The Cost of Following Jesus // Peter Yoshonis

In this powerful sermon from All Shores Wesleyan Church, Pastor Peter Yoshonis explores the profound cost of following Jesus through a deep dive into Luke 9, where Jesus reveals His upcoming suffering and death to His disciples. The message centers on the paradox of the Christian life: true life comes not through self-advancement, comfort, or triumph, but through surrender, suffering, and dying to oneself. Yoshonis emphasizes that Jesus' identity as Messiah is not one of political power or earthly glory, but of humble service and crucifixion—a path that His followers are called to walk daily. He unpacks the cultural disconnect between Western ideals of success and the counterintuitive teachings of the cross, using biblical examples from Joseph and John the Baptist to illustrate how suffering shapes character and deepens faith. The sermon challenges listeners to embrace a life of self-denial, service, and vulnerability, not as a burden, but as the very way to discover authentic, lasting life in Christ. The call is clear: to follow Jesus means to take up your cross daily, not as a one-time decision, but as a continual posture of surrender and love.