THIS WEEK'S DEVOTIONAL

Matthew 8:18-22 – The Cost of Following Jesus

Imagine receiving your first credit card with a $2000 limit. You max it out within six months, and it takes you ten years to pay off, costing three times as much due to interest. The bold print promised a 0% introductory rate for 12 months, but the fine print revealed a much harsher reality. If we had read and understood the fine print, many of us might have avoided the trap. Unlike credit card companies, Jesus is very clear about the costs of following Him.

As we journey through the Gospel of Matthew, it becomes evident that Jesus has no hidden agenda. In the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7), He outlines the high cost of discipleship, including persecution (Matthew 5:10-12), radical self-denial (Matthew 5:29-30), and the narrow path to life (Matthew 7:13-14). The Kingdom of God has no fine print—Jesus is upfront about the sacrifices required.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in "The Cost of Discipleship," contrasts cheap grace with costly grace. He describes cheap grace as forgiveness without repentance, and costly grace as a call to follow Jesus that demands our all. Bonhoeffer reminds us that true discipleship is costly because it involves following Jesus wholeheartedly, even at great personal sacrifice.

In Matthew 8:18-22, Jesus encounters two individuals and highlights the steep cost of following Him: the cost of comfort and the cost of immediacy. Large crowds followed Jesus, amazed by His teachings and miracles. However, when a teacher of the law expressed his desire to follow Jesus, He responded, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Jesus made it clear that following Him meant a life of discomfort and no glamour.

Reflecting on modern examples, like the pastors in Kenya who walk miles to attend training despite the discomfort, we see a stark contrast to the post-COVID era in the US, where many have grown comfortable attending church from home or not at all. Following Jesus today may require uncomfortable conversations, lifestyle changes, or financial sacrifices.

Another individual told Jesus he wanted to follow Him but needed to bury his father first. Jesus replied, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead” (Matthew 8:22), emphasizing the immediacy of His call. Jesus calls us to abandon our old lives immediately, not gradually. This radical commitment might mean giving up certain pursuits, relationships, or comforts.

Jamie Mayes, once successful in an MLM company, left her lucrative career to follow Jesus. Today, she and her family are deeply engaged in ministry, following Jesus’ call on their lives.

Jesus doesn’t sugarcoat the cost of discipleship. Luke 9:23 speaks of self-denial and taking up our cross. While following Jesus is challenging and demands sacrifice, it is a life lived on purpose and for a purpose. Your calling will cost you your old life, but it leads to the life you were meant to live.

Consider these questions: What comfort is Jesus calling you to abandon? What excuse is keeping you from following Him today? There is no better time to follow Jesus than now. The adventure of a lifetime starts today.