A. MANY DESIRE TO FOLLOW - DON'T KNOW WHAT'S INVOLVED.

B. JESUS TELLS US TO COUNT THE COST( Luke 14:28-32 ).

C. "IF ANY MAN WOULD COME AFTER ME..."

A. AN ESSENTIAL FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT( Gal. 5:22-23; 2 Pet. 1:5-6 )

B. CONNECTED TO JUDGMENT( Acts 24:24-25 ).

C. CONNECTED TO THE REWARD( 1 Cor. 9:25-27 ).

D. SOMETIMES WE CAN'T SAY "NO" TO OURSELVES.

A. SELF CRUCIFIXION IS NECESSARY TO SELF-CONTROL.

B. SELF CRUCIFIXION IS AS VITAL AS HIS CRUCIFIXION

( Gal. 2:20; 5:24; Rom. 6:6 ).

1. Romans 6. A treatise on stopping sinning.

a. vs. 2. Dead to sin, die to it in intent and purpose.

b. vs. 3-4. Die with Jesus, raised to a new life.

c. vs. 5-7. Justified in his death.

d. vs. 11. "Reckon yourselves" - a purposeful conscious change ( vs. 12-13 ).

2. The mind is involved( Prov. 23:9 ).

3. The heart must be set on heaven( Col. 3:1-2 ).

C. WHO IS THE BOSS?( Gal. 5:16; 1 Pet. 3:15; 2 Cor. 5:14-15 ).

D. AGAIN - WE CANNOT SAY "NO" TO SELF!

A. NO REGRETS LATER( Luke 9:62 ).

B. THIS IS NOT OUR REST( Heb. 4:8-11 ).

C. GOD IS NOT JUST A HOMETOWN GOD( Jer. 23:23-24 ).

A. INVOLVES FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE( 1 Pet. 2:21 ).

1. The goal of all early Christians( 1 Cor. 11:1 ).

2. "What would Jesus do?"

B. INVOLVES FOLLOWING HIS TEACHINGS.

1. Discipleship depends on it( John 8:31 ).

2. Judged by his word( 12:48 ).

3. Obedience an outgrowth of LOVE( 14:15 ).

4. "What would Jesus have me to do?"

C. FOLLOWING JESUS HAS ITS REWARD( John 8:12 ).

A. DISCIPLESHIP DEPENDS ON FOLLOWING JESUS( John 8:31 ).

B. AND ON SELF CRUCIFIXION( Luke 14:27 ).

C. THE COST OF NOT BECOMING A DISCIPLE IS GREATER.