The Cost of Discipleship

Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote, "When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die." His statement captures the essence of Christian discipleship and echoes the words of Jesus in Mark 8. The call to follow Christ is a call to self-denial rather than self-expression or self-fulfillment. It is a call to carry our cross and identify with Jesus no matter the cost, even if it feels like throwing your life away. But Jesus holds out for us the truth that while discipleship is costly, it is worth it. The disciple must have a faith-filled expectation of reward, knowing that the value of what is gained for eternity far surpasses whatever might be lost for the sake of Christ.