What Does It Really Mean to Follow Jesus? The Cost of Discipleship According to Scripture

The Forgotten Part of the Gospel

Most Christians know the story of the cross.

We know that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, willingly gave His life for the sins of the world.

We know the nails.

We know the crown of thorns.

We know the suffering.

We know the resurrection.

But before the cross, there was a garden.

And in that garden, we see something many modern believers rarely talk about.

We see struggle.

We see anguish.

We see obedience in the face of overwhelming emotional pain.

Jesus in Gethsemane

After the Last Supper, Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane and asked His disciples to stay awake and pray with Him.

Instead, they fell asleep.

Alone in the darkness, knowing exactly what awaited Him, Jesus cried out to the Father:

“O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”— Matthew 26:39

Luke records the intensity of that moment:

“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”— Luke 22:44

Jesus knew the suffering that was coming.

He knew the betrayal.

He knew the torture.

He knew the humiliation.

He knew the cross.

Yet He chose obedience.

Not because it was easy.

Not because it felt good.

But because He loved the Father and loved us.

This is the foundation of our faith.

A Savior who chose obedience through suffering.

A Savior who said:

“Not my will, but thine, be done.”— Luke 22:42

Suffering Is Not an Exception in Scripture

One of the most consistent themes throughout the Bible is that suffering, struggle, and hardship are often part of God's transforming work.

David

After his sin with Bathsheba and the death of Uriah the Hittite, David was crushed by conviction.

Nathan confronted him, and David's repentance is recorded throughout the Psalms.

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness.”— Psalm 51:1

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”— Psalm 51:17

David's transformation came through painful confrontation with his own sin.

Judah

After the deaths of his sons, Judah found himself spiritually compromised and emotionally vulnerable.

Genesis records:

“And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath.”— Genesis 38:12

Shortly afterward, Judah encountered Tamar, believing her to be a prostitute.

The story reveals a man whose judgment had been clouded and whose heart needed transformation.

Genesis 38:12–26

Only later does Judah finally acknowledge:

“She hath been more righteous than I.”— Genesis 38:26

Elijah

After defeating the prophets of Baal, Elijah expected national repentance.

Instead, Jezebel threatened his life.

The mighty prophet who had just witnessed one of the greatest victories in Israel's history became overwhelmed with fear.

“It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life.”— 1 Kings 19:4

He believed he was completely alone.

“I, even I only, am left.”— 1 Kings 19:10

Yet God met Elijah in his despair, strengthened him, corrected his perspective, and sent him back into his calling.

Paul

Paul repeatedly taught that following Christ involved suffering.

He did not hide from hardship.

He expected it.

When speaking to believers, he said:

“We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”— Acts 14:22

During the shipwreck in Acts 27, Paul warned those aboard of the danger ahead:

“Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage.” — Acts 27:10

The storm came exactly as warned.

The ship was destroyed.

Yet Paul remained steadfast in faith.

He faced reality honestly while trusting God completely.

Israel in the Wilderness

Perhaps the greatest picture of transformation through struggle is Israel's journey through the wilderness.

God delivered them from Egypt.

Yet He did not immediately bring them into the Promised Land.

Instead, He led them through a wilderness.

Why?

Because Egypt had to come out of them before they could enter the land prepared for them.

Scripture says:

“And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart.”— Deuteronomy 8:2

God was not merely changing their location.

He was transforming their hearts.

What Does It Mean to Follow Christ?

Modern Christianity often presents following Jesus as a simple decision.

Pray a prayer.

Raise a hand.

Walk an aisle.

Attend church.

And that's the end of the story.

But Jesus spoke very differently.

Count the Cost

Jesus repeatedly tested the hearts of those who wanted to follow Him.

When one man wanted to delay obedience:

“Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.”— Luke 9:60

When another wanted to say goodbye first:

“No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”— Luke 9:62

When the rich young ruler refused to surrender his possessions:

“Sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor... and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”— Mark 10:21

The man walked away sorrowful because he loved his possessions more than he loved God.

Pick Up Your Cross

Jesus did not say:

"Add Me to your life."

He said:

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”— Luke 9:23

A cross was not a symbol of comfort.

It was a symbol of death.

Following Christ means dying to self.

Dying to pride.

Dying to selfish ambition.

Dying to the old life.

This is not comfortable.

It is costly.

The Ongoing Battle of the Flesh

Many people assume that becoming a Christian means the struggle ends.

Scripture teaches the opposite.

Paul openly described the battle within himself:

“For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.”— Romans 7:19

And again:

“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”— Romans 7:24

This was written by Paul.

The Apostle Paul.

The man who encountered Christ on the road to Damascus.

The battle did not disappear.

The difference was awareness.

The difference was surrender.

The difference was that Paul no longer made peace with sin.

He fought against it.

Every day.

Transformation Is a Daily Process

Scripture teaches continual renewal:

“Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.”— Romans 12:2

And:

“Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”— Galatians 5:16

The Christian life is not passive.

It is active.

It is daily.

It is a continual turning toward Christ.

A continual confession of sin.

A continual pursuit of holiness.

The Narrow Way

Jesus never promised popularity.

In fact, He promised the opposite.

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”— John 15:18

“Because ye are not of the world... therefore the world hateth you.”— John 15:19

Jesus also said:

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.”— Matthew 7:13

“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”— Matthew 7:14

Few find it.

Not because God does not love people.

But because many are unwilling to surrender.

A Warning to the Lukewarm

Jesus gave one of the strongest warnings in Scripture:

“Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”— Revelation 3:16

He also warned that many who appear religious will be shocked on the Day of Judgment:

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?...”— Matthew 7:22

Yet His response is chilling:

“I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”— Matthew 7:23

Notice the issue.

Not church attendance.

Not religious activity.

Not miracles.

Relationship.

Obedience.

Transformation.

The Call

Following Jesus Christ is not simply agreeing with a set of beliefs.

It is not merely attending church.

It is not merely calling yourself a Christian.

It is surrender.

It is obedience.

It is transformation.

It is wrestling with God like Jacob.

It is enduring hardship like Paul.

It is crying out in anguish like David.

It is persevering through fear like Elijah.

It is allowing God to strip away the Egypt still living inside us.

And above all, it is following the example of Christ Himself.

The One who prayed in the darkness:

“Not my will, but thine, be done.”— Luke 22:42

The path is narrow.

The cross is heavy.

The struggle is real.

But so is the resurrection.

And that is why Christ is worth following.

God bless you.

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