The Cost of Discipleship
Notes
Transcript
Imagine standing in the admissions office of a prestigious medical school. Four grueling years await—sleepless nights, mounting debt, strained relationships, and sacrifices. The counselor looks you in the eye and says, ‘Have you counted the cost?
That's exactly the question Jesus poses to us today. Not about medical school, but about something far more significant—following Him.
As we continue in our series on "Following Jesus," today we're exploring the "Cost of Discipleship." In Luke 14, Jesus outlines the radical commitment required to truly follow Him. It's a call that challenges us to rethink our priorities, to be willing to surrender everything for the sake of Christ. But here's what makes this different from any earthly commitment: Jesus never calls us to a cost He didn't first pay Himself.
Prioritize the Divine
25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,
26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
In the first-century Jewish world, discipleship was far more than attending a lecture or joining a club. A disciple was someone who attached themselves to a teacher, not just to learn but to imitate every part of their life. It was a total reorientation—one that often required leaving behind the family, which was the cornerstone of social and economic security. In the Greco-Roman world, discipleship was not common for everyone. Rabbis had only a few serious students. Jesus, by addressing great multitudes, was inviting everyone—but not everyone would accept the cost.
Now, let's be clear about what Jesus means by "hate." He's not calling us to despise our families or treat them poorly. This is comparative language—a vivid way of saying our love for Christ must be so supreme that every other relationship, even our deepest family bonds, looks like hatred by comparison. In a culture where family ties defined your identity and security, this was a shocking, scandalous statement.
Think about it in modern terms. A successful CEO might need to choose between a promotion that demands 80-hour weeks and being present for their children's childhood. A college student might face pressure to pursue a lucrative career that conflicts with their calling to ministry. Jesus is saying: when these conflicts arise, He comes first. Always.
Then Jesus used the vivid image of "bearing one's cross"—a symbol of shame and suffering in the Roman world. The cross wasn't merely a metaphor but a grim reality, associated with criminals and rebels. To "bear one's cross" meant to embrace a life of humility and self-denial, even if it meant facing rejection or death.
Commentator Craig Keener observes that this phrase was a call to radical self-sacrifice in a world that prized family honor above all else. Similarly, William Barclay writes that Jesus' challenge was for His disciples to embrace suffering and loss as a natural part of their journey, not an unexpected obstacle.
But here's the beauty of the gospel: Jesus bore His cross first. He faced the ultimate rejection, the ultimate shame, the ultimate death—for us. We follow Him on a path He's already walked, sustained by His grace every step of the way. And His path wasn’t just one of suffering—it was a path to resurrection. He bore the cross not only to show us how to live, but to secure our salvation. His death wasn’t merely an example—it was a substitution.
Transition: Understanding this priority leads us to the next crucial step—preparing for what lies ahead.
2. Prepare for the Journey
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
Jesus follows up with a parable that calls for careful planning. In His day, starting a project like building a tower was no small matter—people would calculate the cost in time, resources, and reputation. Half-finished towers dotted the landscape as monuments to poor planning and failed dreams.
Likewise, Jesus says, discipleship is not something we enter lightly. Following Jesus involves intentionality and foresight. We must recognize that the journey of faith will come with sacrifice and challenges. N.T. Wright notes that Jesus reframes the idea of kingship and success—not with political power, but with the humility and self-sacrifice of the cross. But remember—we're not building alone. Christ provides both the blueprint and the strength to complete what He starts in us.
Consider a young woman I know who felt called to overseas missions. She didn't just pack her bags and leave. She spent two years learning the language, raising support, understanding the culture, and preparing her heart for the challenges ahead. She counted the cost. She's now in her tenth year of fruitful ministry because she prepared well.
As modern disciples, we need to ask ourselves: Are we building on a firm foundation? Are we ready to follow through when the path gets difficult? Jesus doesn't want half-hearted followers; He wants those who are ready to see it through to the end—not in their own strength, but in His.
Transition: This preparation leads us to the ultimate question of surrender.
3. Pursue Total Surrender
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
Finally, Jesus uses the example of a king considering the odds of battle. If the cost is too great, he wisely seeks peace rather than destruction. In the same way, Jesus says that those who would follow Him must be prepared to forsake everything else.
This was no small matter in the first century. Family, social status, and even life itself had to be willingly laid down if they conflicted with devotion to Christ. It's a call to "count the cost" and to recognize that following Jesus is not just about spiritual comfort—it's about total surrender.
For us today, this might look like a father choosing to spend Sunday mornings in church rather than on the golf course. A businesswoman choosing integrity over a profitable but unethical deal. A teenager choosing to stand up for their faith even when it means losing popularity. It means living out the truth that Jesus is Lord of all—not just a part of our lives, but the very center.
But here's what the world doesn't understand: this surrender isn't loss—it's freedom. When we hold everything with open hands, we discover that Christ's gifts are far better than anything we could grasp for ourselves.
Application: Embrace the Cross, Trust in His Grace
Application: Embrace the Cross, Trust in His Grace
Take a moment right now. What "tower" are you building in your life? What are you holding onto that might be competing with your allegiance to Christ? [Pause for personal reflection]
As we hear these words of Jesus, we're reminded that this is not a comfortable, casual faith. It's a faith that asks us to put Christ first, to count the cost, and to walk the hard road of self-denial and surrender.
But let's also remember this truth: Jesus never calls us to a cost He did not first bear. He Himself took up the cross, endured rejection, and suffered loss to redeem us. Every sacrifice He asks of us, He's already made. Every hardship He calls us to face, He's already endured.
In a world that tells us to "follow your dreams" or "put yourself first," Jesus calls us to put Him first—trusting that in losing our lives for His sake, we will find them. This is the paradox of discipleship: the high cost of following Jesus is also the gateway to true and abundant life.
What in your life would be hardest to give up if Jesus asked you to?
Are there any “half-built towers” in your walk with Christ?
Have you mistaken comfort for calling?
This Week's Challenge: Choose one area where you've been holding back from full surrender to Christ. Maybe it's your career ambitions, a relationship, your finances, or your time. This week, take one concrete step toward putting Christ first in that area. It might be having a difficult conversation, changing a habit, or making a commitment to serve.
May we each examine the depth of our commitment today. Let us consider what we might need to surrender, and let us remember that in Christ, we have One who walks with us, guides us, and empowers us by His grace.
The cost is high. But the Savior who calls us has already paid the ultimate price. True fulfillment is found not in our plans, but in His presence. He asks us to count the cost—not to discourage us, but to prepare us for a life of true freedom, found not in chasing our dreams, but in following our King.
