The Cost of Discipleship (2)

Introduction

In Luke’s gospel, the tide has turned from an emphasis on the miracles to the messages Jesus offers us to be His disciples.

Have you noticed of late how expensive everything is today? There may not have been a period in your life that we have seen our cost of living rise as much as it has. There are many here who are on fixed incomes and the costs of living has risen significantly, it causes us to be more aware of costs we are incurring.

And as well in our spiritual lives, there are times we must count the cost. Salvation founded in Christ Jesus is a free gift. It costs you nothing, but it cost Christ everything. He offered His very life for ours that we may live.

Conversion: For our purposes, conversion is “theological slang” for when a person decides to become a Christian.

Discipleship: Discipleship occurs when someone answers the call to learn from Jesus and others how to live his or her life as though Jesus were living it. As a result, the disciple becomes the kind of person who naturally does what Jesus did.

Salvation is a free gift, but if you go any distance beyond that with the Lord, if you choose to truly follow Christ, it is not for the faint of heart.

The subject matter today-Discipleship

"The great commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed." - Hudson Taylor

"To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and open map." - William Carey

“When the church becomes an end in itself, it ends. When Sunday school, as great as it is, becomes an end in itself, it ends. When small groups ministry becomes an end in itself, it ends. When the worship service becomes an end in itself, it ends. What we need is for discipleship to become the goal, and then the process never ends. The process is fluid. It is moving. It is active. It is a living thing. It must continue to go on. Every disciple must make disciples.”― Robby Gallaty, Growing Up: How to Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples

Luke 9:57-62

Luke 9:57–62 NASB 95

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” 61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Prayer

Message

This morning, we will study three conversations that various individuals have with Christ about the subject of discipleship. Most all of us have discovered this fact and we will find it very apparent in our text this morning that it is easy to talk about following Jesus, it is a whole another assignment to put feet to that follow-ship.

Let’s use three flash words that corresponds this morning to each conversation Jesus had with the three individuals. These three words will also be the building blocks to what is truly called for to be Jesus’ disciple.

Commitment

Luke 9:57 “57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.””

When we watch Jesus, there is teaching at every juncture of His life.

We have studied the Great Commission before and realize the word “go” means “as you go”.

Matthew 28:19 “19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”

Firstly, we see by Jesus’ own example that discipleship is a journey, not a destination. Jesus’ life was engaged in ministry and reaching and teaching people about the kingdom of God from the moment His eyes opened in the morning until He closed them at night to go to bed.

“Going to church”-we have all made this statement many times. By the sheer fact that we say we are “going to church”, we have a destination type of mindset. If we understand that we are the church, that church is not a location or a building, but we are the church. I want to ask you a very personal out and out nosy question.

How was church service this morning in the car before you got to the campus where we assemble? I know for me over the many years of trying to get 6 people on time and out of the house to the church building on time that there has been some rough services in the car before we ever got here to the building.

What is the point? How is church service? Is it on when you come to 3828 Mt Zion Road, Ramer, AL, 36069 and its disastrous at other times? Let me put it another way. Would someone want to hold service with you the six other days based upon how you conduct yourself the remainder of the time?

The first person Jesus met while journeying on the road this particular day we study in the text instigated the conversation with Jesus. The other party engaged the conversation. He through up a flag and made a grand declaration. “I will follow You wherever You go.”

Where in the Bible have we heard that familiar statement?

Oh dear brothers and sisters, it is great to throw up a flag as a Jesus follower. It is another matter to put feet to that commitment. Its easy to make declarations, its another matter to deliver on the goods. May we all be challenged to be actual foot soldiers rather than just flag bearers of the cause.

Immediately, when I see this boisterous declaration, I think of another one of our heroes of the faith that made this same declaration early in his life.

Peter

John 13:36-38 “36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.”

Let’s look at Jesus’ response to the person’s statement:

Luke 9:58 “58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.””

Real Commitment will Surrender the Comfortable. Dearly beloved, those things that make you comfortable could be compromised if you truly surrender to God’s will for your life. Jesus used the example of a fox having a hole and a bird having a nest, a place of security. There are areas of our lives that offer up security in our lives whether we want to admit it or not. I pray that your home is a place of refuge for you. My work for many years was a place of security for me. I knew my trade, I was comfortable at it. Obviously, our families can provide that security. And may I submit all of these false securities can be compromised with real life. It is a blessing to enjoy security in these areas of our lives, but if that is all you find your security in you will be sorely disappointed at some point in life.

In periods of testing, God challenges us in where we find our security.

Abraham passed a major test when the Lord called for Him to give his only son, Isaac as a sacrifice for the Lord. Abraham passed the the test and the Lord provided a ram in the thicket as a scapegoat of sacrifice in place of Isaac.

As we grow in the Lord, He may call you to change employment because it conflicts with your commitment to Him. AS the Lord wants to use you, He may call you to get out of your comfort zone to serve Him in a capacity that you are totally fearful of.

Have you ever asked the question, Jesus why do you want me to do this? You know I have no skill set in the area. You know getting in front of people scares me to death. I do not have any experiences or formal training background for such an endeavor. When the situation is that extreme, He wants you to know that it is Him doing through you and not doing it by yourself.

Our Lord and Savior was born into a world that had not made room for Jesus. The question I have for you this morning, are you going to make room for Jesus by getting out of the comforts of your room to bring revival on a lost and dying world?

Luke 2:7 “7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Conflicts

The second flash word is conflict. Living a life too conflicted or complicated to be available for the Lord.

Luke 9:59 “59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.””

These next two verses we would hope that the Lord is using hyperbole or is He?

Salvation in and of itself is for sissies. Real discipleship, a real commitment to grow and be like Jesus and share Jesus with others is for the die hard, the disciplined, the determined, but not for the distracted.

There in lies the issues is living a life with good intent , but being so distracted, so conflicted in your agenda. Many people want to truly be a follower of Christ and devote more of themselves to the Lord by their lives are too complicated. They have there fingers in so many pies and they do not know where to divide their time, and thus really do not do a great job at any of them for the most part.

And I make such a brash statement because the Bible supports it.

Matthew 6:33 “33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

The issue Jesus’ is addressing is an issue of getting one’s priorities in order.

Luke 9:60 “60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.””

You would say this morning that Jesus seemed extreme in not encouraging one to be a part of the service of his father’s funeral. If this was a viable excuse it would be different, but the fact is that people come up with more excuses not to come to the Lord’s house and it really is silly some of the excuses people make.

Song Excuses by the Kingsman

Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day. And the Devil he'll supply them, if the church you stay away. When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses. In the summer it's too hot. And, in the winter, it's too cold. In the spring time when the weather's just right, you find some place else to go. Well, it's up to the mountains or down to the beach or to visit some old friend. Or, to just stay home and kinda relax and hope that some of the kin folks will start dropping in. Well, the church benches are too hard. And, that choir sings way too loud. Boy, you know how nervous you get when you're sitting in a great big crowd. The doctor told you, "Now, you better watch them crowds. They'll set you back." But, you go to that old ball game because you say "it helps you to relax." Well, a headache Sunday morning and a backache Sunday night. But by worktime Monday morning, you're feeling quite alright. While one of the children has a cold, "Pneumonia, do you suppose?" Why the whole family had to stay home, just to blow that poor kid's nose. Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.

We laugh because the excuses are so silly, but the fact is the matter is sad. We would not use such excuses for work on Monday morning or use that for a family function, but people use this to come to God’s house.

Today, by the facts we know that we have raised a generation taught to shop in their pj’s on the computer and all that they can muster up is 10 minutes in their Pj’s on Sunday mornings to watch a little Jesus and fulfil all the conflicted commitments that rob them from a time with the Lord and accountability with fellow believers.

Jesus made a brash statement: “let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

Oh listen dearly beloved, all of the time and effort you are giving to the importance of family activities, hobbies, special interests and the list goes on are temporal. Spending times with those that you love and influence for the things of God have eternal reward.

I love great one liners don’t you? IN the 1976 Western movie, the Outlaw, Josie Wales, a bounty hunter stepped into the saloon to take Josey Wales in and as he entered the saloon, he stated, “I’m looking for Josey Wales.” Clint Eastwood playing the role of Josey Wales said, I am Josey Wales. Are you a bounty hunter? The bounty hunter replied, a man has to do something for a living. And Josey Wales replied, “dying is not much of a living.”

Are you giving a lifetime investment in others living or are you investing in others leading them to die?

Compromises

The final flash word is compromised. Let me explain.

Let’s look at the final two verses:

Luke 9:61-62 “61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.””

I believe that for many of us here this morning, more of us fit into this class than any of the others that truly want to follow Christ. There are probably more people here this morning that can relate to this term than any other. You start out with good intentions. The change that God has brought into your life has been real and heart felt. You have been truly born again and you have real vitality since you came to know Christ. You truly desire to be different. You truly desire to be use of God to make a difference in the lives of others. You make a gallant effort to be with the people of God and attempt to discipline yourself to read the Word and pray. You genuinely want a deepening relationship with the Lord and you want others to know the Jesus you know.

But....., the greatest tool in Satan’s arsenal is your past, the familiar, the old habits, the life that is easy and simple and the status quo. I can’t really make any mistakes if I just keep doing what I have been doing. I will not ripple any water if I just keep smooth sailing.

In verse 61, the third person desired to go to his former life and make closure. Any time Satan has you turn back around to your past, he uses that life as a drawing card.

Look at verse 62 with me as we understand what Jesus is saying.

Luke 9:62 “62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.””

He is using an agricultural metaphor. You can not plow a straight row by looking back. You have to fix your eyes on a target point in the pasture and head toward that point to keep the oxen steering in the right direction.

Think about real regeneration and repentance with me as we have visually described it before. It is the picture of the 180 degree turn around. If you truly turn 180 degrees, you can not see your past, you only focus on the present and the future. Satan’s aim is to totally having you turn in circles, 360 degrees so that you are constantly confronting your past and keeping you guilt ridden because of your failures.

Paul writes to young Timothy who is pastoring in Ephesus. He shares these words:

2 Timothy 4:9-10 “9 Make every effort to come to me soon; 10 for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.”

Beloved, as a pastor and an under shepherd, I see this flash word creep into the lives of believers more than I care to admit. It is the most subtle tactic that the Lord uses to his discretion to allure a believer away from following God. The subtle drawing to an easier life of past, a life not confronted with the sin I have in my life, not being challenged by the Word of God and growing in His image, but being satisfied with where you once were and to hang around those people that did not challenge me and I felt at home because we were all in the same big pot. Life was more predictable and I am not being challenged by the Lord and the church at every turn to grow in Christ.

Oh yes, Salvation is a free gift. Yet, it cost Jesus’ His very life for your sake. Cost, yes, things today are higher than I have ever known things to be and so being a Christ follower. It will cost you everything, but the dividends are priceless.

Philippians 3:13 “13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,”

You can not change yesterday, so do not lose the energy to try. Focus today on Him and what He would have you do.

Lamentations 3:22-23 “22 The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”

Let’s pray.