The Cost of Following Jesus

Today we approach a somewhat perplexing piece of scripture. It is perplexing for two reasons. One Jesus has a large crowd in which he seems to discourage from following him around.

I mean this is a total foreign concept to us as american Christians. In the american ideal isn't more always better?

Secondly, Jesus seems to recognize that not all of his admirers or fans actually have any real intention of heeding his instructions.

I mean if we think about it, It is a really strange phenomenon. People are willing to follow him around for days at a time, yet the message ultimately falls on deaf ears.

If they admired him enough to hear him speak in inconvenient situations, than why weren’t they willing to imitate him?

Let’s explore today’s text together and search for the answers.

Luke 14:25 CSB

25 Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them,

Notice that he stopped to say these things not to gather a crowd but rather because their was a great crowd.

Jesus did not shy away from stating truth to keep a crowd. In fact, he used the opportunity to teach the hardest truths.

This is not the American way of thinking is it? We are taught to avoid offense at all cost.

Often we allow ourselves to be pressured into silence when we are out numbered.

Truth is never dependent on the majority. A crowd is an opportunity not a barrier to the truth.

A crowd should be seen as a platform. Of course I am not saying we intend to be inflammatory. We don’t have to be the truth inflames as it is.

So lets look at this hard truth together

Luke 14:26–35 CSB

26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 “For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ 31 “Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple. 34 “Now, salt is good, but if salt should lose its taste, how will it be made salty? 35 It isn’t fit for the soil or for the manure pile; they throw it out. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

Hard Truth #1

In order to follow Jesus you must give Him priority.

Luke 14:26 CSB

26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

There is no room for divided loyalty among the disciples of Christ.

The word “hate” as it is used through out scripture does not always refer to malice, bitterness, or ill-will.

This becomes obvious from other teachings of Jesus from the sermon on the mount.

Matthew 5:44 CSB

44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Jesus is not referring to the type of hate that involves malice and forgiveness nor is he referring to a state of emotion, but rather a state of mind.

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Hate

While the Hebrews naturally had a whole range of such emotions ranging from outright death-seeking malice to mere preference, disregard, and rejection, they had no suitable words to express different shades of meaning. Thus words such as “love” and its opposite “hate” (Heb. kānēʾ; Gk. miséō) were used to express the idea of preference.

In calling people to Himself Jesus is stating your going to have to make up your mind of where your priorities lie.

A call to discipleship is a call to undivided devotion. This means that you will have to prioritize following Jesus above even the approval of your own family.

Why? because even in the church their are families who are fans and admirers of Jesus, but are not disciples.

Their devotion to the savior begins and ends with an hour on Sunday Morning.

So some will have to decide with they will follow the pattern of their family or will choose to be a true disciple of Christ. Jesus call us into a true devotion to him.

Trans:Which leads us to Hard Truth #2. This one actually begins in the second part of verse 26.

—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:27 CSB

27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Hard Truth #2

To carry ones cross means to choose the instrument of death that would bring new life.

When we look at the account of Jesus death he carried the very instrument that would be used to take his life, the cross.

Yet it was the very means by which eternal life would be given to all who believe.

It is in this likeness our faith demands us to die to self and yet in this death is granted new life in Christ.

In this we realize that our faith will often be the very thing that causes us trouble in this world.

The cross we bear is our faith. It causes us to die to self. Your faith will cause you to endure suffering in this life.

Yet in the same way a faith that leads to repentance and death to self will grant you eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You cannot be His disciple if your faith is one that avoids death to self.

Hard Truth #3

Luke 14:28–33 CSB

28 “For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ 31 “Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

This section of the passage creates an interesting tension. It seems that these two scenarios create the following two questions.

The first one is

Can I afford to follow Jesus?

While the second is

Can I afford to not follow Jesus?

In the first scenario Jesus gives us the example of a man who is going to build a tower. Most likely the imagery is that of a guard tower.

He states that anyone who takes on such a massive undertaking should first investigate weather or not they can afford to be committed to the project.

In other words as one commentator puts it:

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke 3. The Cost of Being a Disciple (14:25–35)

discipleship requires a conscious advance commitment, made with a realistic estimate of the ultimate personal cost.

And this idea is consistent with the previous teaching. He is saying look to be my disciple means that you must put me above even your highest earthly priority even your own life.

Consider this before you claim you want to follow me.

We see this idea in other instances of scripture as well.

Matthew 8:18–20 CSB

18 When Jesus saw a large crowd around him, he gave the order to go to the other side of the sea. 19 A scribe approached him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

The assumption is that he turned back.

But then we see this next illustration of two kingdoms at war. When one realizes that he cannot afford the battle he sends out an emissary to secure peace.

In the first scenario one should consider weather or not they have truly committed themselves and in the second we see one should consider weather or not he can afford the war.

In this we see this unique tension. On the one hand it will cost you everything and on the other you cannot afford to not be at peace with God.

While you are expecting me to now ask have you counted the cost?

Are you truly committed to being a disciple?

There is another question I want to address in the American church that seems to be limiting our commitment and effectiveness as disciples.

It seems that sense we have often divorced the gospel from discipleship.

We find that instead of asking the question I just mentioned; our way of life suggest that we are asking the following one instead.

What is the least I can commit too and still make it into heaven?

Because we mostly focus on our salvation we do not often take seriously this idea of discipleship.

If I were to ask the question, In the honesty of your heart, How many of you have been saved? probably most of us would raise our hands.

But if I were to ask how many of you, in the honesty of your heart are so committed to the discipleship process that you have already made up your mind to sacrifice everything for it?

How many could raise your hands?

Do you see how often the church is focused on the minimum requirements instead fully surrendering our lives to Christ and his mission?

So my question to you this morning is not to question your salvation but rather your focus.

How many of us would say today that because of our salvation, because we feel we have secured eternity, we have not taken this teaching of discipleship seriously?

It’s almost as if our attitude is one of…I can have the best of both worlds. I can enjoy my present life the way I want too and then enjoy heaven as well later.

In Christ God has created you to be so much more than to live for the minimum.

But if this is the path you ultimately choose. He ends with this warning.

Luke 14:34–35 CSB

34 “Now, salt is good, but if salt should lose its taste, how will it be made salty? 35 It isn’t fit for the soil or for the manure pile; they throw it out. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

Your life could have little value in the kingdom of God. This isn’t to say God doesn't love you or that you are necessarily lost. We are not saved by works although scripture is clear a regenerate person will bear fruit.

This next passage of scripture seems to indicate there will be those who are in heaven that forfeit their reward.

1 Corinthians 3:12–15 CSB

12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. 14 If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience loss, but he himself will be saved—but only as through fire.

When we understand the goodness of God’s grace that even those who wasted their life and will receive no reward can be saved.

What fear do you have in committing to such a gracious king?

What’s holding you back from becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

This passage shows us their are no partially commited disciples. Let the knowledge of the kindness and grace of God drive out any fear of a life committed to him.