Good morning! Some Bibles label the section in Matthew 8:18-22 The Cost of Following Jesus. As I pondered on the word ‘cost’, the two things that came to mind was, expensive and priceless. There are many reasons why people decide not to follow Jesus, yet there are plenty who decide to follow Him. Last week, we read verse 19 when a teacher of the religious law stated, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

Enjoy today’s reading as we continue in Matthew 8.

BIBLE VERSE – Matthew 8:21-22 NLT
^“21 Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”  ²² But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.”

REFLECTION

In these verses, Jesus presented another picture of the cost of following Him. In these verses, it wasn’t that Jesus didn’t care about the disciples father but Jesus made it clear that there is an urgency of following Christ. Again, there will be those who hear and do not believe, and those who follow and then fall away – identified as the spiritually dead.

Brothers and sisters, life is hard, but if we are living without God and the saving grace of Jesus, we are spiritually dead. Let us live what we believe and follow Christ until the end of our days.

Question:

• What are you putting before God (e.g., friends, comfort, family, relationships,  etc.)? _______
• No matter the cost, are you willing to follow Jesus? ________

PRAYER

Father God, thank you for all the things that you have done and continue to do for us. Lord, help us to give up the things that keep us from following you. Lord, guide us in the way we should go. Lord, the enemy is crafty and accusatory, so Lord, we seek you, speak to our hearts and minds so that we will hear from you. Let your words and promises stable our lives. Lord, help us to be bold in our faith and trust in you. Lord, we want to say, no matter the cost – we will follow you. Help us to fully commit to following you all of our days. In Jesus name, amen. 

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