God is the Investor; He is in the business of turning nothing into something, and a little into a lot. We are His investment, and His purpose is that His investment will grow. He invests in us, and we invest in others. That's what DISCIPLESHIP is all about.

A disciple is a student of some subject, a pupil of some teacher, an apprentice of some trade. But unlike the discipleship of the day, Christianity took it one step further, not only dedication to the message, but devotion to the Messenger.

A disciple is called BY Jesus, Mark 1:14; John 15:16-17; John 13:35.

A disciple is called TO Jesus, Luke 14:26; John 12:32.

Discipleship means knowing Him, loving Him, believing in Him, and being committed to Him.

A disciple is called to love God supremely, v. 26; Matthew 10:37.

Our love for God is so strong that all other love pales in comparison; we must even hate our own life.

A disciple is called to carry their own cross, v. 27; Luke 9:23.

To bear the cross is to be misunderstood, 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Peter 1:6-8.

A disciple is called to give God complete ownership, v. 33; Philippians 3:7-9; Luke 9:24-25.

We must count the cost...

Building a tower, vs. 28-30;

As a king going to war, vs. 31-32.

A disciple is called to be salt, vs. 34-35.

Salt preserves, purifies, gives flavor, and causes thirst. Does that describe us?

Discipleship is serious business. He has invested in us and He expects His investment to grow.