Counting the Cost

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46 KJV)

So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:33 KJV)

I always used to think it strange that Jesus suggested that a man be willing to forsake everything to follow him. Of course many Christians never are faced with the choice but you see it everywhere mentioned.

Over time I get the sense of this. You see there are two points. Jesus himself forsook everything for use. He has not asked what he has not done.

But more importantly God is infinite in worth. You see that God is worth giving everything up for.

A man who has God has everything. Maybe he has nothing now but he has everything in the sense of eternity.

Paul speaks of thinking of only one thought knowing Christ and Christ crucified. You see sometimes in the midst of thousands of things there is only one of importance.

Actually in the midst of billions of recorded events on earth there is really only one event which has ultimate significance. That event is the life of Jesus: his supernatural nature, his supernatural birth, perfect life, death, and resurrection.

You see a man's relation to that event is all that matters. Everything else is only important to a man in relation to that event.

To know Jesus and be known by him is of infinite value. All other things dim in comparison to this.

Of course we can only see this spiritually. But we should taste and see that the Lord is good. If we were given the choice of Jesus or the whole world the answer is easy with spiritual eyes is easy.

Of course to see spiritual is difficult. May we have eyes to see.

The Value of Faith

There was a young man who wished to be Jesus' disciple and requested that Jesus take him as a disciple. Jesus responded that if the man left all his possessions and followed him that Jesus would take him as a disciple. The man went away sad because he had great wealth.

Good or bad choice? One interesting fact is missed in most commentaries. All the other disciples had willingly left everything to follow Jesus.

Jesus had met some disciples fishing and asked them to follow and the left everything to follow Jesus. Good or bad choice, well clearly a good choice.

Few of us will ever face the choice of following Jesus at such a cost, but it is interesting to think of it. How valuable is God to us. Jesus tells the parable of the pearl in the field which a man spends all he has to buy the field.

If we do not see Jesus as the pearl of great value I think we have missed the point. What is faith in Jesus worth, well the value is not possible to calculate. Any number given would be a great understatement of the value of knowing and being known by Jesus.

Faith is really about having a relationship with the living God and being in his presence forever.