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May turn in your Bibles to Matthew 
chapter 8. Matthew chapter 8 as we continue 
our exposition of Matthew's gospel. We find ourselves in the larger 
section beginning at chapter 8 verse 1 continuing to chapter 
9 verse 34 where the apostle is setting forth the authority 
or the power of Christ in his actions, in his abilities. We see that in three series of 
miracles. three each where we've already 
studied in verses 1 to 18, 1 to 17 rather, Jesus cleanses a leper, 
Jesus heals a centurion servant, and then Jesus heals Peter's 
mother-in-law. There is a summary statement 
in verses 16 and 17 where the Apostle wants to remind us that 
what we are witnessing is the servant of Yahweh, Isaiah 53, 
applied to the Lord Jesus Christ in His public ministry of healing. 
Ultimately, we know that not everybody will be healed of their 
physical infirmities or maladies or problems or trials, but everyone 
who comes to the Son of God, everyone who believes the Gospel, 
will have everlasting life. They will receive forgiveness 
from sin, which far exceeds any physical healing that you and 
I could entertain. This morning we're going to pick 
up reading in verse 1, just to remind ourselves of the context, 
and then focus on verses 18 to 22 this morning. Verse 1, when 
he had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 
And behold, a leper came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, 
if you are willing, you can make me clean. Then Jesus put out 
his hand and touched him, saying, I am willing, be cleansed. Immediately 
his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, see that 
you tell no one, but go your way, show yourself to the priest, 
and offer the gift that Moses commanded as a testimony to them. Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, 
a centurion came to him, pleading with him, saying, Lord, my servant 
is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented. And Jesus said to 
him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, 
Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but 
only speak a word and my servant will be healed. For I also am 
a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say 
to this one, go, and he goes, and to another, come, and he 
comes, and to my servant, do this, and he does it. When Jesus 
heard it, he marveled and said to those who followed, assuredly 
I say to I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel. 
And I say to you that many will come from east and west and sit 
down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 
But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. 
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Then Jesus said to 
the centurion, ''Go your way, and as you have believed, so 
let it be done for you.' And his servant was healed that same 
hour. Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, he saw his 
wife's mother lying sick with a fever. So he touched her hand, 
and the fever left her, and she arose and served him. When evening 
had come, they brought to him many who were demon-possessed. 
And he cast out the spirits with the word, and healed all who 
were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the 
prophet, saying, he himself took our infirmities and bore our 
sicknesses. And when Jesus saw great multitudes 
about him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. 
Then a certain scribe came and said to him, teacher, I will 
follow you wherever you go. And Jesus said to him, foxes 
have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the son of man 
has nowhere to lay his head. Then another of his disciples 
said to him, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. But Jesus 
said to him, Follow me and let the dead bury their own dead. Amen. Well, let us pray. God, 
we pray for the Spirit now to guide and instruct us. We pray 
for illumination. We pray for understanding. We 
pray, God in heaven, that you would cause us to come face to 
face with the Christ of Matthew chapter 8. We pray, Father, that 
we would forget all lawful things, God. We would forget all sinful 
things. We would forget anything that 
has no bearing upon the passage at hand. We pray that you would 
just give us the mind of Christ, cause us to receive the things 
that you would have for us, cause us as Christians to examine ourselves 
in light of such a call to discipleship. For those who are not Christians, 
we pray that today They would come to the one who is worthy 
to be followed, the one who is worthy to be praised and believed 
on and loved. We ask that you would forgive 
us now for our sins and transgressions, and we pray through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. As I've mentioned several times 
in sort of painting the context or trying to develop the context, 
those three series of miracles, of three miracles each, are interspersed 
with instruction concerning discipleship. And it's at this particular point 
that it seems like Matthew wants us to say, or Matthew wants us 
to appreciate, as the readers of his gospel. It's not enough 
to marvel at the one who cleanses leopards. It's not enough just 
to be amazed at the one who speaks a word and heals this servant. 
It's not enough just to say, isn't that an amazing man who 
lays his hand upon Peter's mother-in-law and heals her. It's not enough 
just to be amazed. It's not enough just to be dazzled. 
It's not enough just to marvel in the presence of Christ. But 
what 18 to 22 tells us is that we must follow Him. We must believe 
the gospel, we must count the cost, we must organize our priority 
structure accordingly, and we must pursue Him who is altogether 
lovely and chief among ten thousand. That's the point of verses 18 
to 22. They are two cases in discipleship. The first man described as a 
scribe is said to say, wherever you go I will follow. It's almost 
as if he is too quick without first counting the cost. And 
then we have this other man who says, let me first go bury my 
father. He's too slow. Get about it. Follow the Lord. 
Pursue Him. So these two case studies in 
discipleship show us two opposite extremes. We have the one man 
who says, I'm ready to go wherever you say. And then we have the 
other one who says, but let me first. But as we move through 
this passage, we'll see that Jesus uses these two men, not 
in a sinful ungodly way. When we say he used someone, 
it doesn't mean in a bad way. He uses the opportunity to teach 
concerning discipleship. To teach concerning discipleship. Now the fact that the first man 
is called a scribe, and then the second man is called another 
of his disciples, seems to indicate that the scribe, too, is a disciple. We're oftentimes trained to think 
of disciple as only being the immediate believing followers 
of the Lord Jesus. There are instances in the gospel 
narratives, however, where disciple refers to someone interested, 
someone that is following Jesus, but not necessarily has believed 
on him for the salvation of their soul. So we need to understand 
that. R.T. France makes this statement 
concerning these two men. He says, they express, these 
accounts, both the uncompromising authority of the demand Jesus 
makes on his followers and the radical change of lifestyle which 
such following must involve. Listen again. Both these instances, 
both these case studies, express the uncompromising authority 
of the demand Jesus makes on his followers. Remember, we've 
seen that as an identifying marker in this section from 8.1 to 9.34. It is Jesus' display of his authority. And then France goes on to say, 
in the radical change of lifestyle, which such following must involve. Now there is a parallel. in Luke's 
Gospel, in Luke chapter 9 verses 57 to 62. You'll see the same 
two men and then one additional one. The one additional one doesn't 
alter, doesn't change a whole lot, and as I've said before, 
Matthew tends in his writing to condense narratives, to condense 
circumstances to fit his theological ends. We want to do three things 
this morning. First, consider the setting. 
Secondly, look at the first lesson on discipleship. And then thirdly, 
look at the second lesson on discipleship. Sounds a bit confusing, 
but I hope you follow. Notice first the setting. Mark's 
gospel, when we compare it, helps us to understand a little bit 
more of what's going on here. Verse 18, and when Jesus saw 
great multitudes about him, he gave a command to depart to the 
other side. Now, if you read ahead in the 
chapter, you'll know what that means, but taken at its bare 
reading, what do you mean, depart to the other side? Remember that 
they're in Capernaum. This is on the northern shore 
of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus wants to depart to the 
other side. He wants to take his immediate 
disciples, the twelve, the true followers, He wants to separate 
himself from the crowd, and he wants to use that time to teach 
and instruct his disciples in the boat. Verses 23 to 27 then 
narrate how they get from that position in Capernaum over to 
the region of the Gadarenes. And then in chapter 8, verse 
28, that's where we find Jesus in the gathering so the Lord 
wants to separate from the crowd with his disciples they were 
going to get into the boat to make this short track and of 
course they had that particular instance happen where the waves 
and the tumult, and we see Jesus' power and majesty displayed, 
which, interestingly enough, is not just a miracle, but there's 
something about discipleship in that section as well. Believing 
the Lord Jesus, trusting the Lord Jesus, and realizing that 
in the midst of storm and trial and tumult and difficulty, He 
will see us through. But on the way to get into the 
boat, these two men meet Him. The first, as we consider now, 
is this scribe. Now scribes in Matthew's gospel 
are usually seen in opposition to Jesus. Remember Jesus in the 
Sermon on the Mount, unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness 
of the scribes and the Pharisees, you cannot, or you have no part 
with me. 729, he taught with authority, 
not as their scribes. But we do see here that they're 
not always in opposition. This man at least has some interest 
in Jesus. He comes to him and he presents 
himself to Jesus. He declares It's not as strong 
as Kurios, it's not as strong as Lord, it's not as strong as 
what this man will convey in verse 21, but nevertheless it 
is an acknowledgment of the difference or the quality of Jesus' life. 
He is a teacher. And then notice his declaration. 
He says, I will follow you wherever you go. Sounds good, doesn't 
it? If Jesus was a modern evangelist, 
he'd say, welcome to the faith. Wouldn't he? This guy came forward 
at any evangelistic meeting, or if this guy was told by the 
preacher to bow his head, to close his eyes, and to shoot 
up his hand, he'd be welcomed to the household of God. He would 
be counted a member of the church. He has made this expression. 
He has made this statement. Wherever you go, I will follow 
you. Now that is in keeping with that 
particular time, that particular generation. The disciple chose 
the master. The disciple said to the master, 
I will follow you. If it was Socrates, if it was 
Plato, if it was Aristotle, if it was some religious body or 
some religious man or some other rabbi, the disciple would approach 
the master and say, I will follow you. Notice interestingly enough 
though, in Jesus' ministry, He's the one that issues the call. 
He's the master that sends that invitation to follow Him. And 
then notice the claim itself, it's quite grandiose. And yes, 
I looked that word up on dictionary.com to make sure it fit. It's a grandiose 
claim. What this guy is saying? Again, 
he'd already be brought in as a member in most of our churches. 
He might even be given the pulpit. I mean, after all, he has said 
he's going to follow Jesus wherever Jesus goes. This is a very grandiose 
claim, and we need to understand why it is. What has he witnessed 
in Jesus? He's witnessed the cleansing 
of a leper. He's witnessed the power of Christ's 
Word in healing this servant from a distance. He has witnessed, 
if not firsthand, he's at least heard of the count where Jesus 
touched Peter's mother-in-law and healed her. This is certainly 
a man I want to be around. This is a man on the way to great 
things. This is a mover and a shaker. 
This is a guy who's got everything in his future and every bit of 
his horizon looks really good. This, wherever you go, probably 
doesn't just mean to the Gadarenes. He's probably not just looking 
for passage on the boat to get across the Sea of Galilee. It 
is a statement concerning His intention to follow Jesus, not 
just some places, not just a majority of the places, but wherever you 
go. This man could stand with us on a Sunday morning and sing 
hymn 505, all the way, my Savior leads me. There is a commitment 
or at least an express commitment and an intention by this particular 
man. Again, I think church growth 
gurus would probably fault Jesus here for not signing him into 
the membership roles. See, Jesus teaches us something 
in this passage. There's something more important 
than big numbers in church membership. There's something more important 
than a body count. Now, I know numbers matter because 
they're real live human beings. I get that. But the purity of 
the church matters in that you don't want goats as members. 
You don't want reprobate as preachers. You don't want the ungodly as 
dispensers of the mysteries of Christ. We need to guard jealously 
with reference to this issue of Christian discipleship. The 
church forgot to make any sort of imposition upon the would-be 
follower of the Lord Jesus. We forgot to ask questions. We 
forgot to ask about lifestyle. We forgot to ask about the nature 
of this commitment. The claim, in and of itself, 
is grandiose, but it's not well thought out. He's too quick to 
speak. He hasn't count the cost. We 
know that by virtue of the Savior's response to him. He hadn't thought 
through these particular things. Probably his mind went this way. 
I want to be with a man who can heal. I want to be with a man 
who's popular with the multitudes. I want to be with a man who has 
power, who has authority. He's certainly destined for great 
things in this life, isn't he? I mean, look at the so-called 
healers today. Do they live in huts? Do they 
live in one-room apartments? The professed healers and the 
proclaimers of the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel are setting 
forth the example. They're living high on the hog. 
I just read a report recently of pastors in Nigeria buying 
their own jets. I guarantee reform theology isn't 
being preached there. the health, wealth, prosperity 
gospels being preached there. You see, in this man's mind, 
following Jesus means a meal ticket. or it would appear that 
way, by virtue of Jesus' response. In fact, Calvin says this, he 
wishes indeed to follow Christ, but dreams of an easy and agreeable 
life, and of dwellings filled with every convenience, whereas 
the disciples of Christ must walk among thorns and march to 
the cross amidst uninterrupted afflictions. I think that Jesus' 
response indicates that John Calvin is on the right track. There's something motivating 
this man. There is something moving this 
man. There is something about this man wherein he has made 
this grandiose claim, but he has not sufficiently count the 
cost. It's one thing to follow Jesus 
in a jet airplane. It's another to get your legs 
chopped off in southern Sudan. It's one thing to follow Jesus 
living in North America, where for the most part we're not hurting. 
It's quite another thing to follow him in Ethiopia. It's quite another 
thing to follow him in a Muslim land. You want to test the religion 
of peace? Profess loudly your allegiance 
to the Lord Jesus Christ and see what peace you are met with. 
You see, there's a lot of people out there that see the good, 
they see the beauty, they see the accouterment, they see the 
prosperity, health, and wealth connected with Jesus, and so 
they say, hey, wherever you're heading, that's where I want 
to go. The scribe had witnessed the 
power of Christ manifested in healing. He certainly would think 
that such a healer would be privy to all the benefits associated 
with that power. Notice the Savior's response. 
Three things to observe. First, the statement itself. 
Secondly, his identification as Son of Man. And then some 
implications. Jesus said to him, foxes have 
holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has 
nowhere to lay his head. Now, as we move through Matthew's 
gospel, we will see that Jesus does have housing. We've already 
seen it in this chapter. He goes to Peter's house. There 
it is that he heals Peter's mother-in-law. Later on we find them back in 
Galilee and Jesus has a place in terms of lodging. Again, I 
don't know that Matthew wants us to understand here that Jesus 
has nothing in terms of no penny, in terms of no place to rest 
his head on a given night. I think Matthew, in light of 
the citation of the prophet Isaiah 53 verse 4, wants us to understand 
Isaiah 53 verses 2 and 3. He wants us to know that the 
servant of Yahweh is described this way. He shall grow up before 
Him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground. He 
has no form or comeliness and when we see Him, there is no 
beauty that we should desire Him. He's not speaking so much 
about not having a pillow. He is speaking about the rejection 
of the people that He has come to. The prophet Isaiah continues, 
he is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted 
with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces 
from him. He was despised and we did not 
esteem him. Now consider the claim, or consider 
the statement, foxes. And as I'm given to understand, 
in the Jewish culture, they didn't like foxes. Do any of you, if 
you see a fox, invite him into your back door? No, they're dirty animals. You 
don't want a fox in your house. And birds, I understand people 
have birds. More power to them. But in this 
culture, you didn't let birds near you. Birds always look like 
they're calculating something. Birds can be a bit scary and 
intimidating. But look at what the Son of Man 
is saying. The foxes of the field have their holes. The birds of 
the air have their nests. The Son of Man has nowhere to 
lay his head. Again, don't take this and say, every night he 
slept under the stars. No doubt, in itinerant ministry, 
he did sleep under the stars. But when he's in Capernaum, he 
sleeps in Peter's house. The idea is, is he's not been 
received. He's not been esteemed. He doesn't 
have jets. He doesn't have cars. He doesn't 
have houses. He doesn't have summer homes. 
He doesn't have all the accouterments. He doesn't have all the benefits. 
He doesn't have all the things that even the foxes and the birds 
have. Chamberlain says this and I think 
he's bang on his having nowhere to lay his head indicates not 
so much a lack of logic as Rejection by people who should have welcomed 
him as their Messiah King This is Israel's long-awaited prophet 
the son of God and son of man This is the Lord Christ Almighty 
and instead of being received instead of having everything 
instead of being esteemed He says the foxes and the birds 
have it better than me He says, both as son of man and servant 
of Yahweh, he is despised and rejected by men. That's Christ's 
statement. Again, imagine that. Lord, wherever 
you go, I'll follow. Oh, really? Is that true? Is 
that the case? Some of you here are kind of 
thinking about Christianity. Have you thought it through? 
Have you considered? I mean, this scribe saw the potential. This scribe saw that in a healer, 
he's certainly bound for great things. In a healer, he's certainly 
bound to big houses and big cars and big planes. But what this 
man did not understand, what this man did not perceive, and 
what this man failed to count the cost with reference to was 
the suffering, was the trial, was the cross. In other words, 
this man exemplifies what so many seekers after Jesus do. 
They want the crown. They want the benefit. They want 
the blessing. They want the goods. But they 
don't want the cross that leads to that crown. You see, what Jesus is teaching 
here in Matthew chapter 8 is as applicable today. His self-identification, he calls 
himself the Son of Man. This title is used most often 
by Jesus of himself. It's used about 80 times in the 
Gospels, about 30 of which are in Matthew's Gospel. Jesus refers 
to himself as Son of Man. If you know your Bible, you'll 
know that Ezekiel the prophet referred to himself as Son of 
Man, or God referred to him as Son of Man. It indicated his 
humanity, it indicated his earthiness. When Jesus applies this title 
to himself, I think that's a shade of meaning that we're supposed 
to appreciate. But as well, this idea of Son 
of Man means the privations, the sufferings, the trials, the 
difficulties, and the hardships associated with the messianic 
ministry of our Lord Jesus. But there's one other place that 
has meaning with reference and which defines this idea of Son 
of Man, and that's Daniel 7, 13, and 14. That's that majestic 
scene where one, like the Son of Man, comes on the clouds to 
the Ancient of Days. And then the Ancient of Days 
gives to the Son of Man all power, all dominion. He gives him a 
kingdom. So when Jesus is standing before 
the high priest, and the high priest adjures him, or puts him 
under oath, and says, are you the Son of God? When Jesus says, 
truly, you will see the Son of Man coming with clouds on great 
power, the high priest ripped his robe. The high priest said, 
what other further evidence do we have need of? He has asserted 
that he is Daniel, Son of Man. So you see, when Jesus refers 
to Son of Man here, I think all those shades of meaning are there. 
He is the One that is a human being. Our Christ is the God-Man, 
real humanity. He's relating this idea of deprivation 
and trial and difficulty that will afflict Him as the Son of 
Man. But as well, He's referring to 
the Danielic Son of Man. And this is where it just gets 
amazing. Chamblin again says, on his lips this term signals 
his divine sonship, majesty and authority, and also his humanity, 
deprivations and sufferings. So it's an interesting turn on 
Jesus' lips here. Foxes have their holes, birds 
have their nests, and Daniel's son, a man, has nowhere to lay 
his head. Are you sure you want to follow me? Are you sure you 
want to follow me? You see, when Daniel's son of 
man comes to the Ancient of Days, the Ancient of Days conveys upon 
him a kingdom. When the son of man comes among 
the sons of men, not only do we not give him a kingdom, but 
we say, away with him, away with him, crucify him. Is that really 
what you want in discipleship? Is that what you're about? Are 
you here for the blessings? Are you here for the gold? Are 
you here for the cars? Are you here for the planes? Or are you 
here for the son of man? Davies and Allison says, The 
one without a home is the majestic judge of mankind. This is powerful, brethren. Foxes 
have holes, the birds have their nests, but the son of man has 
nowhere to lay his head. What are some implications? What 
are some things that we learn just from this first case study 
in discipleship? Well, the first thing we ought 
to notice is that following Christ is not glamorous, is it? Now, I know it's being portrayed 
that way. The hip people follow Jesus. 
The cool cats follow Jesus. The guys with their torn trousers 
and their lattes, they follow Jesus. Foxes have holes, birds of the 
air have their nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay 
his hat. There's no glamour there. When the church looks more like 
glam rock, we've missed something. When preachers are referred to 
as rock star, we've missed something. Following Christ is not glamorous. Secondly, following Christ is 
not the path to health, wealth, and prosperity. I've often wondered, 
how does a man preach health, wealth, and prosperity and not 
explode? Trying to give lip service to the Bible, coming in the name 
of Jesus and telling everybody he preaches to, you'll have health, 
you'll have wealth, and you'll have prosperity. How does he 
do that? How does someone go up before a crowd and lie that 
brazenly? Do you know how much Bible you 
have to rip away to preach health, wealth, and prosperity? You certainly 
can't follow Jesus in this teaching. You can't look at a would-be 
or potential disciple and say, you know, foxes have it better 
and birds have it better than the son of man whom you proclaim 
to follow had it. Are you sure about this? Thirdly, 
following Christ does not ensure temporal safety and security. Peter and Andrew left their nets. 
They trusted that their association with Jesus would bring them the 
daily needs for bread and for water. They did return. Remember, we want to make sure 
we're not wacko or fanatical. On the other part, Peter still 
maintained a home in Capernaum. He still had his wife. He still 
had a mother-in-law. He would make visits to them. 
This itinerant ministry would take them away from home for 
seasons, for periods, and for times that these brothers went 
back home. But the idea is this. Following Jesus does not ensure 
temporal health or temporal safety and security. The day I preach, 
come to Jesus and your life will get better? Shoot me. What do most of us find? We lose the burden of sin, and 
that's the most blessed, wondrous, glorious thing ever. We sing 
with joy, my sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought, my 
sin not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I 
bear it no more. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. 
We feel like Christian. There at the cross in Bunyan's 
Pilgrim's Progress, the Banner of Truth edition, you see the 
burden flying off. The cords have been cut. He's 
at the cross. He is burden-free in terms of 
sin, in terms of the condemnation of the law, in terms of the wrath 
of God. This man is free. And then what 
happens? Does he start whistling and skipping 
and singing zippity-doo-dah on his way to the celestial city? 
No. It's hard. It's tough. It's difficult. This is what Christ is saying. 
Fourthly, following Christ may result in the loss of temporal 
benefits. So not only does it not ensure 
temporal benefit, but it may actually enjoin the loss of temporal 
benefits. I almost think we should just 
stay with this disciple this morning and develop this one. 
Pick up the next guy next week. Because there are certain passages 
that I want us to appreciate. certain things i want us to understand 
certain things that will help us in our exegesis of jesus' 
statement foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests but 
the son of man has nowhere to lay his head you need to count 
the costs not only is following christ not glamorous not only 
is following christ not the path to health wealth and prosperity 
not only is following christ not the way to ensure temporal 
safety and security but forth following christ may result in 
the loss of temporal benefits. Philippians chapter 3. We don't 
have to say Philippians chapter 3, we just say Philippians. What 
should you be thinking as students of the New Testament? Where is 
Paul when he writes Philippians? He's not in Whistler. He's not 
in Victoria. He's in prison. The prison epistles. Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 
Philemon. The apostle is in jail. But look at what he says when 
he is rehearsing and recounting his life, his conversion to Christ. We know how he starts off. He 
says, if anyone has a reason to boast before God based on 
their works, based on their merit, he says it's me. He says, I was 
born of the stock of Israel, I was of the tribe of Benjamin, 
I was circumcised on the eighth day, I was a Pharisee concerning 
zeal, or concerning the law, with reference to zeal. I persecuted 
the church. If there was ever a man who embodied 
religious performance as a means of acceptance with God, it was 
Paul. That's his point. He wants to 
show that any approach to God, apart from Jesus Christ, ends 
in futility, ends in damnation, ends in wrath. Learn from the 
apostle this morning. If you think you're going to 
earn your way to heaven by virtue of what you do, or by virtue 
of what you put off, you couldn't be more wrong. If anyone ever 
deserved a spot with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob based on their 
religious performance, Paul says, Now he's not saying that to say, 
what a great guy I am. That's the foil to present the 
glory of the gospel in Jesus Christ our Lord. Notice in verse 
7, but what things were gained to me, all of these religious 
accomplishments, all of the doings of my hand, all of the following 
of the Jewish law, what things were gained to me, these I have 
counted lost for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things 
lost for Christ. So he says, things in the past, 
but he moves to the present. It's not just that religious 
pedigree, it's current safety, it's current benefit, it's current 
temporal prosperity. You see that? He's saying that. 
This is the Apostle. Yet indeed I also presently, 
right now, count all things for loss for the excellence of the 
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Let me just say this, because 
this is going to come back in a little bit later. We're painting 
discipleship here. I don't want you to go, man, 
what's... come on. Are you kidding me? Who wants 
to follow Jesus under that? Do you notice something when 
you go out to purchase? You might go to Superstore, you 
might go to Walmart, or whatever haunt you like to frequent. When 
you buy something for a certain price, the product is consistently 
valued. Does that make sense? You buy 
a 1950 piece of junk car for 500 bucks, you get a 1950 piece 
of junk car. You go out and buy some fancy, 
beautiful, $100,000 car, I guess anymore, that's probably mid-range, 
right? You get $100,000 worth of car. No, I don't want a parallel product, 
but what I want to tell you is this. The cost of the kingdom 
is commensurate with the value of the kingdom. In other words, 
when Jesus says, follow me, there is everything in him worthy of 
deprivation. There is everything in him worthy 
for our loss. There is everything worthy in 
him for us to sacrifice all. So it's not like you're making 
this decision to follow Jesus and give everything up, and it's 
a life of misery, despair, and destruction. I hope that's not 
how Christians portray it. I hope that when Christians are 
following the Son of God in the midst of trial, in the midst 
of affliction, in the midst of hardship, in the midst of suffering, 
they're able to say with Job, though he slay me, yet will I 
trust in him. And they're able to say that 
behind this frowning providence, God does have a smiling face. 
That in the midst of the travail of this lower world, there is 
something far more great, far more wonderful, far more excellent. In fact, in the language, of 
Chamberlain. He says, what makes sense of 
the cost of discipleship is the value of God's kingdom and God's 
Messiah. Or to use Ryle. Ryle says a religion 
that costs nothing is worth nothing. So when Jesus says, give up all, 
he's worth it. That's the point. Just want to 
head that one off at the past. So you're not sitting here going, 
man, it sounds miserable to be a Christian. Oh no, there's nothing 
better. There's nothing better. Does 
anybody in here say, oh man, I wish I wouldn't have become 
a Christian? Oh man, I want to be on that way to destruction. 
Oh man, I like the guilt and the sin and the misery and the 
filthiness of that old... No! We say, praise God, we're on 
this blessed road. Praise God, he gives grace to 
go through trial. Praise God that he is the shepherd 
of Psalm 23. Yea, though I walk through the 
valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Why? Because 
God's with me. God's there, His rod, His staff, 
they comfort me. There's no harm, no foul, no 
shame, no disappointment whatsoever. And I think Paul brings this 
out beautifully in verse 8. Yet indeed I also count all things 
lost. For what? For the excellence 
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered 
the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain 
Christ. That's everything now for the 
Apostle. You see, when Jesus says, the foxes have holes and 
the birds of the air have nests, the Son of Man has nowhere to 
lay his head, and you by grace say, I want to follow! I want 
to go! You're not a whining, crying 
baby. There's times of difficulty. 
There's times of sorrow. There's times of depression, 
to be sure. There's Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 
moments in the Christian's life. There's Jeremiah the prophet 
in the Christian life. But the overarching theme in 
the Christian life is the realization that for to me to live is Christ 
and to die is gain. That's what marked the Apostle. 412. 412 in Philippians. We need to make sure that we 
qualify this as well. Christian discipleship doesn't 
mean constant warfare. If you go join the Canadian forces 
right now, you're not going to be in battle for four years. They don't hand you a gun and 
send you somewhere and you never, ever see relief. Take the warring 
nation, the old covenant people. Were they always at war? No. We need to make sure that we're 
qualifying this as well. It's not like every step of the 
Christian life is misery, pain, and destruction. That's wrong 
too. It's not health, wealth, prosperity. 
But it's not misery, pain, and destruction all the time. God's 
good. Peter had a mother-in-law. Then 
he had a wife. He got to kiss her. You got to 
hug her. They ate food. They laughed. 
They were on the boat. Well, they did have nature to 
deal with, but Jesus calmed the storm, didn't he? So we need 
to make sure we watch out for that as well. Oh, we're not suffering 
pain and misery constantly. We mustn't be a Christian. No, 
that's unbiblical. God's good. Never forget that. God is good. 1 Timothy 4. Doctrines of demons in the last 
days. What will it be? Forbidding to marry. Forbidding 
to eat foods that God created. What does Paul say? God gave 
those gifts to be enjoyed. They are sanctified by prayer. Bless God for a good steak. Bless 
God for a good wife. Bless God for a good husband. 
Bless God for good parents. Bless God for good children. 
Bless God for a nice car. Bless God for a nice place to 
live. That's not wrong and wicked. In fact, one of the indictments 
later on in the book of Deuteronomy, one of the reasons that God would 
upbraid Israel, yes, because they violated the law of God, 
but as well, they went into the land that the Lord God had given 
them in His grace, and they were not joyful. They were not thankful. 
They went and bowed down before Baal. You see, God wants us to 
appreciate the good gifts that He gives. Doesn't James say, 
every good and every perfect gift comes down from heaven from 
the Father in lights, in whom there is no variation, no shadow 
of turning? Interestingly enough, then James 
goes on and says, but of his own will he brought us forth 
by the word of truth. What's James' implication? The 
best good gift that God has given is salvation by grace through 
faith in Jesus Christ. Certainly be happy about that. 
There's no place on the Christian warfare to be all miserable. 
You ought to have good morale so you're ready to go into combat 
as a Christian soldier. Look at what Paul says in Philippians 
4.10, Now notice, He knows what it is to suffer 
deprivation. He knows what it is to not have 
temporal security and safety. But he also says, and I know 
how to abound. There's been good times in my 
Christian life as well. We've got to be careful that 
we're not health, wealth, prosperity guys with big hair and big cars 
preaching big money. But on the other hand, the Christian 
life is more than just misery constantly. How you doing, Christian 
brother? Oh, terrible. What's going on? Trial! How's your life? Joyless! Man! Do you think that commends the 
religion of Christ to a watching world? When we look miserable 
24-7? Again, I believe everybody's 
theology ought to have space for the book of Job. Truman just 
wrote a beautiful article on that whole idea. He says, Joel 
Osteen, in his preaching, has no place for the Book of Job. 
Any theology that does not have a place for the Book of Job is 
heretical. It's not just Job, it's Jeremiah. What is Jeremiah's nickname? 
The weeping prophet. Why do you think that is? Because 
he was filled with joy? Unspeakable and full of glory? 
No, because he lived in a wicked and debauched age and he would 
see the nation, the city that he loved destroyed. He cried. You meet the psalmist. What does 
he say? Everything's great all the time. 
No, he says, why are you downcast? Oh my soul, hope thou in God. There are seasons, brethren. 
As one who goes through those seasons, I amend the fact that 
the reality is there. We have Job time. We have Psalm 
time. We have Jeremiah time. But there 
is sunshine. There is blessing. There is privilege. We ought to hear the Master in 
the upper room when he says, in this world you will have tribulation. But we ought not to stop there. 
He says, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. 
Yes, you're going to have tribulation. Yes, you're going to have pressure. 
Yes, people are going to want to kill you. Yes, there's going 
to be pains and sorrows and distress and misery and all those things. 
But Jesus says, be of good cheer. I've overcome the world. 2 Timothy 3, verse 10. Again, just 
sketching a few passages to indicate that following Christ may result 
in the loss of temporal benefits. 2 Timothy 3.10, but you have 
carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, 
long-suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which 
happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra. What persecutions 
I endured. You see, Paul couldn't preach 
health, wealth, and prosperity. He just couldn't do it. You can read Acts 13 and 14 and 
see that. What happens? He's got unbelieving 
Jews chasing him, committing themselves to his destruction, 
to the point where in Lystra he actually gets stoned. They 
drag him out of the city, they suppose him to be dead. What's 
he do? He pops up, he goes back in the 
city, he stays there overnight, and the next day he travels to 
Derbe. People in our church ought to know how far Derbe is from 
Lystra. As I've said a million times, well, probably not a million 
times, that's hyperbolic, about 50 to 60 miles. Get the connection? He's stoned in Lystra, he's dragged 
out of the city, people think he's dead. He gets up, he goes 
back into the city, which I probably would have said, no, you should 
keep moving. Go, go to Derby now. But he goes back into the 
city, he spends the night there, probably has a decent breakfast, 
and then he walks 50 to 60 miles to Derby. So when Paul preaches in Acts 
14.22, we must, through many tribulations, enter the kingdom 
of God, no one's puzzled, no one's perplexed, no one's saying, 
what do you mean, Paul? You mean when we sign on the 
dotted line, we don't get cars and boats and houses and all 
that? No, you get tribulations. But I don't think Paul did it 
in a grudging way, not when we read Philippians 3, that I may 
gain Christ. Those disciples in Acts chapter 
5, they were whipped, they're scourged, then what do we find? 
They went and they were rejoicing. Why? Because they were counted 
worthy to suffer shame for his name. Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10. Just one more text, or two more 
texts rather, to punctuate this point that sometimes following 
Christ may result in the loss of temporal benefits. Not always, 
but it may happen. 1032, but recall the former days 
in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle 
with sufferings, partly while you were made a spectacle, both 
by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions 
of those who were so treated. For you had compassion on me 
and my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods. 
You see, those things are consistent when we follow Christ. We can 
joyfully, joyfully endure the plundering of our goods. How 
does one do that? Because the value of the king 
and the kingdom far exceeds these earthly benefits. That's the 
point. And then Hebrews 11. I wonder 
if in those churches where the health, wealth, and prosperity 
gospel comes to play, if they even read Hebrews 11, 35b and 
following. To me, this would be the death 
knell, not that all these other texts weren't, but here's what 
the heroes of faith got in the Old Covenant. There were certainly 
triumphs to be sure, that's what the preceding section deals with, 
but there's suffering. Notice in 35B, others were tortured, 
not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 
Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains 
and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn 
in two, they were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered 
about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, 
of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and 
mountains and dens and caves of the earth, and all these, 
having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive 
the promise, God having provided something better for us, that 
they should not be made perfect apart from us." Probably not 
a passage that goes over well at the word faith churches, I 
would imagine. Am I correct in that, my brother? 
Yeah. So there's just a brief sketch 
of what may happen to the would-be follower of Jesus. And I think 
the point we could summarize in terms of these implications 
is that following Christ demands a willingness to lose all things. Not to say that everybody who, 
by the grace of God, believes the gospel is consigned to utter 
misery. Doesn't mean that when you get 
saved, you go take all of your furniture to the thrift store. But it means there's a willingness. It means there's an ability to 
weigh, to see that the Kingdom of Christ, the Messiah Himself, 
far exceeds all these things. And if following Him means the 
loss of all these things, then praise God Almighty. That's the 
point. He wants this scribe to count 
the cost. He wants this scribe to realize 
that it isn't just about healing. It's not just about power. It's 
not just about feel good. There are times, there are seasons 
associated with the Christian life where even though the dirty 
mangy foxes have their holes and those dirty birds in the 
sky have their nest, we may not have a place to lay our heads 
if we follow the master. Praise God. By his grace and 
for his glory, that is what I shall undertake. Ryle says, many a 
man begins a religious life full of warmth and zeal, and by and 
by loses all his first love and turns back again to the world. 
He liked the new uniform. He liked the bounty money. He 
liked the name of Christian soldier. He never considered the watching, 
the worrying, the wounds, the conflicts which Christian soldiers 
must endure. Royal Council's preachers, don't 
go preaching the new uniform, don't go preaching the bounty 
money associated with the Christian faith, and not preach the cross, 
not preach repentance, not preach holiness, not preach law, not 
preach God and his justice and his kingdom, not preach the demands 
of Christian discipleship. That is faulty theology, to come 
up here and say, look, follow Jesus and everything will get 
better. It's a lie. Everything will get better vertically. Everything gets better in terms 
of God in your soul. Everything gets better in terms 
of your life and the life to come. But in terms of temporal 
benefit, this is what Jesus is speaking to. Foxes and birds 
profit more than the son of man who made all things by the word 
of his power, and the son of man who upholds all things by 
the word of his power. So that's the first case study 
in discipleship. We learn with reference to counting 
the cost. There's just a few things I want 
to close with. When it comes to this idea of 
counting the cost, I don't think my counting the cost and my commitment 
to follow Jesus makes me a disciple. No, God, by His grace, through 
faith in His Son, makes disciples. It's then you count the cost. 
It's then you follow Him. Make sure you're tracking properly. 
I'm not saying, you know, weigh all the empirical data, you know, 
consider all these things, and then sign up for Jesus. We're 
not Arminians. You don't sign up for Jesus. 
God is in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. The good 
news of the gospel is not that sinners accept Jesus into their 
heart. That's terrible news. No sinner 
can accept Jesus into his heart. No sinner wants to accept Jesus 
into his heart. The glory of the gospel of Jesus 
Christ is that God accepts sinners through the Beloved. That's what's 
blessed about the Christian gospel. Not that I've got to accept Jesus, 
but that God in Christ has accepted me. So just get that straight. It's not going to be every head 
bowed, every eye closed, every hand up. It is a time, however, 
for us, as professed disciples, to examine ourselves. Have we 
heard the word of Christ? Have we counted the cost? Have 
we considered? Maybe we're living our lives 
right now where we've slipped in some areas. Where we may have 
started off strong. Yeah, we'll follow the Savior 
wherever He leads. Now we want to write 505B. All the way, some of the ways, 
my Savior leads me. Our lives might evidence that, 
brethren. Our lives might display a lack of discipleship. Let's 
just listen to a few things. Borrowing from Ryle here, I think 
he was spot on. The necessity to count the cost. 
The first thing we need to realize is that following Jesus will 
cost us our love for sin. It will cost us our love for 
sin. Notice, I didn't say, we'll never sin again. It will cost 
us our love for sin. What is a mark, what is an identifying 
property of someone outside of Christ? They love their sin. 
You ever witness to somebody and have all these arguments 
as to why they shouldn't believe the gospel, and then you say 
something like, what's her name? What do you mean? The girl you're 
fornicating with, or the girl you're committing adultery with. 
At least be honest. Say that you'd rather have your 
sin than Jesus. a mark, an identifying characteristic 
of people that are outside of Christ, they love their sin. 
That's why if you're convicted of your sin, that's a good sign. 
I'm not saying it's automatic that you're a Christian, but 
conviction is the power of the Spirit. Not just feeling bad, 
or not just the walk of shame, or not just the, you know, the 
look that people will give you, but a conviction that I've sinned 
against the Holy God. That's what Christians have. 
Secondly, it will cost us our self-righteousness. Counting the cost in following 
Jesus means we get rid of self-righteousness. Why are you going to heaven? 
Because I read my Bible every day, because I pray every day, 
because I go to church morning and evening, every Sunday. No, 
no, and no. You're going to heaven because 
of Christ. You're going to heaven because 
of a bloodied Savior. You're going to heaven because 
God delivered him up because of our offenses, and God raised 
him up for our justification. That's why anyone will ever go 
to heaven. Self-righteousness is as bad 
as licentiousness. The church today, we're good 
condemning crack dealers. We're good at speaking against 
those national sins that are of epidemic proportion. Abortion, 
terrible. Same-sex marriage, terrible. 
But so is the pride, the gossip, the slander, and the wickedness 
that goes on in the name of Jesus. Why is it that we're okay with 
that? Thirdly, it will cost us our 
reputation with non-Christians. It may not happen like that, 
but it will happen. The moment you take a stand for 
the Lord of glory in this world, it's going to happen. What are 
you, weird? You go to church twice on Sunday? And I'm not saying that's necessarily 
the hallmark of discipleship. I'm just saying the sorts of 
things that you might hear. It'll cost your reputation with 
the world. Fourthly, it will cost us our 
love of ease. Ryle's great here. Listen to what Ryle says. I think 
I want to read this whole thing, and there's not much more, so 
don't... you know, how much longer do we have here? But Ryle speaks 
of this love of ease. Again, I think he's rightly identifying 
putting his finger on what Calvin put his finger on, which the 
master put his finger on before those men. The fact that Jesus 
speaks of earthly comfort The fact that Jesus speaks of temporal 
benefit indicates that that is what was in the heart of the 
scribe. He wanted ease. He wanted carefree-ness. He didn't 
want to have to worry about his mortgage payment. He didn't want 
to have to worry about a 1950 old clunker car. He wanted a 
jet. He wanted a big house. Ryle speaks 
of this love of ease, something I think that probably affects 
all of us. He says, Christianity will cost 
a man his love of ease. He must take pains and trouble 
if he means to run a successful race toward heaven. Again, he's 
not saying this is how you get to heaven. He is saying this 
is the mark of, this is the identifying characteristic of Christian discipleship. There's not two tiers. You don't 
have all those deadbeat, slob Christians that just sort of 
kind of meander along. And then you've got the really 
spiritual ones. Every Christian is supposed to run the race with 
endurance. Every Christian is supposed to 
look like Paul. Every Christian is supposed to 
press on. He says he must daily watch and 
stand on his guard like a soldier on enemy's ground. He must take 
heed to his behavior every hour of the day, in every company 
and in every place, in public as well as in private, among 
strangers as well as at home. He must be careful over his time, 
his tongue, his temper, his thoughts, his imagination, his motives, 
his conduct in every relation of life. He must be diligent 
about his prayers, his Bible reading, and his use of Sundays 
with all their means of grace. In attending to these things, 
he may come far short of perfection, but there is none of those who 
he can safely neglect. The soul of the sluggard desires 
and has nothing, but the soul of the diligent shall be made 
fat." Proverbs 13, 4. He says, this also sounds hard. 
There is nothing we naturally dislike so much as trouble about 
our religion. We hate trouble. We secretly 
wish we could have a vicarious Christianity and could be good 
by proxy and have everything done for us. Anything that requires 
exertion and labor is entirely against the grain of our hearts, 
but the soul can have no gains without pains. I used to think 
that was associated with the 20th century muscle-building 
craze. No pain, no gain. Ryle said it 
in the 1800s about Christian discipleship. We say we follow Christ. We say 
He's our Master. We say that He has saved us by 
His blood. Brethren, are we running the 
race? Is it a joy? Is it a delight? Some of you 
young people have been brought up in Christian homes. You've 
been brought up in churches. You've heard the truth all your 
lives. Are you running? Are you striving? Are you like Paul? For to me 
to live is Christ and to die is gain. That's what Christian 
discipleship is all about. Jesus says, count the cost. It may indeed cost us everything. That's what our Lord sets forth 
before this scribe. Now before we leave, I do not 
want you to conclude that I need to do this, or I need to do this. What you need to do is look to 
Christ. What you need to do is believe 
the gospel. What you need to do is come to 
the cross. That is where discipleship begins. You don't disciple and then get, 
you are saved by grace through faith in Jesus and then you run 
like the wind. That's the Christian way. Every 
religion out there teaches do this and then you'll get the 
reward. God says, I've given you the 
best reward you could ever imagine. Now, go do this. It's a beautiful 
thing. If you're a grammarian, you'll 
know the terms. Every religion out there preaches the imperative 
to get the indicative. Christianity preaches the indicative, 
what Christ has done for sinners, and then on the basis of that 
is the command to go, run, follow, serve, love, joy, happiness in 
the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. So believe 
on Him and you shall be saved. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you for your word and we thank you for the teaching 
of our Lord Jesus. Thank you, God, for speaking 
these truths that we so desperately need to hear as Christians and 
non-Christians. We need to understand what following 
Jesus looks like. We ask as Christians that you 
would forgive us for our sin, forgive us for our lack of fervency, 
our lack of zeal as we run this race. And we pray for those who 
are not Christians, that you would reach down, Lord God, cause 
them to see the glory of Christ, cause them to see their own sinfulness 
and the one who alone can save. We just praise you for your grace 
and your mercy. We ask that you would go with 
us now, and we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.