What is a Cost and Benefits Analysis? This is a term used in the business world that measures the benefits of an action or decision against the cost associated with that action or decision. Today, we are going to look at the costs and the benefits of being a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. A disciple is someone who follows and submits themselves to the disciplines (teaching) of a particular leader. A disciple of Christ is someone who believes his doctrine, rests on his sacrifice, and follows his example.

Most every decision that you make, you use a cost and benefits analysis of sorts, let me explain by showing you a quick example.

A quick example

This recently happened, One of the crews that I manage, were on their way to a job site in the company truck, on route, the truck had a malfunction which left the crew stranded on the side of a busy road. The crew called me to see what their options were, so we called for a tow and I told them that I would come and pick them up, but they needed to put our emergency triangles (that are located on every commercial vehicle). The person on the other end of the phone

replied: “but it’s raining” so he didn’t want to get out of the truck. My response was simple, and an example of a quick cost and benefits analysis. I reminded him that his options were to either get wet or take the chance of getting hit from behind. The individual could see that the cost of getting wet, was nothing compared to the benefit of giving other drivers a warning of their stalled truck, and therefore, decreasing the likelihood that they would have an accident.

He, of course, decided to get wet and to place the triangles out. When I arrived at the scene, I noticed that the triangles were all laying flat on the ground, and no-one could see them as they approached the stalled vehicle. When I inquired as to why the triangles were laying flat, instead of upright, I was informed that the wind kept knocking them over, so they just left them on the ground. Upon examination of the triangles, I noticed the reason why they kept falling over. They were not deployed properly. The triangles have a base that swings out to create a cross shape that makes them more stable when deployed. When the triangles were placed on the road, the bases had not been adjusted properly. So, even though the triangles were set out behind the vehicle, they did not accomplish the desired outcome.

Are you accomplishing the desired outcome?

The triangles did not accomplish the desired result, because the person that deployed them, just went through the motions, but did not follow through, and did not follow the instructions. We are going to look at the cost and benefits of being a disciple, and we will see that you can not just go through the motions.

And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:25-33

The Cost of True Discipleship

Unlike many churches today, Jesus was never interested in gathering crowds, nor did He make his message more appealing in order to gain a larger following. In fact, He consistently emphasized the high cost of discipleship, instead of making it easy for people to follow him halfheartedly. That’s because His goal was to make true disciples who were totally committed to Him

The Core of a Human Being

In contemplating what makes up the essence of a human being, we might think of an individual’s life, relationships, and possessions. Yet Jesus demanded that his followers surrender all three.

In business or in life in general, you cannot make an informed decision as to what the appropriate action would be, without considering the facts. Jesus does not expect or desire you to go into this blind. He commands us to consider the costs of being his disciple.

Relationships

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:26

The first cost that we will see is the potential cost of your relationships. You cannot love anyone more than you love him. Jesus is not advocating animosity towards your family and friends, he is simply emphasizing that he requires a commitment from you, to place him before any human relationship.

We have numerous examples in the bible where, family members served the Lord:

• James & John
• Peter & Andrew
• Mary & Martha
• Barnabas & John Mark

and many others, including some that you may personally know as well. The issue isn’t that you can’t work with family and/or friends, the issue is that you must keep Jesus first. If you can’t do that, then you can’t be his disciple.

Your Life

And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:27

The second cost of being a disciple, is that being a disciple will potentially cost you your life, or at the very least, it will cost you the plans that you have laid out for your life.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

You can’t love your life, and the plans and aspirations that you have for that life, more than you love the Lord. The cross symbolizes death to self, and if you are going to be a disciple of the Lord, you must die to self.

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

Romans 14:8

Posessions

So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:33

The third and final cost of being a disciple that we will look at today is the fact that you must be willing to give up all possessions for him. That doesn’t mean that he will necessarily require that of you, and it also doesn’t mean that you are required to live like a pauper. Just remember that we are only stewards of those things that he has entrusted to us, and those things cannot have a higher priority or place in our hearts than the Lord.

The Benefits of True Discipleship

In review, we just looked at the costs of discipleship, which are:

• Life
• Relationships
• Possessions

Next we will look at three benefits of true discipleship:

• Joy
• Peace
• Happiness

Incidentally, the ultimate reason that most people seek after:  life, relationships and possessions is because they are looking for joy, peace, and happiness. We will see how the three things that you must be willing to give up to be a disciple are also the three things that you will gain by being a true disciple.

Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

Proverbs 8:32

Joy

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

John 15:10-11

The primary thing that most people want out of their life is joy. People are seeking for real joy, but they typically are looking to things that can never produce genuine joy. The only thing that can produce real joy is maintaining a relationship with the Lord by being his disciple.

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

1 John 1:3-4

Joy is more than happiness, we will get to happiness shortly, but joy is a delight of the mind in consideration of an assured approaching good. That is why you can experience joy even in the midst of the bad times of life

And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

1 Thessalonians 1:6

Peace

The second benefit of discipleship is that you will experience peace in your life. The primary goal of most relationships is to be at peace. When we are “at war” with everything else, we have a desire to create a “home base” where we can be at peace. True peace is only realized through discipleship

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 26:3

The only way to experience the peace of God is through the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1), That is why the world and society can never achieve real peace and never will, until they seek for it by going through the Prince of peace. The way that you can keep your mind stayed on the Lord is by spending time in his word on a daily basis.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Colossians 3:15

Once you have a relationship with the Lord, you have to make the decision to allow the peace of God to rule in your heart. It is possible to have access to the peace of God but to still allow the turmoil of the world and fear to rule your heart. You need to make the decision to allow the peace of God to reign in your life, no matter what circumstances you may be currently experiencing.

If you don’t have a relationship with the Lord Jesus or are wondering how you can know for sure that you will go to heaven when you die please watch this short video ►Four Things To Know.

Happiness

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

Psalms 119:1-2

The final benefit that we will look at in this article is happiness. Happiness is not the final benefit, there are more than three benefits, in fact, the benefits of God are inummerable (Psalms 103:2).

People are always trying to find happiness in their possessions. True happiness cannot, and will not ever be found in your possessions, true happiness only comes from doing the will of God

Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

Psalms 112:1

The benefits of discipleship, far out-weigh the costs, the Lord wants to bless you in your life, so anything that you would need to lose to be closer to him is well worth the loss. In fact, you won’t even consider those things as a loss in comparison to what you will gain

And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

Mark 10:29-30

Make the decision to stop just going through the motions and start being a real disciple today!

Our hope at Irvington Bible Baptist Church is that this podcast provided some encouragement and has helped you to develop a closer relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ.