“…To be a disciple of Jesus is going to cost you something…”
That quote hit me square between the eyes. Because when I held it up to my own life, I had to admit something uncomfortable: I don’t know that I’ve ever truly lived that kind of discipleship. Not consistently. Not fully.
Jesus didn’t mince words. The call to follow Him was direct, costly, and repeated.
Matthew 16:24. Mark 8:34. Mark 10:21. Luke 9:23
That phrase—“take up your cross and follow Me”—isn’t some poetic metaphor for mild inconvenience. It was a death sentence. A surrender of will. And the fact that all three Synoptic Gospels include it—Mark more than once—tells us just how central it is to the Christian life.
Discipleship isn’t a suggestion. It’s a command.
And we’ve spent far too much time reshaping that command into something manageable.
Comfortable.
Instagrammable.
We’ve turned “take up your cross” into a cozy quote rather than a call to daily death to self.
Let’s be brutally honest: when was the last time following Jesus actually cost you something?
Not just time.
Not just a tithe.
But real, personal sacrifice.
Something that forced you to change your plans, stretch your faith, or confront your pride?
We love the verses about being blessed. We highlight the promises of peace and provision. But we skip over the ones about obedience, sacrifice, and suffering. We love the idea of being “called,” but wrestle when that calling demands discomfort.
That’s not legalism. That’s lordship.
And Jesus made it crystal clear:
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
He didn’t say, “Take up your dreams.”
He said, “Take up your cross.”
That cross is not a religious accessory.
It’s a declaration of surrender. It means laying down your rights.
It means serving people you don’t like, giving when it hurts, forgiving when it’s undeserved, and going where you’d rather not go.
Jesus said in Matthew 25:35–40 that whatever we do for “the least of these,” we do for Him. That means giving a sandwich to the hungry, a drink to the thirsty, a warm welcome to the outcast, and our time to those who can’t repay it.
Discipleship means getting out of our comfort zones.
Rolling up our sleeves.
Doing the hard, often thankless work of loving people well in Jesus’ name.
It’s not flashy. It’s not always fun. But it’s faithful.
So here’s the challenge:
What has your faith cost you lately?
What have you surrendered—not just out of guilt, but out of obedience?
May we be found faithful—not just in belief, but in obedience.
Not just in words, but in sacrifice.
Not just on Sunday—but every single day.
