Interactive Key Study: The Cost of Following Christ

(15–20 minutes)
Provide a dry erase board and markers. Distribute the Key Study worksheet and pens.

Ask: What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Allow for responses. Encourage students to share their definitions and requirements of discipleship. Record some (or all) of the responses on the board. Enlist a student to read aloud Luke 14:25–33. Then lead students in making a new list based solely on this passage of Scripture. Compare and contrast the two lists, and make note of any similarities or differences.

1. Following Christ requires complete devotion (Luke 14:25–27).

Draw a circle in the middle of the board and label it “you.” Direct students to brainstorm, thinking of all the categories of people with whom they have a relationship (parents, other family members, friends, co-workers, girlfriend/boyfriend, etc.). Surround the "You" circle with other circles representing types of relationships, labeling them separately with each of these categories. Next, lead students to rank each of these categories according to the importance of the relationship (in practice, not theory) and assign numbers to each of the corresponding circles. Ask: If we really get honest here, where does Jesus fit in this ranking? Allow for responses. Draw a large circle encompassing everything on the borard. Reemphasize the point: Following Christ requires complete devotion, He takes priority over everyone and everything.

Direct the group’s focus to verse 26. Guide students to consider why Jesus would use such harsh language here. Explain that while our tendency is to explain away a verse like this by thinking that Jesus was just exaggerating and didn’t really mean what He was saying, Jesus used this language for a very specific reason. Emphasize that the biblical idea of “hate” is not an absolute but a relative term. Say: Jesus’ point was that a true disciple’s devotion to Him should be so great that all other relationships become so small in comparison they look like hate. Seeking Him wholeheartedly means rejecting the thought of being fully satisfied in any other reltionship. Clarify that the biblical word for hate also means reject. Make sure students understand that this doesn’t lessen the impact of Jesus’ words. He meant that our love for Him takes priority in our lives and our devotion to Him must be unconditional, to the point that we surrender our entire lives and follow Him (verse 27). Emphasize the point that true discipleship requires complete devotion in every area of life.

Refer students to the section of the book (“A Different Scene”) where David warns that if we’re not careful we can settle for a “Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves” (pp. 6–7). Ask: Why is it so often the case that we become our own greatest hindrance in following Jesus? Allow for responses. Emphasize the fact that dying to self isn’t something we just do one time when we “get saved.” On our journey with Jesus we must continually sacrifice our own desires for the sake of His more satisfying life.

2. Following Christ requires counting the cost (Luke 14:28–32).

Ask: What differences exist between a desire and a goal? Record the responses. Emphasize that a desire is most often a craving or want, something a person hopes will happen at some point in his life whereas a goal is a result towards which a person is currently striving. Clarify: Our heart's desire and the goal of our actions should both be focused on following Christ.

Reread verses 28–32. Explain that being a disciple of Jesus is not something that just happens to us but it is something in which we participate. It also involves careful consideration of the cost and the outcome. Ask: According to these verses, what are some of the costs to consider? Emphasize that attention should be given to the level of persistence and perseverance required to follow Jesus wherever He may lead, even though that most likely means experiencing great difficulties in life. Say: Whether or not we will follow Christ at any cost is an essential decision that we must each thoughtfully consider before we become a disciple of Jesus.

Indicate that this is a decision that affects others as well. Remind students that David acknowledges the cost of following Christ can certainly be high, but he also shares a realization he had in India: The cost of our not following Christ is also high for those who do not know Him at all because it often means we are distracted by our own selfish pursuits from carrying the gospel message to those who have not heard it (pp. 14–15).

3. Following Christ requires radical abandonment (Luke 14:33).

Lead students to consider the wildest, craziest dreams they have (or have had) for their lives. Ask about what may be holding them back from realizing those dreams. Say: We all have dreams, but being a follower of Jesus is literally the ultimate goal of our lives. Guide students to consider what holds them back from reaching this goal of following Jesus. Record some of their thoughts on the board.

Ask: When Jesus says that anyone who does not give up everything cannot be His disciple, what does He mean by “everything?” Allow for responses. Emphasize that the process of “giving up” means releasing all control. Explain that, although we may or may not actually be called to literally abandon all possessions and relationships and die for the sake of Christ, the cost of being a disciple of Jesus is our acceptance of His total lordship over everything in our life. It requires that we are willing to lose everything (even if we do not).

Remind students that David explores the value of this type of commitment by imagining what it would be like if we literally lived the parable of the treasure in the field. He concludes that, in this picture, Jesus is someone worth losing everything for (pp. 17–18). Conclude this part of the lesson with the challenge: Are you willing to follow Christ at any cost, believing that He is worth more than anything you give up?