Give Up What You Cannot Keep to Gain What You Cannot Lose

Church family:
In 1956, five young missionaries were murdered while trying to share the gospel with an unreached tribe in Ecuador. Their sacrifice gave the world a powerful picture of what it means to follow Jesus. Six years before his death, one of those missionaries, Jim Elliot, wrote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
What does it really mean to follow Jesus? It is easy to admire Jesus, believe certain facts about Him, attend church, and enjoy the blessings of Christianity. But Jesus never called us merely to admire Him. He called us to follow Him.
In Matthew 8:18–22, crowds gather around Jesus after seeing His authority over sickness, demons, and creation. They are drawn to His power and growing popularity. Yet rather than seeking a larger following, Jesus explains what it truly costs to follow Him.
One man tells Jesus, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus warns him that following Him may mean giving up comfort and security: even animals have places to live, but “the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Following Jesus does not guarantee financial security or an easier life. It means trusting and obeying Him, even when doing so will likely be costly.
Another man says, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus’ response challenges him and us to consider what comes first in our lives. The heart of the issue lies in the words “let me first.”The man wants to follow Jesus, but only after taking care of his own priorities.
How often do we approach Jesus the same way? Lord, let me first establish my career. Let me first become financially secure. Let me first accomplish my dreams. Let me first get comfortable. Let me first get my life together. But Jesus does not ask for a place somewhere among our priorities. He calls us to give Him first place.
Following Christ may cost us comfort, security, possessions, relationships, and control over our future. Sometimes obedience to Jesus creates tension with people we love. Sometimes following Him means surrendering our plans, preferences, and privileges because we belong to Him. This is the paradox of discipleship: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39).
Jesus is not asking us to trade a good life for a miserable one. He is inviting us into the life we were created to live. A Stradivarius violin fulfills its purpose when it is placed in a master’s hands and played as it was designed to be played. In the same way, we discover the fullness of life when we place ourselves in the hands of our Creator. As we release our grip on earthly treasures and surrender our own way, we discover the greater treasure of knowing Christ and the freedom of belonging to our Savior and King. Jesus is worth it.
See you Sunday, Steve