AI OVERVIEW: Counting the cost of following Jesus is an accounting process rather than an emotional one, requiring a clear assessment of gains and losses to decide whom to follow and what life to base it on. Jesus uses strong images, saying to come after him and carry your cross, which Dallas Willard explains as an instrument of death that entails surrendering all other loves; the cost of non-discipleship is living without forgiveness or divine guidance. The speaker asks listeners to write down the costs on a yellow legal pad and to weigh gains like forgiveness, fellowship with Jesus, wisdom, transformation, the Holy Spirit, purpose, and hope beyond death, against the costs of time, money, ambitions, and relationships.
YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION: What does it really cost to follow Jesus? In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Jesus' most misunderstood invitations: "Count the cost." Drawing from Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart, he explains why discipleship is not an emotional decision but a thoughtful o...
