Devoted To Counting the Cost Luke 14:25-33

There is a lot more that goes into farming than most people understand. A farmer who prepares his field for planting, before he sows a single seed, he must evaluate the soil, climate, and tools needed to ensure a fruitful planting, growing, and harvest season.

For many people today they live for the right now.

What ever feels good right now, whatever makes me happy right now, etc.

There is no plan for what comes next, there is no thought of tomorrow, there is no counting the cost.

In Luke 14 Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and take up our cross, which requires a careful assessment of the sacrifices we must make.

Like the farmer, we must be diligent and intentional about what it means to cultivate our spiritual lives, counting the cost of our commitment to Jesus.

Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ “Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? “Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

The Crowd (25)

Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them

Jesus was constantly dealing with large crowds of people.

He was followed by a myriad of people for a myriad of reasons.

Some followed Him out of true faith, some out of curiosity, and some to attempt to catch Him doing something against the law.

They went everywhere He went, and heard everything he said.

What I want us to notice, is that Jesus knew who was in the crowd, he knew why they were there, and all He did was preach to them.

He knew there situations better than they did.

He knew their heart, their pain, their suffering.

he knew their passions, their strengths, and their focus.

And knowing all of that - He simply preached the truth of the gospel to them.

Christians we are unable to read hearts, know motives and understand every aspect of a persons life, but we can preach the gospel.

If Jesus found it important enough we should too.

The Certainty (26-27)

Jesus turned to the crowd and spoke words that probably took their breath away.

If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. t

Can you imagine being in this crowd and hearing these words?

Can you imagine having a pastor stand before you and say you have to love me and hate your whole family?

What did Jesus mean by these words?

Was He really saying you have to hae your whole family? Of Course Not.

Hate - to love less

Jesus was saying you have to love Me more than them.

God’s commandments tells us we are to honor our father and mother - so jesus would have never told HIs people to hate their parents.

Christians we are to love Jesus more than anyone or anything else.

We are to obey Jesus over everything else.

when He tells us to go - we go

when He tells us to speak - we speak

We are to honor Jesus over everything else.

We should forsake everything, and cling to Jesus.

We should be thankful to Jesus for everything.

when He gives us something - we should thank Him.

when He takes something away - we should thank Him

We should simply love Jesus more than we love anybody or anything else.

Christians Jesus must be 1st in our life.

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

When a person was condemned to die ona cross they would be forced to carry the croos to their place of death.

Jesus carried His until He fainted from exhaustion and pain.

When Jesus proclaimed Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me canny be my disciple - He wanted people to know to follow His example was going to be costly.

There was a certainty of persecution - because the world hated Him they would hate His followers.

The burden and disrespect He received in carrying His cross to Calvary was an example of his His followers would be treated.

Christian no matter what the world says or does to us, we must bear the burden and carry the cross of Christ as we follow Him.

It is a certainty, we will face persecution, it is a privilege to be counted with the King of Kings and follow His example and carry our cross.

The Cost (28-33)

Jesus knew there would be a cost to following Him and He wanted His disciple to know they needed to count the cost.

For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ “Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand, “Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.

Jesus used vivid images in this passage to give His followers a glimpse of life with Him.

Towers were a place of defense from the enemy, they were used to guard against enmies.

The soldiers could see for long distances because the tower was normally on a high hill.

Jesus wanted these followers to understand if you are going to prepare for enemies you have to make sure you count the cost correctly or it can be devastating.

Christians an issue we face in todays world is that men will work with much forethought on the house they build, the car they drive, the boat they buy, but they don’t think twice about the life they live and the consequences of it.

As believers we must understand there is a cost to following Jesus.

We must make sure we are willing to pay the price of eternal life.

Jesus calls us to surrender everything to Him.

Our life, our family, our career, our possessions - they all are surrendered totally to Him.

We must be resolved to leave everything for Him.

No matter what the price we must be willing to pay it because He paid the price for us!

Have you counted the cost?

Have you surrendered in faith to Christ?

Have you paid the price to follow Jesus?