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The Cost
Nestled in a few verses in Luke's Gospel is a Jesus who would not have been tolerated on our city streets He was not politically correct. He did not try to save people's feelings. This was because the things He was saying were too important and His love for people too strong to allow Him room to tread softly.
Steven Lawson unpacks these few verses, looking at the unashamed honesty, passion, and urgency with which Jesus explains the incredible cost involved in following Him. It is undoubtedly the biggest sacrifice any person ever makes - but it is for the most abundantly glorious prize imaginable.
Steven Lawson unpacks these few verses, looking at the unashamed honesty, passion, and urgency with which Jesus explains the incredible cost involved in following Him. It is undoubtedly the biggest sacrifice any person ever makes - but it is for the most abundantly glorious prize imaginable.
112 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 30, 2017
77 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Steven J. Lawson
78 books315 followersDr. Steven J. Lawson is the Senior Pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama, having served as a pastor in Arkansas and Alabama for the past twenty-nine years. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University (B.B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Reformed Theological Seminary (D. Min.)
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 14, 2021
Salvation is a free gift of God that will cost you everything. This little book does an excellent job of articulating that truth in a way that is biblically faithful. Although I found some of it too repetitive, it is an excellent and timely message for the church today.
January 2, 2019
Much of Evangelical Christianity's Gospel call is more about 'accepting Jesus into your heart as your personal Lord & Saviour' (a phrase which is not technically 'biblical' in the strictest sense - but I get the general gist of it), but without any mention of the COST of following Christ.
It is a weird situation we live in, where people can think they can 'accept Jesus as Saviour' but not be a disciple... laying down all for the sake of following Christ. These 2 things are not separable. One who has trusted in Christ for salvation has also relinquished all that they have and are to His Sovereign Lordship over all of their life. Steven Lawson in this book unpacks this aspect of following Christ - What does it cost us? Short answer: EVERYTHING. Though salvation is a free gift through grace - it also demands of us everything, for we give ourselves wholly to Christ to save us from sin.
This book is a well-needed exposition of the cost of following Christ to a 'Christian' culture which, for whatever reason, shies away from plainly laying out the cost of following Christ when they give their Gospel-call. This is not something for more advanced Christians, but rather the very entry point of the Christian life - it is to take up your cross, die to self, and follow after Jesus. In typical Lawson style, he hammers that point home in several different ways - first expositing from scripture then illustrating the point, and driving it home to our own lives. Lawson also balances between not falling into legalism and also not slipping into antinomianism. This book is a clear-cut, straightforward, and compelling explanation of the cost of discipleship (to borrow the phrase from Bonhoeffer).
I'd recommend this for pretty much all Christians. We all need this clear reminder every now and then as we are forgetful people. However, it would be especially relevant to remind us that as we share the Gospel with people - to not be preaching a costless Christianity of cheap grace. In many ways this book mirrors Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of Discipleship" - but with a different voice and style. While this is not ground-breaking, it also has much value for our church today and everyday.
It is a weird situation we live in, where people can think they can 'accept Jesus as Saviour' but not be a disciple... laying down all for the sake of following Christ. These 2 things are not separable. One who has trusted in Christ for salvation has also relinquished all that they have and are to His Sovereign Lordship over all of their life. Steven Lawson in this book unpacks this aspect of following Christ - What does it cost us? Short answer: EVERYTHING. Though salvation is a free gift through grace - it also demands of us everything, for we give ourselves wholly to Christ to save us from sin.
This book is a well-needed exposition of the cost of following Christ to a 'Christian' culture which, for whatever reason, shies away from plainly laying out the cost of following Christ when they give their Gospel-call. This is not something for more advanced Christians, but rather the very entry point of the Christian life - it is to take up your cross, die to self, and follow after Jesus. In typical Lawson style, he hammers that point home in several different ways - first expositing from scripture then illustrating the point, and driving it home to our own lives. Lawson also balances between not falling into legalism and also not slipping into antinomianism. This book is a clear-cut, straightforward, and compelling explanation of the cost of discipleship (to borrow the phrase from Bonhoeffer).
I'd recommend this for pretty much all Christians. We all need this clear reminder every now and then as we are forgetful people. However, it would be especially relevant to remind us that as we share the Gospel with people - to not be preaching a costless Christianity of cheap grace. In many ways this book mirrors Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of Discipleship" - but with a different voice and style. While this is not ground-breaking, it also has much value for our church today and everyday.
August 22, 2024
A well balanced short book about being a follower of Christ and raised important questions in the reader mind of what it means to you to follow Him . Steven Lawson does a great job walking through Luke character 14:25-35
3,5,7-8 are my favorite chapters
“You must step out of the crowd to follow Christ… these are strong words but these Strong words by Christ make Strong disciples who have strong faith” Steven Lawson
Some Key verses
Luke 14:25-26/ 14:27 /14:28-33/ 14:34-35/ 9 23/6:46/ . John 8: 31/ Romans 6:16-17
My thoughts as I read this wonderful book:
Knowledge without godly affection for Christ is just intellectual pride but affection without the knowledge of Christ is merely loud noise/ hot air with no life There must be a knowledge of Christ that moves the heart of the believer to grow in a deeper affection for Christ and there must be a deep affection/ love for Christ as you grow in your knowledge of Christ
And a true knowledge and affection should motivate a deep convention to obedience to Christ (Both is needed and both are graciously given by God) will we be all in and count the cost and follow him with every part of our being
January 3, 2023
this book was a great reminder of the daily sacrifice of following jesus and since it’s so short it was a pretty easy read! BUT it was highly repetitive(maybe i needed to hear it) and seemed like a book more for new believers. either way i really enjoyed the way it worked through luke 14:25-35 and was so scripture heavy! and the poem at the end!! so good! maybe i’ll use it to disciple abby or maybe i’ll give it to someone on the fence about a life with jesus
June 3, 2018
The author, a respected preacher, tells us that to follow Jesus is the greatest adventure in all of life. There is no journey that can compare to this one. On this journey you will find the real purpose for which you were created.
This short book, which reads like it may have originally been a sermon or sermon series, focuses on one encounter Jesus had with a large and diverse crowd that was walking with him. The author analyzes and applies Luke 14:26 – 35.
He tells us about the different people that were in the crowd. Most in the crowd were only curious, uncommitted and unconverted. But Jesus stopped and spoke to them. What he said was shocking and provocative. It was a hard saying. He called for a full-scale commitment to him.
His words were spoken on his final journey to Jerusalem, toward the end of his earthly ministry. He didn’t sugar-coat his message. His words were direct and demanding. They were intended to awaken the spiritually dead among them. The author tells us that what Jesus said to them, he says to us today. No matter where we are in life these words from Jesus are for us as well.
The journey begins when we commit our lives to him, when we become one of Jesus’ disciples. To begin the journey will cost us nothing. We enter into this relationship by faith. We cannot earn this through our works. But there is a high cost to actually live as one of Jesus’ disciples. It takes commitment. To follow Jesus, you must do a complete turnaround. Your whole life will belong to Jesus.
Following Jesus gives us the greatest of blessings, the forgiveness of our sins. We are then clothed with his perfect righteousness. We have true contentment, happiness, peace and joy.
But following Jesus is a journey that comes at a high cost. This journey will take priority over every pursuit in life. It will cost us old habits and perhaps some associations. It will cost us our time and treasure. It will result in suffering, opposition and perhaps even our very lives. We will need to believe, repent and turn to Jesus alone. In the end however, we will gain much more than it costs, as the journey leads to Heaven.
Like all of the author’s books, this book is soaked in scripture. This would be an excellent book to read and discuss with someone who is not yet on the journey. Highly recommended.
This short book, which reads like it may have originally been a sermon or sermon series, focuses on one encounter Jesus had with a large and diverse crowd that was walking with him. The author analyzes and applies Luke 14:26 – 35.
He tells us about the different people that were in the crowd. Most in the crowd were only curious, uncommitted and unconverted. But Jesus stopped and spoke to them. What he said was shocking and provocative. It was a hard saying. He called for a full-scale commitment to him.
His words were spoken on his final journey to Jerusalem, toward the end of his earthly ministry. He didn’t sugar-coat his message. His words were direct and demanding. They were intended to awaken the spiritually dead among them. The author tells us that what Jesus said to them, he says to us today. No matter where we are in life these words from Jesus are for us as well.
The journey begins when we commit our lives to him, when we become one of Jesus’ disciples. To begin the journey will cost us nothing. We enter into this relationship by faith. We cannot earn this through our works. But there is a high cost to actually live as one of Jesus’ disciples. It takes commitment. To follow Jesus, you must do a complete turnaround. Your whole life will belong to Jesus.
Following Jesus gives us the greatest of blessings, the forgiveness of our sins. We are then clothed with his perfect righteousness. We have true contentment, happiness, peace and joy.
But following Jesus is a journey that comes at a high cost. This journey will take priority over every pursuit in life. It will cost us old habits and perhaps some associations. It will cost us our time and treasure. It will result in suffering, opposition and perhaps even our very lives. We will need to believe, repent and turn to Jesus alone. In the end however, we will gain much more than it costs, as the journey leads to Heaven.
Like all of the author’s books, this book is soaked in scripture. This would be an excellent book to read and discuss with someone who is not yet on the journey. Highly recommended.
June 29, 2017
Anyone that is serious about discipleship will want to read this book! Our ministry Soulfishing Ministries (www.SoulfishingMinistries.org) has written a discipleship workbook called Multiplying for the Master. In the chapter dealing with stage 2 in the 3 stages of spiritual growth, we examined the characteristics of young men (1 John 2:11-14), and the 6 discipleship statements of Jesus (Luke 14:26ff; John 8,13,15. The Cost was a great supplement and added extra potency to our study in Luke 14 and what it truly means to be a disciple of Christ. I highly recommend this book, and for any that have our discipleship workbook this is a great book to use alongside of it,
March 30, 2023
Lawson is not a prolific writer, but this book is a great, clear presentation of what the Gospel message truly means to those who follow it. I particularly enjoyed his interpretation of passages like Jesus telling the rich man to sell all that he has; ultimately, we as Christians recognize that we are not owners of our wealth, but stewards of what Christ has given us for His glory. What a great, great mindset!
February 21, 2019
Essential Book for Christians and Wannabe Christians
Dr Lawson writes about the cost of discipleship—distinguishing authentic discipleship from false discipleship which characterizes far too many churches. He correctly explains that one is not saved by absorbing such a cost but such a cost does characterise those that are truly saved.
Dr Lawson writes about the cost of discipleship—distinguishing authentic discipleship from false discipleship which characterizes far too many churches. He correctly explains that one is not saved by absorbing such a cost but such a cost does characterise those that are truly saved.
November 12, 2018
For some people this could easily be the most important book they ever read. For others, there will be little here that you don’t already know. Nonetheless, for all Christians I think this book is valuable if only to serve as a constant reminder of what it means to be a disciple.
November 29, 2019
Steven Lawson is a well respected preacher and compelling author. This is a well written short book that touches everything in the cost and road of following Jesus. It was a great read, I highly recommend it.
August 21, 2019
Great for those seeking to know the gospel
Fantastic short book raising the question, do you really know Christ and the gospel. Biblical, well written, easy to understand.
Fantastic short book raising the question, do you really know Christ and the gospel. Biblical, well written, easy to understand.
November 3, 2021
I like books that dig deeper into a passage of Scripture like this one by Lawson. Very readable.
December 20, 2022
One small analogy I didn’t care for, but 5 stars for the rest!
May 31, 2023
Plain and simple. Everybody can understand. Excepting Jesus as Saviour and what you are committing
too. Not only part of the crowd.
too. Not only part of the crowd.
September 25, 2023
Good, helpful, and timely reminders that our faith requires a denial of all things that hinder our walk with Christ.
July 19, 2024
Good book. Would be good for an immature believer or someone who attends church but hasn’t counted the cost of following Christ. Would be good to just pass this one out at churches.
October 14, 2024
Actually had the audio book. Pretty straight forward and standard.
January 30, 2020
The cost is an interesting book in that it discusses Christianity from a perspective that we (in the west) ignore and don't talk about: The Cost. In a culture ruled by political correctness Christianity comes at a great price to those who would truly follow Jesus.
November 18, 2022
This is a helpful little book. Lawson looks at only a small portion of Scripture (Luke 14:25-33), but does a great job exegeting it. It left me challenged and with a better understanding of all that is required of the follower of Christ.
April 8, 2017
This is a great Gospel tract. Dr. Steven Lawson takes a hard hitting passage and brings it to life as he explains the reality of what it costs to follow Christ. If you are wanting someone to see the truth behind following Christ, I suggest that you give them this book as a gift. There are no soft words, there are no gimmicks, there is only the Gospel. Buy it, read it, and give it to someone you are evangelizing to.
April 23, 2017
This was a very interesting book on what it costs to follow Jesus. Dr Lawson gives a very clear exposition on Luke chapter 14 : 25-35. Not only is Dr Lawson easy to listen too publicly as he shares God Word, but in reading he is very easy to read and you can hear him in your mind sharing this exegesis as he was in the room with you.
As one who uses books to help in evangelism I would be very happy to give this book to many who are seeking a clear presentation of the gospel, but also to those who have taken the step of faith for Salvation and are now seeking to be discipled in their faith.
As the new Cruise ship season starts in Belfast I will be using Dr Lawson's book "The Cost" as one of the books during my visits to the crew's on board these ships. Many come from nations where the gospel is band and where it does cost to be known as a Disciple of Jesus Christ.
It is my prayer that those seeking to know more of the Christian faith will read it and have open ears to hear God's Holy Spirit speak to them and also challenge many of my brothers and sisters in Christ to walk worthy of the calling they have upon their lives on board ship and also at home in their country's as they witness for their Saviour.
Thank you Dr Lawson for this book may it be a blessing to many who read it.
As one who uses books to help in evangelism I would be very happy to give this book to many who are seeking a clear presentation of the gospel, but also to those who have taken the step of faith for Salvation and are now seeking to be discipled in their faith.
As the new Cruise ship season starts in Belfast I will be using Dr Lawson's book "The Cost" as one of the books during my visits to the crew's on board these ships. Many come from nations where the gospel is band and where it does cost to be known as a Disciple of Jesus Christ.
It is my prayer that those seeking to know more of the Christian faith will read it and have open ears to hear God's Holy Spirit speak to them and also challenge many of my brothers and sisters in Christ to walk worthy of the calling they have upon their lives on board ship and also at home in their country's as they witness for their Saviour.
Thank you Dr Lawson for this book may it be a blessing to many who read it.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews