Introduction
Text: Luke 14:25-33
In this message we are looking at the cost of being a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.
i. Cost: the effort, loss or damage that is involved in order to follow Christ and be His disciple.
ii. Hate his father: hate here means “love less” (Mt 10:37). Our Lord demands that our loyalty to and love for Him be greater than every other attachment including that of our family members.
iii. Bear his cross: Luke 9:23-24. Accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour demands not only believing the truth of the gospel, but also committing ourselves to sacrificially follow Him (Mk 8:34). The choice between denying ourselves or living for our own selfish desires must be made daily. That choice will determine our eternal destiny.
iv. Count the cost: our Lord teaches that whoever desires to follow Him and be His disciple, should first decide whether he or she is prepared to pay the cost.

The cost of real discipleship is to give up all relationships and possessions, that is all that we have: material possessions, family, our own lives, desires, plans and interests. This does not mean that we should reject all we have, but that all that we have must be placed at Christ’s service and under His guidance. See Luke 13:24; Mt 7:14; John 16:33.
Conclusion
Following Christ is not one of the easiest things to do. In 2 Tim 3:12, we read that “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Persecution in one form or another is inevitable for those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. Loyalty to Christ, His truth and His righteous standards involves a constant determination not to compromise our faith or give in to deluge of voices calling us to conform to the world and to lay aside Scriptural truth. The faithful will experience ridicule, deprivation and rejection because of their godly standards. They will experience a lot of pains seeing godliness rejected by the majority of people (even from members of their denomination).
We should ask ourselves, have I suffered persecution for the sake of Christ and His Kingdom? Is my lack of suffering not as a result of my living a life of compromise, that is not standing firmly and contending for this faith for which Christ for?

God bless you.