If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters, yes–even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. In the same way, any of you that do not give up everything cannot be my disciple.”
Don’t let the prosperity teachers deceive you with their excessive teachings about gain! It’s quite the opposite. Discipleship will cost you everything! Discipleship is not about getting your next blessing or breakthrough…it’s about giving of yourself. It’s about losing yourself. And we are commanded to carry our own crosse and to die to daily to self. in order to win some for Christ we must pour ourselves out. It will cost us everything!
The parable of the hidden treasure; the parable of the fine pearl
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and purchased the field. Matthew 13:44
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value,he went away and sold everything he had to purchase it. Matthew 13:45.
To be sold out for Christ, means that we sell our own plans, pleasures and desires for success and gain for God and his kingdom. Despite what prosperity teachers claim, to lose ourselves and our desires–is to gain. God uses the foolishness to confound the wise. See, worldly principles are reversed in God’s kingdom. The gospel is not about self preservation and self gain. It may cost you everything. The 12 disciples gave up everything to follow Christ. Mark 10:25. God follows in the next verse with this, “No one who has left homes or brothers or sisters or mothers or fathers or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive one hundred times as much in this present age (homes,brothers,sisters, mothers, children, fields and with them persecutions[ I will discussed in the message about suffering] in this age and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Marl 10:29-31
God’s system is not the world’s system. It is foolishness to them (I Corinthians 1:20). To gain, you must lose. And God promises 100X in this life. To those who have status and wealth on earth–will lack such importance in heaven. Christ says the first shall be last. Those who are lowly and humble on earth, those who are poor…they will be first in the kingdom of heaven. In fact, according to Matthew Matthew 5:1, the kingdom of heaven is theirs! There are many people who are poor and suffering lack on this earth who are looked on with contempt and pity. But Matthew 5 calls them blessed! Why, because while those who sow gain in this life have a TEMPORAL reward, the poor shall reap ETERNAL rewards in heaven. They will no longer be the last, but first! Everything will be reversed! We thank God that we don’t suffer persecution, but Matthew 5, says that they shall reap the kingdom of heaven! Does it then make sense to waste your life on temporal things? Does invest all that you have in what you can only keep for a moment, and nothing in what lasts an eternity? I beseech you, be eternally minded! Don’t waste your life and time here on earth–serve God! Use this as an opportunity to serve God.
Your love for God and his kingdom should be immeasurably greater than your love for yourself and your family…that it would almost appear that your love for them is as hate in comparison. Matthew 10:34 says this, “Anyone who loves his father and mother more than me are not worthy of me. For he who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it.” The pursuit of gain paradoxically leads to loss.
