Pleasing God Podcast
Pleasing God Podcast
Cross Before Comfort
What if the life you want can only be found on the other side of surrender? We open Luke 9:23 and sit with Jesus’ words to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him—then we trace what that actually looks like when comfort collides with calling.
Jonathan walks through the stark paradox at the heart of discipleship: losing life to find it, dying to truly live. We contrast the rich young ruler’s sorrowful refusal with the fishermen who left everything to pursue a greater joy. Their flaws didn’t disqualify them; their direction did the shaping. From there, we bring the call into the present: obedience when it hurts, forgiveness when wounded, faithfulness when unseen, and integrity when compromise feels easier. Along the way, we keep our eyes on Christ’s pattern—He carried His cross for our redemption and leads us on a path where the cross is never the end. Resurrection is.
This conversation doesn’t romanticize sacrifice; it locates it within hope. We count the cost with honesty, remember brothers and sisters who suffer for their faith, and anchor our courage in Romans 8:18. Then we get practical with probing questions to help you surrender your schedule, your desires, and your hidden motives. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of what it means to release control, why you can’t carry the cross in one hand and the world in the other, and how the “great exchange” trades temporary comfort for durable joy, peace, and purpose that nothing can take away.
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Stock Music provided by wolfgangwoehrle, from Pond5
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Hi and welcome back to the Pleasing God Podcast, a show focused on helping Christians to think biblically, engage practically, and live faithfully for the glory of God. I'm your host, Jonathan Sowell, and on this episode, I'd like to talk on the subject of the cost of discipleship, taking up your cross. When you think about following Jesus, what's the first thought that comes to mind? Is it comfort or cross? We live in a world that values convenience. We like quick results, smooth paths, and comfort without cost. But Jesus has never called his followers to an easy road. A passage that comes to mind that I think is one the kind of the proof text for this is in Luke chapter nine, beginning in verse twenty-three. Jesus says these words If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here that will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God. I want to note here, very importantly, what Jesus says. He says, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. We have to understand that this is not some casual invitation. No, Christ is calling those who would follow him to die to self and live for him. So in this episode, we're going to talk about what that means, why Jesus calls us to take up a cross, what it costs, and why. And hopefully that you see that in the end it is absolutely worth it. So, again, let's observe here the call of Jesus. In verses 23 through 25, he says, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. So when Jesus is saying, take up your cross, what he's saying here in this passage is, come and die with me. Die to your own way, die to your own pride, die to your own self-rule, so that you can live under his rule. We can't serve two masters. So, what does it mean to deny yourself? It doesn't mean to hate yourself, but it means, in a sense, to surrender yourself. That you step off the throne of your own life and you let Christ have his rightful seat as the Lord of your life. A life of denying self is saying no to our own passions, our own desires, our own rule, and saying yes to Jesus' passions, Jesus' desire, and Jesus' rule. Discipleship begins where self ends. And that's where following Jesus truly starts. This is the call of Jesus. And the call leads to the cost of discipleship. Jesus didn't soften the message here. In fact, he made it very clear. He says, Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. This certainly sounds like a paradox, and it is. It's the paradox of discipleship. Losing to gain, dying to live. It seems so opposite. But it's true. Now we see examples of this throughout the scriptures. I think of the rich young ruler in Mark chapter 10. He wanted eternal life. But when Jesus told him to go sell what he had and follow, he walked away sorrowful. He couldn't let go of control. He wanted Jesus and his wealth. He wanted to live and have life. He wasn't willing to die to gain life. Simply put, we can't carry the cross in one hand and the world in the other. Another example would be Peter, James, and John. Certainly they had their ups and downs as disciples. Peter's denial, James and John wanting position and authority. They wanted status in the kingdom. They even asked Jesus, you know, permit us to sit at your right hand and at your left. And they so they certainly weren't not perfect disciples. But what we do see in Peter, James, and John is that they left everything. They left their nets, they left their jobs, they left their family to follow Jesus. In fact, James and John, the sons of thunder, they're with their father, Zebedee, in the boat when Jesus calls them. And they left Zebedee in the boat and followed Jesus. And in leaving everything behind, they found something infinitely greater. The joy of walking with their Savior. And it certainly cost them. So what we need to understand is that following Jesus always costs something. For some, it's the loss of comfort. For others, reputation. And for many around the world, it's even their safety or their lives. There are many this day that are giving up their lives, that are losing their lives physically for the sake of Christ. Especially with what's going on in Africa today. True discipleship, laying down their lives. But we have to understand here's the truth Salvation is free, but following Jesus will cost you everything. Jesus wants us to weigh the cost. Jesus wants us to know what we are signing up for before we sign up. And in losing everything, we understand that the cost is never greater than the reward. What cross are you carrying today in following Jesus? Maybe your cross today is obedience even when it's hard. Or forgiveness, even when you're hurt. Maybe it's faithfulness when no one sees. Whatever your cross is that you are bearing today, Jesus says, take it up and follow me. Jesus does not promise his followers an easy life, but a fulfilled life. And it is a life that is rewarding. And understand this, Jesus will never ask you to go where he has not gone. He is simply asking all of his followers to walk where he walked. Because when we think about the life, the person, the work of Jesus Christ, did he not carry a cross? Did he not go up that hill at Calvary, not for his sins, but for ours? He carried a cross for our redemption, for our salvation. And so we are to walk in the manner that he walked. And this leads to the reward of discipleship. It's the beautiful irony that we see. The cross is never the end of the story. Resurrection is. So here again is the beautiful irony. When we die to self, we find true freedom. When we surrender, we discover joy. And when we lose our lives for Christ, we find the life that the world cannot take away from us. The world says, protect yourself, serve yourself. Jesus says, deny yourself, follow me. So what will it be for you? A life of carrying a cross, denying yourself and following Jesus? Or a life of protecting yourself, serving yourself, seeking comfort? I would rather bear a cross in this life than bear my sins in the life to come. And one day as we stand before Him and we think about bearing our crosses in this life, every sacrifice will seem small compared to the glory of being with Jesus forever. I'm reminded of Romans chapter 8, verse 18. The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. And that's the reward. That's the promise. That's the outcome of a life of following Jesus. So let's make this practical. As you think about your own discipleship this week, I want you to ask yourself these questions. What area of your life is hardest to surrender to Jesus right now? What's that thing that you're holding on to that you need to let go of so that you would follow Jesus more faithfully? Here's another question. What does it look like to take up your cross daily? It's not a one-time thing, but it's an everyday thing. What does it look like to take up your cross in your schedule? In your family? In your heart. And where might God be calling you to follow him more faithfully, even when it's uncomfortable? I want you to remember, discipleship is not about perfection. No, it's about direction. It's where we are heading, who we are looking to, and who we are following. And we are invited by the Lord to take this posture, to take this gaze and this focus and to look to Him. So that we can even in our discipleship do as Jesus did. Remember his prayer, not my will, but yours be done. As he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. So as we think about the cost of discipleship, remember that the cross isn't just something that Jesus carried for you. It's something that you now carry with him. And in doing so, we understand the purpose of life. Because that's truly where life is found, is when we are so focused upon Jesus serving him, loving him, following him. We were created for this. We were created for this communion and this fellowship to be like our creator. So when we think about discipleship, the cost is great. But I would argue that the cost of not being as a disciple is even greater. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but to forfeit his soul? When we cling to our lives, we lose them. When we give them to Christ, we find joy, we find peace, purpose, and that lasts forever. That's something that no man, no circumstance, no trial, nothing can take from us. So my encouragement to you today is do not run from the cross. Run to Jesus. Remember that he carried his cross for you, and he desires that we would carry ours for him. It is a radical thought. Discipleship is radical. Following Jesus is radical, but it is so worth it. Jim Elliott said, the late missionary, that he is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep in order to gain what he cannot lose. And that's the life of discipleship. Give our lives today to gain eternity with Jesus forever. What a great exchange. What a great purpose to live for. I want to thank you for listening to the Pleasing God Podcast. If you have any questions, I would love to hear from you. You can reach out at questions at pleasing godpodcast.org. And remember, 1 Thessalonians 4 3. This is the will of God, your sanctification.
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