Count the Cost, Find Joy

He was walking home from a long day at work; nothing was making sense, he didn't have any money. His family was starving and he was losing hope. He detoured through this field, and as he was walking, kicking up dust, he stumbled over a hole. As he knelt down to see the whole, he saw something glisten in the sunlight. It was a diamond; but there was more. The whole was deeper. Before he knew it, he realized that he had enough money to buy the field, if he went home and sold everything. He counted the cost. But he didn't count the cost of the things He would need to give up. He counted everything He would gain.

I never understood this parable before. What did Jesus mean? Comparing the kingdom of heaven to a field with treasure in it. Well this week in YWAM we were learning about counting the cost of following Christ.
It's like addition.
 Jesus + everything he has to offer = JOY
It will always equal joy.
5+7=12
It will always equal 12.
If you don't come up with that answer you must keep reconfiguring till you get the right answer.
So, if you don't come up with Joy, you haven't added right, because Jesus promised we would come up with Joy.
Jesus has incredible value. If he didn't, why else would Paul say "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Paul had it, he understood who he was following and why.

Sometimes I think so easily we lose who we are following, we go through the motions and forget why exactly we strive to follow this Christ. So, who is he and why should we follow this man?

The all perfect, all glorious, all holy Son sat next to His Father through Creation. He watched the Creation that they had poured their everything to, turn their backs. Sin had entered the world. And it shattered his heart, because He knew what it meant. He was holy, sin could not be in his presence. He was wrathful, He had to destroy the wicked. He was God, he had to be just. But, He was love. And love couldn't do that. Love couldn't leave his creation. Love had to provide a way. So He chose a nation, of which he would bless and love and save. But still, they turned their backs, still they failed to see what He was truly offering.
So God the Father, enthroned above all, fully wrathful, fully loving, turned to His Son and said "You must go. You must save their souls."
So Jesus, being fully God, left heaven to be born in a manger and die on a cross. But that isn't want brings me to my knees. Because being born is easy, and everyone must die. It is the daily mundane, the grueling that He faced, that brings me completely to my knees.
He walked through life. Those days that you wake up and you look across the room with absolutely no desire to awaken and arise out of bed, He faced. Those days when your heart is broken the idea of 'keep on moving,' seems like Hell. The days you are tempted beyond what you can bear. He bore that weight. Those days when someone you love dies. He faced.
But the crazy, inspiring part, is that He faced these days with Joy. With a purpose. With humility.

His best friend John died. His cousin, the one he was connected to even in the womb. His head was cut off. Jesus went off, fighting tears, to be alone and mourn as any of us would have. But the people came, as they always did. He didn't yell or complain. He healed their sick and had compassion on them. And when the day was coming to a close and the people were hungry. He divided fish and bread enough to feel the four thousand. Then, when the people were satisfied, when the deeper need was fulfilled, he went on to mourn.

 What brings me to my knees is that simple fact that He loved, He put himself aside even when He deserved to be focused on Himself. He was God, How much more should I do that?

In being led to the cross, he had every right to prove to the scoffers jeering at him that He was GOD. But He chose not to for the very people crucifying Him. He had no one, his best friends ran, Peter denied, his followers screamed with the crowd "CRUCIFY HIM!" His own Father turned his back because He couldn't bear to see the sin in His holiness. When the entire sin-weight of humanity fell upon His shoulders, he cried out "My God, My God, Why have You forsaken me?" Jesus was the only one to ever feel God forsake him in living.


The weight of our sin killed him.

The joy of His Love saved us.

The moment God's wrath and God's love met, was the most beautiful, most ugly day in history. The Savior of the world died, and God turned his back to the sin. 3 days later, He rose from the dead. He rose to verify what He had done. And He didn't just go to his disciples. He didn't just go to the 12 men who had become his best friends. He told them to spread the word. To "Go and Make disciples." And that is how you and I know Jesus as our Savior. THAT is the type of God we are worshipping. That is the value we are giving everything up for.

So, one morning when I took a really long walk and counted the value of Christ, I knew why I was serving Him. I'm not just going to love people, and satisfy their temporary needs. I'm going to tell them about their Savior, the one who redeemed my life directly from the pits of Hell. Who saves me from the cancer of pride. He is the one I worship and I want everyone to know.

So no longer is it about the things I must give up to serve the God in heaven, It has become who Jesus is+ gratitude for what He has done for me
and that can only lead me to JOY.
This is what turns me into that man who couldn't wait to go home and sell everything He owned. He joyfully ran to his wife and children and gave up EVERYTHING. That is what turns me into someone absolutely desperate for more of Him, totally surrendered and willing to give up everything I own for more of God. This is what makes me a Christ-follower.