"So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."

We cannot be disciples of Christ, unless we give up everything.

This message is not being preached. We're told to add Christ to our life, rather than surrendering all. We're told to believe, but no demands are placed upon faith. We're told that we can follow Christ, and live for ourselves too.

This is false! We must forsake everything, and surrender absolute rule. We must give up our time, our money, and our will. Our life can no longer be our own.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

If the terms are made clear, then we do sinners good. We exhort them to count the costs. Now, they can look to Christ for real, and spare themselves shame and embarrassment.

Luke 14:28-30, "For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish."

God will give this surrendered life to all who ask him, and trust him for it!

First, the Lord says, "whoever of you." It doesn't matter who we are. There are no exceptions. Everyone of us must forsake everything. Hold nothing back. The Lord Jesus tells us what to do with our money and time, which are his. He governs our life with love and liberty. He teaches us to walk with him and follow him in soul winning [Matt 4:19]. He tells us how to live and think. He teaches us how to respond.

In everything, we are his disciples. In all things, follow him.

Secondly, he says, "forsake all." This is a daily battle. We are not living off yesterday's manna. Every day is a fresh day for grace to sin no more. Every day the supernatural is needed.

Go to him today for power over sin. Today, look to his forgiveness. Arise from prayer to live godly in sincerity with joy. Live in thanksgiving.

The life of the Christian is full throttled devotion, empowered by the Spirit; it's looking into God's love, so we can love him mightily, like Samson [Eph 3:17-20]. It's a Spirit filled walk with sincere love for enemies; it's rejoicing in tribulation; it's LIVING OUT the gospel!

Oh, bless God for this power, and seek it daily. Rejoice!

Thirdly, we "cannot" be a disciple any other way. No exceptions. We must surrender all.

We can learn doctrine, but that's not enough. We can sing songs, but it's insufficient. We can give our money, and serve in the missionary field. All of these things, however, are NOT GOOD ENOUGH, if we don't forsake all.

If anything is more important than God's will, then we cannot be saved. Let no one deceive you. God's grace makes us zealous of good works: he makes Christ all.

Forgiveness comes with repentance. What are we renouncing? It is self rule.