84 - Equipping Disciples

To become a disciple of Jesus Christ requires enormous sacrifice. Basically, it requires a person to give Jesus the control of their life. From that point on, he or she will choose, over and over again, to live in such a way as to do whatever they can to help others meet Him. When Jesus called someone He never hid that fact from them. He never lured anyone with false promises of an easy life. Instead, He did the opposite. He warned them that following Him would cost them everything, but He also assured them that if they chose that path, it would lead to eternal life, not only for them, but for many more who would come to Him through them. Those who gave up everything to follow Him, would be given the spiritual resources they needed to become highly effective ministers. No one was being asked to sacrifice their pleasures and ambitions in exchange for a meagre life of self-denial. He wasn’t making those demands to be mean. He was asking people to trade in those things for something far better. Those who chose to “deny themselves daily and take up their cross and follow Him” (Lk 9:23) would be given gifts which would transform each one of them into a disciple who would change the world. They would be empowered to do the most important work a human being can do. They would be partnering with God to save lost people. Through them He would change eternal destinies.