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13: The Cost of Discipleship – Hit the Mark — 6 Comments

  1. It seems to me that we probably have a much easier time with what Jesus said about the bread of life, than the first century Jew did, for to them it violated Mosaic law. Even those in the inner circle had trouble with it but stayed anyway, “Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

    Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Jn 6:67-69 NKJV). I think the difference was in the level of commitment. I am fairly convinced that none of His disciples understood His mission or the plan of salvation before the cross, so to me it wasn’t a matter of theology, or how one is saved, but rather it was a matter of believing that Jesus was the Messiah and being committed in spite of what was said.

    If we consider it from a purely theological point of view and realize that the disciples couldn’t see beyond the literal to the spiritual then we might be able to understand why so many of them left. I think that we as Seventh-day Adventists need to humbly acknowledge that we quite often don’t see things as we should either and have trouble seeing past the literal to the spiritual, quite often the same as the disciples. Even though to me that is true, I try to be very cautious about what I believe, and realize that there are a lot of things in scripture that are very literal and that I need to see those things that way while I remain sensitive to metaphor and symbolism.

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    • Hi Tyler, I like the clarity Ellen White brings to this. From Desire of Ages pg 391

      "Christ had spoken a sacred, eternal truth regarding the relation between Himself and His followers. He knew the character of those who claimed to be His disciples, and His words tested their faith. He declared that they were to believe and act upon His teaching. All who received Him would partake of His nature, and be conformed to His character. This involved the relinquishment of their cherished ambitions. It required the complete surrender of themselves to Jesus. They were called to become self-sacrificing, meek and lowly in heart. They must walk in the narrow path traveled by the Man of Calvary, if they would share in the gift of life and the glory of heaven.

      The test was too great. The enthusiasm of those who had sought to take Him by force and make Him king grew cold. This discourse in the synagogue, they declared, had opened their eyes. Now they were undeceived. In their minds His words were a direct confession that He was not the Messiah, and that no earthly rewards were to be realized from connection with Him. They had welcomed His miracle-working power; they were eager to be freed from disease and suffering; but they would not come into sympathy with His self-sacrificing life. They cared not for the mysterious spiritual kingdom of which He spoke. The insincere, the selfish, who had sought Him, no longer desired Him. If He would not devote His power and influence to obtaining their freedom from the Romans, they would have nothing to do with Him."

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  2. Moderator's note: Please use full names when commenting.]

    The cost of being a disciple is not that cheap and easy. Its a life time committment, as Jesus said, take up the cross and follow me.

    How many are willing to respond to this high calling? There are two folds to this, firstly the response and secondly the committment ( faith and duty) to abide by his word and commandment.

    Lets not be like some of the disciples that no longer walk wih Him.From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. John 6:66.

    It is my pray that we will continue to walk in His sight untill He comes in glory to pronounce to us well done thou good and faithful servant, enter thou joy of the Lord.

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    • Must I be carried to the skies in flowery beds of ease
      while others fought to win the prize
      and sailed through bloody seas,
      no there is a cross for you and a cross for me.

      All cross signifies death therefore our cross must signify death. It can be both physical as well as spiritual death. Romans 12:1-2. Every day we live we must live with the thought that today might be my last. Me personally or the people of God might be attack and this might be our last. But their is a better resurrection.

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  3. [Moderators Note: Please use your Christian name and surname when commenting.]

    God Has offer us his son and he his saying to us in this lesson, do not focused on the materialistic stuff just put your trust in me and I will bless you according to what I think you can manage. God Knew before Adam sin man king could not make without his redemptive Gift. There is absolutely nothing in this world that will save us but been a true witness of the Gospel.

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  4. What matters is the cost benefit analysis. We sometimes think that the cost of discipleship is expensive but when we reach heaven and remember persecutions we suffered in earth we'll realise that cost of discipleship is cheap in comparison with new heaven and earth.

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