Luke 9:23 “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

A Christian disciple is one who follows Christ, irrespective of what hurdles, problems or persecution he might have to face. Disciple comes out of love rather than rules. Remember that the cost of cost of following Jesus Christ is your life. Discipleship is not about uttering the words “I love you” its about living and proving those words through trials, suffering and in humiliation. Therefore Jesus said in Matthew 10:39 “Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it.”

The Greek word for “Lord” is “kyrios”. When we call Jesus “lord” it is not just an acknowledgement of his sovereignty or heavenly residence. It is saying that Jesus is the owner. There is no ways you can call someone a kyrios without calling yourself “Doulous” which means slave. The slave has no rights. He has signed over everything to his master, even his own identity. A slave’s one word job description was “OBEY”

People are slaves to something (possession, pleasure, other people) it is only when you make Jesus your master that you experience true freedom. Instead of shame and bondage and death, we find joy and grace and eternal life. You will never know true freedom until you have completely surrendered and become a slave to jesus Christ. Have you surrendered your life to the process of discipleship?

When you become a slave to Jesus, He can put together the broke pieces and make you His son/daughter. Anyone can follow Jesus, anyone who has thought to themselves. I’ve gone too far. My stains is too big “Anyone who has ever laid awake at night and said “I can’t believe what I’ve done” Anyone who has ever looked in the mirror and said “ I can’t believe what I’ve become” Anyone can follow, anyone who knows deep down that they have really got nothing to offer Jesus. It is what Jesus offers us that changes things. A follower is far from perfect. We continue to need his grace to go on that journey to perfection. His grace doesn’t just invite us to follow, it teaches us to follow.