Count The Cost

Matthew 8:18-22

Story Swans Vs. Geelong Played

• See if we can split the church

• Docker’s supporters will pray for you

• You are scriptural last shall be first

• Shown my allegiance

• I’m a phony no evidence of a fan

How do you answer the question Who are You?

• Work status

• Ethnicity

• Mother, Father, Son

• Etc.

if Jesus follower is not number 1, why not?

Giving up everything is a real part of following the Lord Jesus. Bonhoeffer’s famous words ring true:

“The only man who has the right to say that he is justified by grace alone is the man who has left all to follow Christ” - Bonhoeffer

Do you agree with the above statement and quote?

Matthew 8:18-22 “When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.””

Three problems I see with today’s Christianity in Australia

1. We have too much stuff to give up for Jesus (Marketplace FB) - Contrast Book of Acts Church who sold all

2. We have a laid-back and Stoic culture that interferes with going all in for Jesus, too laid back to be sold out.

3. Ned Kelly factor

Or in summary, we are too comfortable!

Since we are in a democracy and not a monarchy, it is a hard concept to understand Lordship. That total submission and allegiance to a King or a Queen. Let’s face it we are a bit rebellious here in Straya! “Don’t tell me what to do.”

The issue for some, is that Jesus is only their saviour and not their Lord!

Basic Break Down

Place—v. 18. Jesus wants to travel to the eastern side of the lake, for possible rest.

Promise—v. 19. A scribe promised to follow Christ wherever He would go.

Poverty—v. 20. Christ expressed his impoverished lifestyle, and if we follow Him, we should not expect material wealth or stature. The Christian life is giving—not getting.

Problem—vv. 21–22. Excuses were made. If you think about it, a spiritual dead person shouldn’t keep a believer from following Christ!

Despondent - those who like what Jesus can do for them (feed, heal, entertain)

Dabblers - those who have observed, had a glimpse of the Son of God, and are non-committal

Disciples - those who are completely sold out and follow him wherever he goes.

V18-20)

Jesus values rest and reflection he often would move away from the crowd in order to rest, restore and reinvigorate in God. The first of two men who say they will follow Jesus appears. This man addresses Jesus as “teacher” (didaskale), a title given to Christ in Matthew only by those who are dabblers, those who do not fully believe in him The title is accurate but not adequate. Here we find a man who is over-eager and has not weighed up the costs to follow Jesus Impoverished lifesstyle. Jesus lived a life from a borrowed room to a borrowed tomb, he was not anchored in this kingdom, but in the kingdom of God. Jesus also by leaning into his divinity by introducing himself as Son of Man, is giving a more intimate understanding of himself than just teacher

Verse 21-22)

If the first man was over-eager, the second man is under-eager. His attitude does not demonstrate sufficient commitment. Jesus had to remind him that sacrifices would be a staple diet for the Christian. We must understand the first readers understanding of “let the dead bury the dead”. Since it was early evening, there could be no funeral. Therefore, the man’s dad is not dead, but elderly and nearing death. The likelihood is that he would have had other family members to look after his dad and his final years. There also may have been an inheritance that he would miss out on if he left. The truth is, that it was an excuse. We seem to have three sets of people in this passage.

An Offensive Text & An Offensive Question

1. But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

2. Are you sold out for Jesus, or a sell out?

A picture of a real disciple = John (one of the sons of thunder) left his elderly dad and the fishing business to follow Jesus, after counting the cost.

Luke 14:25-33 “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me anddoes not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannotbe my disciple. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimatethe cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciple”

A yes to the world is a no to Jesus, there is no middle ground. Old Proverb says “Man who sits on fence, get splinters in Butt”

Remember: Jesus counted the cost in following God the Father, Jesus was fully divine and fully

human. We couldn’t count the cost if Jesus did not understand what it meant to be human

Jesus

• Wept

• Was betrayed

• Felt real pain (scourged and whipped)

• Lost friends

• Sweated drops of blood

• It cost him everything for us up upon that cross

What we may lose

• Friendship

• Finances

• Fear

• Famine

What Happens When Persecution Comes If You Find It Hard To Follow Him Now.

Other Hard Sayings of Jesus - Would not be asked to author a church growth book.

“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” Luke 14:28 ESV

John 6:53-54 “Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

John 6:60 “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?””

John 6:63-64 “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.”

John 6:66-67 “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.”

Atheist story - Not true, because his followers don’t live it out

Is counting the cost worth it If you lose family over Jesus, take comfort you are adopted into God’s family!

If you are made nothing in this world because of Jesus, take comfort that you are a royal priesthood and part of the royalist of royal families!

If you lose financial gain in this world for Jesus, take comfort, you have all the riches in the world as a joint heir with Christ!

If you lose friends in this world because of Jesus, take comfort Jesus is your best friend, and he lays down his life for his friends!

If you lose limbs in this life for Jesus, take comfort you are restored into a body that is whole and incorruptible!

If you lose your life for Jesus’ sake, you have eternal life that nobody can snatch, and it is preserved through the gospel of Jesus!

Whatever you lose in this life for the sake of Christ

you will gain 100-fold in the new heavens and the new earth. Where there are no more tears, no more death.

How to Show You Are Team Jesus?

Story of wanting to be like Mike - Basketball

Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Devoted to the Word of God (through reading and sermons)

Hanging out with the Fam, if you are a 1 day a week Christian then you are like a phony fan

Eating with the Fam

Doing life together and working together to “Go and make disciples”