Counting the cost

When I was involved in youth ministry, years ago, I used to tell the youth, “If you want friends, peace of mind, and things to work out in your life, come to Jesus. He will help you.” Many of them made a commitment to Jesus, but two months later they were no longer obeying the Lord. In many cases, they were worse off than before they made a commitment to Christ. They did not understand that Jesus must be their Lord. They “came to Jesus” for what they could get, rather than receiving Jesus Christ as Lord—the ruler of their lives. The Bible tells us in Romans 10:13 that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Calling on the “Lord” means we are willing to make Him the master, boss, and complete ruler of every part of our lives. It requires a total commitment. Many times, Christians preach a “weak” Jesus. I was guilty. I changed my approach. I told the next group of young people, “Jesus must be the Lord over everything in your life. Are you willing to die for Jesus if you have to?” I was amazed at their response. They seriously counted the cost before they made a commitment to Christ, just as Jesus requires, according to Luke 14:33…any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. As a result, they experienced lasting change and they are still serving the Lord faithfully today.