Have You Counted the Cost?

(NB: The Audio for this sermon also includes the audio for the baptism of Ashley Renee Brunson, child of the covenant and includes a brief explanation of why we baptize the children of Believing parents.)

Jesus noted the importance of counting the difficulty of following him and the temporal costs involved in doing so. John Calvin noted however that it is Christ who provides for our needs when we come to Him and who will enable us to endure for His sake:

“Many persons, not having from the outset laid their account with suffering, relax their zeal through cowardice: for they cannot endure to be Christians on any other condition than that of being exempted from the cross. Others again, when a condition that is harsh and unpleasant to the flesh is proposed to them, do not venture to approach to Christ. But there is no good reason for being discouraged by a knowledge of our poverty, for the Lord grants to us seasonable aid. I readily acknowledge that, if we calculate the expense, we are all destitute of power to lay a single stone, or to wield a sword against the enemy. But as the materials, expense, arms, and forces, are supplied by the Lord out of heaven, no pretext on the score of difficulty can be offered by our indifference or sloth.” – John Calvin