Count the Cost

Selective Parables: Lessons from Jesus:

Message Five

Luke 14:25-35.

ETS: Jesus taught that a disciple must love Him above all else.

ESS: We must love Jesus more than all else.

OSS: [Evangelistic] {I want the hearers to consider the cost of following Jesus. (which will hopefully lead to them determining that nothing is more valuable to them than He)}

PQ: What areas did Jesus teach one should evaluate when counting the cost to follow Him?

UW: Areas

Intro.: [AGS]: Have you ever stood in line for a long time waiting to get a product you really wanted only to get to the cash register and realize you don’t have enough money with you? Maybe it is that you were in a hurry; maybe you forgot to get your stash from home; maybe it is that you hadn’t been paid yet; nonetheless, when you arrived at the cash register, you realized, “oh, man! I forgot to count the cost...” [TS]: That is terribly embarrassing, and it is a horrifying situation to be in. However, the text today spells out that to be Jesus’ disciple costs the follower something. He specified that one who had not considered the cost was not able to be His disciple. He taught that we must love Him above all else. [RS]: Have you considered the cost of being a disciple? Maybe you bought into easy believism or cultural Christianity. Neither of those have what it takes to really follow Christ and to Persevere in a manner worthy of Him. The text provides areas of our lives that Jesus urges us to evaluate in order to consider the cost and determine if we are able to be His disciple.

TS: Let us examine together areas of our lives that will help us count the cost of following Jesus:

NOTE: Three times in these verses the phrase, “cannot be my disciple” (οὐ δύναται εἶναι μου μαθητής) appears. Thus, it seems evident that Jesus is laying forth the clear areas of one’s life that must be examined in order to answer the question, “Am I a disciple of Jesus?”

We should evaluate our devotion. [v. 26]

The word used is hate (μισεῖ); Yet, it is not that Jesus is teaching to hate. That would contradict His teaching and His life. Rather, He is metaphorically using this strong term to show one must love Him far beyond all others in order to be His disciple. [1]

What relationships does Jesus specifically target? Those closest to us in life:

father and mother

wife and children

brothers and sisters

even his own life

APPLICATION: To be Jesus’ disciple, we must love Him above all other individuals. Do you?

We should evaluate our selfishness. [v. 27]

Verse 26 begins this idea when it says that “one must hate…yes, even his own life”

It is continued with the statement that one who follows Jesus must bear his own cross. The bearing of the cross was a means of self-denial, a joining of Jesus in His suffering, and to willingly take on the persecution of life as a result of one’s faith and commitment to Jesus. [2, 3]

Further down, still, it is mentioned that one must renounce all of his possessions. Still, there is the implication of surrender and self-denial.

APPLICATION: To be Jesus’ disciple, we must deny ourselves of that which allures us apart from Christ, take on suffering or whatever else may come, and trust in Him.

We should evaluate our preparedness. [vv. 28-33]

Two illustrations are used by Jesus here:

The builder who is building a tower. He must consider before beginning to build whether or not he can afford to finish the tower. If not, he would invite ridicule.

The king going out to war or being invaded by a stronger army. If he considered the risk and determined he couldn’t gain victory, he would choose peace in some way rather than war. He would count the cost.

Jesus’ teaching is clear in both illustrations and further clarified in verse 33: “Jesus does not want followers who rush into discipleship without thinking of what is involved. And he is clear about the price. Anyone who comes to him must renounce all that he has.” [4] Said differently, “Before one embarks on the road to discipleship one needs to recognize from the beginning that Jesus demands total and complete commitment.” [5]

APPLICATION: To be Jesus’ disciple, we must evaluate our preparedness to yield everything for the sake of following Him. This is not a half-hearted commitment.

We should evaluate our commitment. [vv. 34-35]

Salt had various purposes in ancient days. However, it is probable that it was known to the original audience as a seasoning agent or preservative. As such, if it lost its taste, it lost its purpose.

Such is the case for believers: if we fail to be fully committed to following Jesus, we fail to maintain our true purpose, and as such, we become worthless. Said otherwise, “The point is that disciples who do not live like disciples are worth as much as unsalty salt: nothing.” [6]

APPLICATION: To be Jesus’ disciple, we must evaluate and maintain full commitment, obtaining our purpose in Him. If we fail to do so, we fail to maintain our purpose and become worthless.

Conclusion:

Lyrics to “The Cost” by Rend Collective:

“I’m saying yes to you and no to my desires; I’ll leave myself behind and follow you. I’ll walk the narrow road ‘cause it leads me to you; I’ll fall but grace will pick me up again; I’ve counted up the cost; oh, I’ve counted up the cost; yes, I’ve counted up the cost, and you are worth it.”

Takeaway:

[1] Is Jesus the top priority of your life?

[2] Are you willing to give up everything to follow Jesus?

“If you have nothing in life but Jesus- you have everything in life; If you have everything in life, but you don’t have Jesus- you have nothing in life.”

Bibliography:

[1] Thabiti Anyabwile, Exalting Jesus in Luke, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018), 227.

[2] A. Boyd Luter, “Luke,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1624.

[3] Thabiti Anyabwile, Exalting Jesus in Luke, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018), 227.

[4] Leon Morris, Luke: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 3, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 254.

[5] Thomas R. Schreiner, “Luke,” in Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, vol. 3, Baker Reference Library (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1995), 826.

[6] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition. (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2014), 220.