Advertisements and salesmen are so good at emphasizing the advantages of their product or service, and ignoring or minimizing the disadvantages. Contracts have infamously included "the fine print" since the invention of writing. Think about the car commercials you've heard on the radio that end with the announcer shifting to a monotone and reading at three times normal speed a dense paragraphful of disclaimers. There's the hype, and then there's the truth.Jesus didn't work that way. Jesus was honest, plain and thorough in His description of the cost of discipleship. Jesus could have wooed us with just stories of heavenly glory and the blessings of eternal life. But He didn't play that game. No fine print with Him. Jesus laid it out in a nice big font in bold face. Look at what He says about the Christian life in today's text --
1. As a student and servant of Mine, you will be slandered and derided just like Me.
2. Getting killed for being a Christian is a real possibility.
3. Paying mere lip-service to allegiance to Christ has serious consequences.
4. Devoting yourself to Me can cause major division in your family.
5. Painful responsibilities are part of the Christian life; you will take up a cross.
6. Commitment to Me is devotion of the highest order; love Me more than family, more than life itself.
7. Following Me is a challenge that will cause you occasionally to stumble.
But here are the promises --
1. Your worth to God is great; He will take care of you
2. Christ will be the devoted disciple's Advocate before the Father; heaven's reward is yours
3. True and eternal life comes from surrendering your life to Him
4. Your life becomes enmeshed in the life of God; you are blessed and a blessing
Pray: Lord, grant me the courage to consecrate myself fully to You. It is a great challenge to walk in Your footsteps, but the reward has no equal.
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