Have you counted the cost ?

Thursday April 29, 2021

Have you counted the cost ?

"So they brought the boats to shore, left everything and followed him." Luke 5.11

Imagine the scene : Jesus has just requisitioned the boat of Peter, James and John, three fishermen from Lake Gennesaret, in order to use it as a platform to address the crowd gathered on the shore. When He has finished, He advises the three men to go fishing a short distance away and suddenly they make a gigantic catch. A few minutes later, the future disciples give up “everything to follow” Jesus ! Have you considered what they left behind ? And what did they hope to find with Jesus ? They lived, to tell the truth, a monotonous life, punctuated by trips to sea with sometimes a decent grip, often empty-handed returns. Their country was under the Roman boot, and the taxes imposed by the conquerors, heavy to manage. They enjoyed little freedom, and their only hope was in the hypothetical coming of this long-promised Messiah who was to free them from the oppressor and restore Israel to its preeminent place in the world. To imagine that this event would take place during their lifetime was unlikely. Also, when they heard John the Baptist affirm that Jesus of Nazareth was this mythical Messiah, their curiosity was sharpened. As they followed this Jesus they had just finally met, they felt they had nothing to lose. What did they hope to find in Him ? If He delivered Israel and became King, they who were among the first to obey Him, would undoubtedly benefit from important positions in His administration (Matthew 20, 20-28), and enrich themselves ! So leaving everything did not represent a great sacrifice ! For they had no idea what it would cost them to follow Jesus : for most of them, persecution and martyrdom. And we today, have we really calculated the cost of following Jesus ? If persecution befalls us, will we remain faithful to Him, even at the cost of our lives ?

Source (His Word for Today)