Please do turn to our Bible reading tonight, Matthew chapter 16. And our text tonight, initially at least, is in verse 24. Matthew 16, 24. The title of this single Bible study is Discipleship. that costs. Discipleship that costs. We live in a day of easy believism. The gospel is often presented as the blessings that we can take from it. Come to Christ and you will get X, Y and Z. But the Lord Jesus himself says here in verse 24, then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man, the word man is in italics, if any will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. One of the proving characteristics of the gospel that the Lord Jesus reveals is he predicts and he gives very clear notice that Christian believers will encounter many troubles and difficulties. in the Christian life and that's what we do experience and the Lord Jesus is mentioning this here take up your cross and follow me but the word if to start with if if any man the gospel goes out to many we teach children adults alike But not all will take up their cross. Not all will come after the Lord Jesus. Many are called, but few are chosen. Many will be fair-weather followers. Many never truly yield to Christ. The parable of the sower has it so perfectly. We see that the seed is good seed. The Lord Jesus explains it himself. It was very good seed. Nothing wrong with the seed, nothing wrong with the sower, but it was all to do with the condition of the land, the soil, the road, the hardness of the heart that took up the seed. Some came to fruit, some seemed to shoot, but then didn't yield any fruit. Some was snatched by the birds and some was choked by the weeds. If any man, there is an if, it's conditional. Some won't. Some will hear the gospel and it will sound good, it will sound moral, it will sound appealing, But they're only in it for what they can get out of it, not for what the Lord will do within their life because of the hardness of their hearts. They will not yield to him. The cares of the world choke the good seed. and even if the chute comes the route isn't sufficient to hold it so our subject tonight discipleship that costs I want to try to define initially What is discipleship? That word disciple, it's used in different ways in the Word of God and it's instructive for us to look at what they mean. The first is here in this verse. A disciple is a follower, a follower of a person's teaching. It's what Christ taught that his disciples followed. They heard Him, they heard the Word of God, and some started to follow, they started to agree. There needs to be that acknowledgement and recognition that what's being said in the Gospel, the truth, it chimes, it strikes a chord, it endorses itself, it's self-authenticating, we say. The Word fits. It describes our own heart, it describes the world, And it just chimes as being true. So a follower is somebody that recognises the truth in what's being taught. Well, also the word can mean a learner. And when we come to the Lord Jesus Christ, we do not know all of it, not by half. The time that we come to acknowledge our sin and confess the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, well, that's just the beginning. We are learners. For many, many years, some of us still, we have the L-plates on. We're learning. Learning of the Lord Jesus. Learning of what he teaches. Well, this word disciple, let's look at that. He said unto his disciples. There is a very narrow definition of disciple. That's literally the twelve disciples or in the book of Acts, the apostles are sometimes called disciples. But there is also a very wide definition where it literally means everybody that followed Him, that massive crowd, the 10, 20,000 that came after the Lord Jesus. But it's not until we get to Acts chapter 6, and you might like to turn to that, you see how the word disciple is used in a more honed way. There is the narrow definition, the very wide definition, but Acts chapter 6, it says in verses 1 and 2, and in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, There arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them. The twelve disciples called the crowd of disciples. That's the two definitions, narrow and wide. It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. So today for us, It's not just the 12, but it's also not the big crowd that hear and that follow for a while. It's those that truly yield to the Lord Jesus. They leave their old life. They follow his teaching. They've experienced new life from above, as we say. If you'd like to turn to John 8, 31, we won't turn to too many references tonight on this subject john 8 verse 31 we see here The Lord Jesus says, Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. And the word for disciple there, it's not the follower word, it's not the learner word, it's an imitator, an imitator, somebody that mimics, copies the Lord Jesus Christ. We see his example his pattern we don't only hear his teaching and learn from him and follow him but we want to be imitators of him if you continue in my word if you carry on One of the signs that somebody is truly converted is that they carry on. That's one of the reasons that for us it's a good thing to wait to see if people do carry on. It's not a flash in the pan, an emotional response. If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples. We see that continuance. then if you turn over to John 15 and verse 8 we just see one more mention John 15 and verse 8. Herein is my father glorified again Christ speaking in the lead up to Calvary herein is my father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples So there is the following, there is the learning, there is the imitating, and now we have the fruit bearing. There's no such thing as a fruitless Christian. We are to be productive, we're to have a yield for the Saviour. We are to bring much fruit for Him, fruit of character of course, but also fruits of works, works that don't save us, but works that evidence that we are His. And so the Lord Jesus there says that we are to be fruit-bearers, so shall ye be my disciples. But there's one more reference and then we'll move on. Matthew 13, this is a very different reference to this subject. Matthew 13 and verse 52. again notice that all these references it's the lord jesus speaking he is defining and that's only right isn't it he's the only one that can define who is a true genuine real disciple of himself and he says here verse 52 then said he unto them therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things old and new and the word for discipling there it's not apparent It's the word instructed. It literally means somebody who is taught. It's taking the equivalent of the scribe and it's very interesting that the Lord Jesus likens himself to being like the scribes. It means he is taught or being discipled into and unto the kingdom of heaven. So there were the scribes. They were so focused in the minutiae of the law, those 600 plus Old Testament laws. They got distracted by fables and by made up things. And the Lord Jesus is saying, well I am a scribe. And a disciple is to be instructed like a scribe, but not like the rabbis. Do you remember him saying, have ye never read? When he addressed the scribes themselves, they were of the old order. They were focused on things which were not to do with the gospel. They were distracted by law, there was no grace. And so he says that there is a need to be instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven. So these are all definitions of disciples, followers. learners, imitators, fruit bearers, those who are being discipled, being instructed. He likens himself to a scribe but not the unlearned scribes who were focusing upon the wrong things, the subtleties, and the fantasies of their imagination, and the legends that had been handed down. But no, He was educating them in grace. Grace, that was His way. To speak to them that this Kingdom of Heaven is a Kingdom of Grace, a Kingdom of Mercy. he was a total contrast to them in fact he was the last scribe the last prophet replacing and sweeping away all those that had gone before him so if you go back to our text in matthew 16 verse 24 let's just notice a little further if we've mentioned that if any will come after me. Now I have to say, when I read this, this morning, my natural inclination would have been it was to come after, as in to chase after. You see an animal and you're chasing after the animal, to take that analogy. But that's not what really it means. It means to come behind. It means to be at the back. It means Christ is first in everything. And we are to come after Him. If any man will come after me, come behind, come at the back. Every disciple, every Christian is to be a person that comes behind, not in the front. John the Baptist words not talking of front and back but higher and lower he must increase I must decrease so the Lord Jesus is saying if you will come you must be behind i am to be first in everything i will be at the front you will be at the back literally others first christ at the front in every aspect of our lives he must come first and that doesn't mean you neglect your husband your wife your family your job because the lord calls us to all those things as well. But we put Christ first. If any man will come after me. This is all still to do with the subject of what is a disciple. And then the second thing he says here is that such a person who desires to be a disciple, they're not in that large definition of followers but they are those who yield, they're willing to come behind Well here's the searching part. Let him deny himself. Self-denial. Nothing forced. Nothing pressured. No emotional manipulation. No such a person willingly has reached a point I don't want to live my life for self anymore. I want to be ever only all for Thee. Such a person has willingly said self will be denied my desires, my appetites, my priorities. This is speaking of humility. This is saying I will go back. He will go forward there is a willingness to sacrifice that's no doubt meant let him deny himself sacrifice that's not common today is it people don't like to sacrifice we'll come on to some of the costs a bit later but generally people like to be At the front, they like to go first, they like to be heard, they like their opinions to be listened to. And the Lord Jesus is saying, no, we deny what might be legitimate, valid opinions things that maybe in your old life you had the right for but not now, you deny yourself. It's been said that self-denial is the offspring of faith in Christ. Self-denial is the offspring, it's the fruit, it's the by-product of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself. But there is here the will. The will. You see, who's making this choice? It is a choice. It's not a choice to love Christ. He chose me. But when we yield to Christ, we have that choice. How we spend our time, our energy, our resources. And the believer has reached the point they've come after Him, they've come behind Him, they've denied self and their will, their will has willingly been subrogated, subordinated, put behind the Lord Jesus Christ, that process of self-denial and from now on it will be about promotion. of the Lord, promotion of His Kingdom, promotion of everything that is to do with Him, and I will come behind the will. Well, we have to then move on to see Christ's example. So this is what He's saying, Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. If you turn back to Matthew 10, there is a principle of interpretation. It's a very helpful one. It's called the Law of First Use. Whenever you find in the Word of God the first time a word is used or a doctrine, it's very noteworthy. This rule nearly always applies. Matthew 10, 38. This is Christ again speaking. And I think this is the first time the concept of cross bearing is mentioned. He that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me. Perhaps I read the verse before. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And then verse 39, he that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Well, I don't think this is a specific prophecy of Christ being crucified on the cross, but it's implied that cross bearing is an analogy to what every believer will be willing and prepared to do in their life. they are willing to put themselves behind now we're told here to take up our cross just as an aside the lord jesus didn't take up his cross literally he didn't carry his cross simon of cyrene did why was that This is just a distraction for a few minutes. It's interesting, I think. Well, he was so physically exhausted by the trials and the beatings and the stress and the burden of bearing the thought of our sin up to the crucifixion. He was physically so weakened. The Gospel accounts suggest that he was not able to bear and to carry the cross to Golgotha. The weight of the cross would have been substantial and the brutality that he had faced meant that it was difficult for Jesus to bear. That's just one reason. I think there is another one. There are definitely scriptures in the Old Testament that speak of this being a prophecy that someone else would bear the cross for him. You think of what it says in Isaiah that he would be the suffering servant and many other implied descriptions. But maybe as well it was done this way because there was a picture being given And the picture was that Simon of Cyrene would be a prototype disciple who would bear the cross. He would be a cross bearer. Take up your cross and follow me. This was the ultimate act of discipleship. I think that's quite attractive as an explanation as to why the Lord Jesus didn't carry the cross. He had to be a real man. He'd physically suffered. He couldn't rely on the cross upon any of his divine powers. But I think it's a good explanation that this man, Simon of Cyrene, was to carry The cross of Christ, of course as well, it was the Lord's determination. Nothing happened at the cross that was not determined by Him. He was not to be executed. No, the crucifixion is a coronation. The crucifixion is Him being glorified. This is no execution. He laid down His life willingly. He went deliberately. He went patiently. He went boldly. He went cheerfully. He went obediently to the cross and He sets the example for us to follow. Simon of Cyrene, a prototype disciple, carrying the cross And Christ in His example being the one for us to follow as to how, where to go, to suffering and to difficulty in life. Well let's come on then for the final part to the question of the costs of discipleship. And there's an interesting verse in John 6 and verse 66, speaking of the vast number of disciples that were following the Lord Jesus. As I said at the beginning, not all of them were saved. Not all of them had yielded and repented to the Lord. But it says this. This is quite a shocking verse in some ways. John 6, 66. Many of his disciples went back. They turned round. They couldn't go forward anymore. From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. A disciple is somebody that walks with him, behind but with him, as close to him as possible, allowing no distance. But there were some where they began to see the cost was too high. This wasn't for them. They liked the benefits, they liked the miracles, they liked the healings, they liked the teaching, but not the cost of discipleship. They weren't prepared to take up their cross and to follow the Lord Jesus. The costs were too high and that may be for some of us tonight. There could be somebody here and you're thinking, well this Christianity, this faith, particularly at Providence where things are done in a particular way, well that seems a bit narrow, a bit strict. That seems a bit difficult. I'd rather it was a bit easier and a bit broader and maybe a few more pleasures and less hard work and less this, less that. From that time, many of his disciples, not a few, many, went back. They had the best teacher. He described the Kingdom of Heaven perfectly. And yet for them, the cost was too high. They walked no more with him. Well, I've got seven things written down here. The costs of discipleship. Discipleship that costs. What are these costs? There's a longer list than this, but if you'd like to turn to 2 Timothy, you'll find that quite a few of them are mentioned, these are mentioned all over the New Testament, but quite a few of them are mentioned in 2 Timothy chapter 2, just to try to prove that we draw things from the Word of God. 2 Timothy 2 and verse 3, perhaps we read from verse 1. This is Paul speaking to his young protege, Thou therefore my son, Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me, among many witnesses the same, commit thou to faithful men. Don't deviate. I've told you the pure truth. You're now to teach others also. Commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. Here's the first point. There will be opposition. Thou therefore, young Timothy, young in the faith, endure hardness. Hardness. It literally means suffering. Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. We have one of our number who currently is training in the military. If you've seen any pictures, then there are hard exercises to do. Night exercises. two nights without sleep. Endure the hardness, the suffering as a good soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ, the ultimate captain of our salvation. That's the first thing. Have you thought about that cost? If you've professed faith recently, have you realized that there will be opposition and hardness and it will be difficult? Is that a cost too high for you? I'm not trying to put you off, I'm just testing where you stand. Verse 4, we can see here a second one. No man that woreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life. Another word for that would be distracts himself. We don't get too involved. We could get too involved and have fingers in too many pies, legitimate pies, good pies, but we're too involved. No man that goes to war gets himself distracted and entangled with the affairs of this life. what do we get distracted by the affairs of eternal life the life to come that's what paul's saying we avoid distractions verse four as well it goes on to say that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier who do you try to please who do i try to please am i a man pleaser Do I try and please everybody? Well, don't do that. That He may please Him, Christ, who has chosen Him to be a soldier. Ultimately, there is only one that we need to please, Christ. Now, again, He wouldn't have you forsake your other duties, no. We need a balance, home, work, The other priorities in life? Neighbours. We have responsibilities to many, many people. But we are ultimately responsible to Him. Don't try to please others. That's another cost. Fourthly, go to verse 5. This is really about perseverance. If a man also strive for masteries, Yet he is not crowned, except to strive lawfully. This is about living the Christian life properly, according to God's rules. We won't be crowned, it's the athlete picture here, not the soldier. We won't be crowned, we won't get the laurel wreath, so to speak, unless we follow the rules. You remember that man that competed in the Boston Marathon a few years ago and it was televised and he'd missed out 10 miles of the marathon and he got caught out. He didn't follow lawfully. He strove but only for 16 miles instead of 26. We're not to cut corners. We're to persevere. We're to strive lawfully. But then verse 6, there's another point here, the fifth point. Now it turns from the soldier to the athlete to the farmer. The farmer, the husbandman, that labours must first be partaker of the fruits. You're to be a farmer. You're to put the hard work in. You're to plough up the ground. You're to sow the seed. You're to make sure it's cared for. and watered good seed put into the ground we're first to contribute through laboring and then I won't turn to the reference but one would be 2 Corinthians 2 15 the sixth point you know the verse it says to be spent to spend and to be spent there is energy some people can labor and there's no energy you know you wipe a table and there's no energy going in, it doesn't get clean. Other people do it so well. There's somebody that's not here tonight and somebody came to the work party we had a few weeks ago and they're not normally with us and they said, who was that lady doing the cleaning of the tables? Wow, she's a worker. The tables were just so clean. Well that's labouring with energy. spend and to be spent and then finally one more verse and perhaps this is the most important that the lord jesus was teaching john 15 and verse 20 john 15 verse 20 the lord jesus says Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant, the disciple, the servant, is not greater than his Lord. No, he's behind. If they have persecuted me who went in front, then they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. Opposition, number one, distraction. Pleasing the Lord, not others, perseverance, laboring, energy, and then if you're to be a disciple of Christ, discipleship that really costs. Persecution is inevitable. Now, we don't live in a time where it's that common, but I think it's coming. I think it's very likely in the next five years that what we experience today will go up a couple of notches. It will be difficult to do certain jobs with a clear conscience. It will be difficult to teach in schools when you have to teach things that really are abominable to the Lord and to his holy ways. The challenge will get harder. Remember, The servant is not greater than the Lord. If they've persecuted me, which they did in so many ways, they will also persecute you. That is definite. I think it's true to say no Christian has ever lived a Christian life well without they've experienced persecution, reviling, rejection, mocking and scoffing. But just one thought as we close. This is a quote from William Gurnall, the one that wrote that great book, The Christian in Complete Armour. He said this, we are to take up the cross, not to make the cross. There is a way to live the Christian life where we make problems. We make burdens, unnecessary burdens and problems. And we make life difficult for ourselves and for others. And we make a cross that we don't need to take. But Goernerl said, we have a cross. It's the cross of Christ. And we're to take up that cross, not to make another cross of our own invention. We don't need to carry burdens that are not meant for us. We carry the burden that Christ has given us to honour him, to follow him, to learn from him, to imitate him, to take up our cross, to deny self, and potentially to bear about the body, Paul says. If necessary, there is that physical cost of discipleship, perhaps, we follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12.2, this was a favourite verse of dear John Houston, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. The one who was the author of our salvation will be the finisher of our salvation. We follow Christ's example and that way we will bear the costs, the total costs, the full costs of being a disciple of Christ. May the Lord help us to live as he has called us to do, self-denial, coming behind, promoting him and following in his footsteps. Let's sing our