Matthew 16:24-26 - Counting the Cost of Following Jesus

 Matthew 16:24-26
“If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”

At first glance, these words sound simple. But if you’ve ever tried to live them, you know they are anything but easy. They are beautifully clear, and wonderfully uncomfortable at the same time.

Take a minute and seriously look at what Jesus says:

“Deny yourself.” He’s telling us that following Him doesn’t work if our first priority is our own comfort, convenience, or ego. Discipleship starts with humility and surrender, not self-centered planning.

“Take up your cross.” Following Jesus will cost something. It may cost you comfort, time, approval, or even reputation. The path of faith isn’t paved with guarantees—it’s only paved with trust.

“Follow Me.” He didn’t say just sometimes. Or just when it’s convenient. He asks that you are all in! Following in every part of your life matters.

And here’s the part that really flips our expectation on its head:  Jesus says if we try to save our own lives—if we live only for comfort, security, or success—we are going to lose them. But if we surrender our lives for Him, we truly find them. The logic is upside-down from what the world is giving out:  what seems like “loss” is actually gain, and what seems like “saving” is actually destruction.

And–let’s be honest about it:  that is not an easy thing to read. Most, if not all of us, want to hold onto what we have. We like to protect our comfort, control our schedules, and preserve our plans. And many of us try to do both—follow Jesus, while at the same time keeping our own priorities firmly in place. But here is a spoiler alert:  it doesn’t work that way. You can’t serve two masters.

But there’s good news in all of this:  following Jesus is worth it. The world promises success, comfort, and fleeting pleasures, but only Jesus gives life that is deep, meaningful, and eternal. It doesn’t mean life will always be easy. But it does mean it will be real. It will be full. It will matter — forever.

So the real question isn’t, “Can I squeeze Jesus into my life?” It’s, “Am I living for Him, or am I living for myself?”

Because when we put Jesus first, everything changes. Our relationships become richer, our work becomes more purposeful, and even the struggles of life gain meaning. When we lose our lives for Christ, we discover life in the truest, deepest sense.

The choice Jesus lays before us is simple—but not easy:  deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. It costs something. But the reward is everything. Eternal life. True joy. Peace that doesn’t depend on circumstances. A purpose that reaches far beyond what we could ever accomplish on our own.

So the question remains:  Are we willing to let go of the things that weigh us down? Are we willing to surrender what the world says is important for what God says is eternal?

Because following Christ isn’t about comfort. It isn’t about avoiding trouble. It’s about gaining something infinitely more valuable—life itself, found only in Him.

Acts 2: 47 - What God Wants - Not What I Prefer

Acts 2:47

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

In a world where nearly everything revolves around personal preference, it feels natural to approach church the same way we approach restaurants, stores, or entertainment. We form a list of what we want:  good music, friendly people, engaging preaching, strong programs, or convenience. None of those things are bad in themselves — yet when they become the basis for choosing a church, we may be thinking more like consumers than disciples.

The Bible makes something abundantly clear:  God has always cared about how His people worship Him. The Old Testament repeatedly records Israel’s struggle not with abandoning worship, but with reshaping worship according to their own desires. During the time of Hosea, God used shocking language to describe their unfaithfulness — Israel had become like an unfaithful spouse chasing other lovers. They claimed to belong to God, but their actions revealed that their own preferences meant more to them than God’s instructions.

That picture is uncomfortable because it moves worship out of the realm of personal taste and places it in the realm of obedience. The real question for Christians today is not, “What do I want in a church?” but “What does God want in His church?” These two questions do not always lead to the same destination.

Modern religious culture tells us to “pick the church that fits you.” Scripture, however, paints an entirely different picture. The church is not a brand, not a denomination, and not a group of people who simply decided to follow Jesus. According to Acts 2:47, “...the Lord added to the church those who were being saved.” That means the church is not a human creation — it is God’s creation. He adds the saved to it. He determines its design, its doctrine, its worship, and its purpose. We do not join the church of our choice; God adds the obedient to the church He built.

Because of that, how we respond to God’s instructions matters deeply. We do not have the right to alter God’s plan simply because we do not agree with it or because another version feels more comfortable. The call of Christianity is not self-expression — it is self-denial. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Following Jesus means learning to want what God wants, even when it challenges us.

The church, according to Scripture, is not a place to be entertained — it is a family, a body, and a fellowship. Families do not function based on personal preference; they function based on commitment. In the same way, the church thrives not when everyone demands their own way, but when everyone seeks God’s way together. Our goal is not to find a church that pleases us, but to become a church that pleases God.

The heart of the matter is simple:  one day we will not stand before God and be asked whether we attended a church that matched our tastes. We will be asked whether we loved Him enough to obey Him — even when our preferences pushed in a different direction. The consumer mindset is temporary; the kingdom mindset is eternal. And the blessing is that when we pursue what God wants, we discover something better than convenience, comfort, or personal preference — we discover truth, unity, belonging, and salvation.

May we be humble enough and courageous enough to say, “I don’t want a church built around my desires. I want the church built around what God desires.”

If our hearts adopt that commitment, and we live by it, God will not only add us to His church — He will someday welcome us into His eternal kingdom.