14/06/2026
THE COST OF THE KINGDOM š
(Luke 9:23ā25)
āThen He said to them all, āIf anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.āā
ā Luke 9:23 (NKJV)
The Kingdom of God is within you.
Jesus taught His disciples to pray:
āYour kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.ā
When Godās Kingdom reigns in our hearts, His will becomes more important than our own. The Kingdom is not merely about receiving blessings; it is about surrendering our lives to the King.
Galatians 2:20 reminds us:
āI have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.ā
Whenever we want something valuable, we first consider its price. We ask ourselves if we are willing to pay the cost. We work hard to obtain the things we desire because valuable things require sacrifice.
In the same way, many people desire the blessings of Godās Kingdom, but fewer are willing to embrace the cost of following Christ.
Jesus never hid the cost of discipleship. He repeatedly taught that following Him requires surrender, sacrifice, and commitment.
As believers mature in Christ, change should become evident. Not worldly change, but transformation that comes from God. True discipleship requires sacrifice. Giving, forgiving, serving, and obeying often begin as sacrifices, but when practiced consistently, they become a lifestyle.
Sometimes God asks us to surrender our security and comfort. Yet when we entrust everything to Him, He gives us lasting peace and eternal security.
āHeaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.ā
The disciples demonstrated this surrender:
āSo when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.ā
ā Luke 5:11 (NKJV)
The Bible does not teach believers to be careless but to be watchful and vigilant while remaining devoted to Christ.
To live as citizens of Godās Kingdom, we must live lives devoted to Him, knowing that eternal inheritance awaits those who faithfully follow Christ.
āThe man who has God for his treasure has all things in One.ā
ā A.W. Tozer
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1. DENY YOURSELF
(Luke 9:23; Galatians 2:20)
āIf anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.ā
ā Luke 9:23
To deny yourself means surrendering your desires, ambitions, and personal will to Christ.
The Christian life is no longer centered on selfāit is centered on Jesus. We must become Christ-centered in our thoughts, decisions, priorities, and desires.
Galatians 2:20 declares:
āI have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.ā
When Christ becomes the center of our lives, His desires become more important than our own.
šæ Application:
What personal desires, ambitions, or plans am I unwilling to surrender to Christ?
š¾ Truth:
The Kingdom of God grows in us when we surrender our will and allow Christ to be the center of our lives.
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2. TAKE UP YOUR CROSS DAILY
(Luke 9:23; Matthew 16:24)
Taking up the cross represents obedience, willingness, and daily surrender.
Following Jesus is not a one-time decision but a daily commitment. There are sacrifices involved in following Christ. Sometimes obedience is difficult. Sometimes forgiveness is costly. Sometimes serving God requires perseverance.
Yet what begins as sacrifice eventually becomes a lifestyle.
Our strength alone is not enough. Human effort without Godās Spirit cannot accomplish His purposes. We must continually depend upon Him and acknowledge that Christ is the center of our lives.
āIf anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.ā
ā Matthew 16:24
As we faithfully follow Him each day, obedience becomes a habit and devotion becomes a way of life.
šæ Application:
Am I faithfully carrying my cross and following Christ every day?
š¾ Truth:
Daily obedience may require sacrifice, but a life surrendered to Christ produces lasting faithfulness and spiritual growth.
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3. LOSE YOUR LIFE TO FIND IT
(Luke 9:24ā25; John 12:25)
āFor whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.ā
ā Luke 9:24
The world teaches people to ask, āWhat is in it for me?ā
Investors often consider what returns they will receive before making commitments. However, Godās Kingdom operates differently.
God does not ask us to calculate what we will gain before following Him. Instead, He invites us to trust Him completely.
God Himself is our greatest treasure and our true wealth.
Jesus said:
āHe who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.ā
ā John 12:25
When we surrender temporary comforts and earthly treasures for Christ, we gain eternal rewards that can never be taken away.
šæ Application:
⢠What am I unwilling to surrender to Jesus?
⢠Am I carrying my cross daily?
⢠Am I living for temporary gain or eternal reward?
š¾ Truth:
When we surrender temporary things for Christ, we gain eternal treasures that will never fade away.
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Only those who surrender everything to Christ truly discover the fullness of His Kingdom. What is given up for Jesus is never lostāit is exchanged for something far greater and eternal.
Will Christ remain a part of your life, or will He become the center of it?
ā Doype Gregorio