Not long ago, I preached about the high cost of following Jesus. Denying yourself, putting God first, and allowing the Word to determine how you should live can make you question if you want to be a Christian.

That’s why I grabbed some black duct tape and a broom from our church’s janitorial closet. I wrapped the black tape around the end of the broom handle, put the taped end in my palm, fixed my eyes on the tape, and attempted to balance the now vertical broom. Within two seconds, it came crashing to the ground. 

Next, however, I repeated the experiment but fixed my eyes not on the taped bottom of the broom but instead on the top of it. Same me, same broom, but different focus … and very different results. I easily balanced the broom for all to see.

My point? Focus on all the hard parts of following Jesus—denying yourself, repentance, etc.—and your faith will soon topple. But focus on the gifts that only Jesus can give—eternal life, salvation from sin, a way to the Father—and your faith will endure. 

Perhaps this is why Hebrews says, “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest” (3:1). Fix your thoughts on the Jesus who was sent out from the Father (“our apostle”) to offer himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins (“our high priest”). That focus will make you cry, “Worthy! Jesus is worth it!”