What does Isaiah 20:3 teach about the cost of discipleship and following God's will? The Text in Focus “Then the LORD said, ‘Just as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush…’” (Isaiah 20:3) Isaiah’s Bold Example • Publicly stripped of comfort, dignity, and social approval • Sustained obedience—three long years, not a brief gesture • God-directed, not self-chosen; the humiliation was commanded, not invented • A prophetic sign bigger than Isaiah himself; his life became God’s message Lessons on the Cost of Discipleship • Obedience may require surrendering personal reputation • God’s instructions can cut against cultural norms and expectations • The cost is often ongoing, not a one-time event • Following God’s will may isolate us socially, yet identifies us more closely with Him • Our lives, not merely our words, preach to the watching world Application to Our Walk Today • Expect that discipleship can feel embarrassing or inconvenient • Measure success by faithfulness, not by others’ approval • Stay committed even when obedience stretches over months or years • Let God set the agenda; avoid negotiating terms that preserve personal comfort • Remember that visible faithfulness strengthens fellow believers and confronts unbelief Supporting Scriptures • Luke 9:23—“If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” • Matthew 10:38—“Whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.” • Luke 14:33—“In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.” • Philippians 3:7-8—Paul counts “all things as loss” for Christ. • 1 Peter 4:14—Being ridiculed for Christ is a sign that “the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” • Acts 5:29—“We must obey God rather than men.” |
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