Peter chapter two.

He said, listen, this is for you. This precious value, this immeasurable commodity. this one is for you this one will never disappoint you if you're thirsty you come to him and drink if you're hungry you come to him you'll feed you if you're lost you come to him he'll show you the way he's the light of the world that's jesus christ our lord he is irreplaceable he is so valuable he is absolutely precious that word disappoints in 1 peter chapter 2 verse number 6 carries the idea of having one's confidence misplaced or having one's hope in someone or something disappointed and the believer won't experience that with Christ because he does not disappoint listen to isaiah 50 Isaiah 50 verse number 7 for the Lord God helps me therefore I am not disgraced therefore I have set my face like flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

Isn't that good? I mean, my God is so great that I know I'll never be ashamed. I can count on him. I can trust him. I can believe what he says. And therefore, because of that, I commit my life to him, even all the more. So, so good, so important. Peter would go on to say, this precious value then is for you who believe, but for those who disbelieve, the stone which the builders rejected, this became the very cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. Listen, for those who believe, he doesn't disappoint.

But for those who disbelieve, oh, he becomes a rock of offense. He becomes the crushing blow because they refuse to believe. in him. I read that and I thought to myself, you know, it's unbelievable to me how many people when presented with the gospel have no interest at all in the things of God. They love their lives just the way they are. They love their sin. They think it's okay. They think it's good enough. They never get to experience the greatness of Christ and all that he has for them. Christ, O Peter.

no man who leaves everything for me will ever lack no man no woman they will receive much more not only in this life but in the life to come that's good news that's great news so tonight I just want to give you some of those privileges some of those promises that he gives to us as his children and I want you to write them down but I just want to wet your appetite maybe you go home and study some more and use them with your family and some kind of devotional exercise but listen to this number one is this if you give you life to Christ you're never going to perish I got to tell you that you're not going to perish you see the cross of Christ is so great that those who are crucified with Christ never perish Listen to what the Bible says in Philippians chapter 3, verse number 17.

Brethren, join in following my example and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk of whom I often told you. And now tell you even weeping. Paul says, I am weeping as I tell this to you. Three times Paul talks about tears and weeping in the Bible. Acts 20 as he addresses the Fijian elders. He says, I warned you day and night with tears, he says. Over in Romans 9, the Bible says that he was grieved over the lost state of Israel.

I grieved him deeply. Here in Philippians chapter 3, he says that he weeps over false teachers who will come in and disrupt the church. and lead people astray. I ask you, what do you weep about? What do you cry about? Paul says, man, I love the church of Jesus Christ. And it tears me up that the people are going to come in and lead the sheep of God astray, a different direction. It tears me up that the people that I love are lost. It tears me up inside that savage wolves will come from within and begin to lead people astray.

Those things tear me up inside. They cause me to weep. And Paul says in Philippians chapter 3, now I tell you even weeping that they are enemies of the cross of Christ. False teachers are enemies of the cross of Christ. cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their appetite, whose glory is in their shame, and who set their minds on earthy things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. But he says, you know, there are enemies of the cross.

Enemies of the cross. And these people, these people are going to be destroyed. Their end is destruction. They're going to perish. You see, you either are an enemy of the cross or you embrace the cross. We're two ways to go. And what Jesus says about the cross, you embrace it wholeheartedly, or you're an enemy of the cross.

And Paul says these people are enemies of the finished work of Christ. They're saying that the cross of Christ isn't enough. That they've got to do something else. that what Jesus said really isn't true, that there's got to be something else that's going to give you a standing with God. You've got to be baptized. You've got to do some kind of works. You've got to keep the commands. You've got to do something because you've got to please God. They're enemies at the cross of Christ. They're saying what Jesus did on the cross is not enough.

And those who follow Christ say what Jesus did on the cross is enough. It's enough to atone for my sins. That's why Paul would say over to 1 Corinthians 118 for the Word of the Cross to those who are perishing. is foolishness. It's foolishness. To those who are perishing, to the enemies of the cross, it's foolishness. Listen, when you come to Christ, you give life to Him. You're not going to perish. God's love of the world they gave his only begotten Son, right? That whoever believes in Him shall never perish.

But have everlasting life. That's the greatest of all news. You live with Christ forever. But number two, you know what you get?

You get his peace. You get Christ's peace. This is so good. Christ said these words, John 16, the eve of the crucifixion. These things I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace. Peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage. I have overcome the world. I've told you these things because I want you to have in me peace. That's what I want you to have, Christ says.

He said in John 14, my peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives, it's divine to you, but my peace I give unto you. I want you to have my peace. The Bible says in Ephesion 3 that he himself is our peace.

He is our peace. over in Romans 14, verse number 17, Paul said that the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, joy, and peace. That's what the kingdom of God's about. The kingdom of God is not about what you do externally. It's about what happens to you internally. And the people who are part of the kingdom have is peace. Christ says, listen, you're in the world and you love this and you love that and you want this and you want that and you don't want to give up these things because you think that those things are going to satisfy you and give you peace, but they won't.

They won't give you peace. They'll keep you in constant turmoil. But I'll give you peace. On the Prince of Peace. I bestow peace on people who come to me. The Bible says in Psalm 119, 165, great peace have those who love thy law, and nothing causes them to stumble.

See, I've come to Christ. I don't have peace. Well, the Bible says, great peace have those who love thy law.

If you don't love the law of God, then you don't have the peace of God. Right? You see, when you love the law of God, you have peace. There is nothing greater than being able to deal with issues from a biblical perspective so that you have peace in your life. The Bible says in Colossus 315, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

Let the fact that you're no longer an enemy of Christ, you're no longer an enemy of the cross, but you've embraced the cross and you are a friend of Christ. Let the fact that you're on his side rule your hearts. That is, let what God says rule your life.

When you let what God says rule your life, guess what? You've got peace. And you'll find that when what God says doesn't rule your life, you don't have peace.

Because there's turmoil. There's you fighting against this and you fight it against that. And yet if you govern your life by the word of God, which is the word of peace, then you will have peace. because the spirit of peace will produce it in you. Galatians 5 speaks of the fruit of the spirit, right? Love, joy, peace. And I think that when Christ gives us his peace, that tranquil spirit, that rests in his work, that rests in his word, that rests in his will, oh, there's nothing like it. And that's what God wants to give to his people.

The peace of Christ. One author said it this way, bane and blessing, pain and pleasure by the cross are sanctified. Peace is there that knows no measure, joys that through all time abide. Peace is there. The Bible says that when we are not anxious but pray about everything, There is a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Listen, if you don't have peace, two things are happening. One, you don't love the law of God, and two, you're not praying about what the situation is. Because those two things guarantee peace in your life. Put you at rest to trust God. And God says, I give you my peace.

I want you to have that. Think about the life of Christ and the contentment that he had, the peace that he had. Unbelievable. He says, I get that to you. The same peace that he had when he was on the boat and there was a storm and he was asleep and who was afraid? The disciples were afraid. What was Jesus doing? He's sleeping through the storm. Lord, wake, don't you care that we perish? Oh, oh ye have little faith, he says. We're afraid of. We're afraid of. Peace be still. Instant calm. The Bible says the disciples are terrified.

Terrified. And why is that? Because they came in contact with the living God. And they realized it. And you see, Christ says, that's the peace I want to give to you.

You have that kind of peace? Christ says it's yours. I want you to have it. Great peace, have those who love thy law, and nothing causes them to stumble. Nothing. Let's pray. Thank you.