Jesus was truthful about the fact that following Him would cost the disciples everything. But he was also honest about what they would gain [Mark 8:36-37].

Jesus’ desire is to meet people where they are, change them from being ordinary people to people to people who are passionately in love with Him, and take their ordinary lives and give them eternal significance.

In Luke 5 we see Jesus meeting people where they are, with real problems, in their real lives. He takes two frustrated fishermen, under pressure to earn a living, and blesses them with literally a “boat-load” of fish. But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He takes their natural [or “ordinary”] aspirations of catching fish, and paints a beautiful picture of the eternal significance people can have if they choose to follow Jesus. Jesus challenged Peter and Andrew, inviting them to move from being ordinary fisherman to being fishers of men, people who eventually will turn the whole world upside down!

We are full of ordinary dreams. Bigger houses, nicer cars, moving up the career ladder, achieving social status, these are dreams common to many of us. But just as He did back then, Jesus confronts us with a new identity and different destiny. He comes to us and says, I created you for bigger and better things than you have dreamed. I don’t want you to settle for a comfortable life. I want you to experience an extraordinary life!

But Jesus gives us a choice. And He lets us know that following Him is not without cost. Jesus never bribed, manipulated, or begged people into His movement. He clarified the nature of followership many time in the Gospels.

Consider these other accounts of people from the Bible wanting to follow Jesus:

When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no given place to lay his head.”  —Matthew 8:18-20

Jesus was telling us, It’s not going to be easy or comfortable. Have you considered the fact that you won’t have the comforts of home? Do you really understand what you are saying?

It is interesting to consider when people asked to follow Jesus, He told them to cost, and He was truthful with the discomforts and alienation they would encounter. He left the decision up to them. He didn’t coax, chide, or beg followers. In fact, He left a lot of people behind because the cost was too high. He was left with people who were disciples who considered the cost and knew it was worth it. What they gave up was nothing compared to what they gained. [Check out Matthew 19:16-30 for extra credit.]

Jesus was truthful about the fact that following Him would cost the disciples everything. But He was also honest about what they would gain [Mark 8:36-37]. Following Jesus takes an “all in” type of commitment. It means saying, I will follow… period. Not, I will follow if… For some the cost is too high. However, the benefit is not able to be purchased. It is a priceless gift, one we can’t buy or earn.

Does following Jesus cost you anything? If it doesn’t, you may have to ask why…