Are You a Disciple?

By Scott Bee

Recently, while watching the movie Do You Believe? I was reminded that being a disciple of Christ does cost you something. In fact, isn’t that what the Lord told His followers?

In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus affirmed three times that being His disciple would cost us something.
In the movie mentioned above, a Christian EMT (emergency medical technician) shared his faith with a dying man. He placed a cross in the man’s hand and asked him if he believed in Jesus Christ. Because he shared his faith with the dying man, he faced the possibility of losing his job.

Before entering the courtroom to stand before the judge, the prosecuting attorney met him in the hallway and asked him if he were willing to risk all for the sake of his faith in Christ. He replied simply, “I am.”

The attorney quickly responded with these words: “That cross you hold in your hand is going to cost you everything.”

So, the question I propose is this: how much are we willing to pay to be Christ’s disciple? Are we willing to lose all? When the answers don’t come, when the pressure seems insurmountable, when you’re at your lowest low, when you’ve done all you know to do, when you’ve prayed all you know to pray—are you still willing to be His disciple?

As I’ve reflected on these questions, I have come to the conclusion that indeed, being a disciple of Christ will cost you, but the rewards are beyond compare. Consider the following letter found in the Bible of a young pastor in Zimbabwe who was later martyred for his faith:

I am a part of the fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit Power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I’ve preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

It is a great honor to serve the One who suffered and died in my place, to be His disciple, to live out the days He’s given to make more disciples. Soon we will see Jesus face to face, and all the worries and cares of this world will no longer be important. Soon we will hear the blessed words we so desire to hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Are you His disciple? If so, you are not alone.

About the Writer: Scott and Amy Bee are joint project church planters in Oakland, Tennessee, with North American Ministries. Learn more: www.faithchurchfwb.com.