Commitment Issues

Introduction

Our scripture today is Luke 14:25-33

Luke 14:25–33 NIV

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ 31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

This is a difficult word today.

But we will examine it together, and gain a deeper understanding.

Now, we can imagine huge crowds following after Jesus, barely giving him room to walk beside his disciples.

Jesus is heading to Jerusalem from a region east of the Dead Sea.

In the crowd, there are people who are already disciples, those who are looking for entertainment, and those looking to accuse Jesus.

Suddenly, Jesus stops and turns to them.

He does not tell them to come on in to the kingdom of God.

He doesn’t tell them he would LOVE to have their presence!

He doesn’t tell them that his love is free.

He tells them to hate father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters - and even themselves - if they want to be his disciple.

He tells them to count the cost.

And as we will learn, the cost is high.

The Cost of Discipleship

Story about taking on the renovation of the den/garage in Tennessee.

Travis and I did not count the cost before just ripping down walls in our den.

In my experience, churches have encouraged believers to do the very same thing.

We have made saying yes to and following Jesus as easy as possible.

We have come up with a special prayer to pray - just to yourself, not out loud!

We have classes that teach us how to be members at our churches.

We don’t require anything from newcomers. No tithes, no volunteering, no attendance even!

We have put church online so you don’t even have to leave your living room to experience worship!

We have confused being a disciple of Jesus Christ with checking a box on a membership card.

The modern church has failed to help its members count the cost of saying yes to Jesus.

So what is the cost? The Bible tells us!

John 15:18–20 “18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”

Cost number one: people will hate you!

We should not be surprised when the world hates us, because it hated Jesus as well.

It hated him so much, that it murdered him.

John 16:33 “33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.””

Cost number two: in this life, we will have trouble.

This is not an “if” statement. This is a “you will” statement.

It is a guarantee!

Matthew 19:21–22 “21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

Cost number three: You have to give up all your stuff.

Jesus tells this man he must sell everything he has to be Jesus’ disciple.

The young man counted the cost, and decided it was too much, so he went away sad.

Luke 9:59–60 “59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.””

Cost number four: You have to ditch your familial duties.

Jesus told this man to follow him instead of going to bury his father.

Jesus demanded this man put Him (Jesus) before his family obligations.

Now to today’s scripture: Luke 14:25–27 “25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

Cost number five: You must give up your most important relationships.

Hating our father and mother? Our brother and sister? Our spouse? Our children?

Carrying our own cross? We have said before that the cross means death!

When we lay it all out like this, it sounds awful!

Who can possibly give up everything precious to them just to have a relationship with Jesus?

My friends, this is what we signed up for when we said yes.

This is the cost of following Jesus.

Can You Commit?

So now we ask ourselves, can we commit?

Let me give you some encouragement after all these statements of doom.

Jesus does not demand that each one of us literally hate our spouse and our children.

He was using hyperbole to express the importance of his place in our lives.

He does not demand that each of us go and sell everything we have and give the money to the poor.

He does not demand that each of us refuse to bury our father or mother.

Jesus does not demand that each of us punish ourselves or destroy our physical bodies for his sake.

But he does demand that nothing we possess, no one that we love, and not even our own lives take his place in our hearts.

Jesus demands first place.

Being a disciple of Jesus means that everything else is second.

Jesus demands our WILLINGNESS to die for him.

Jesus demands our WILLINGNESS to choose him over our spouses, our children, and our family.

Jesus demands our WILLINGNESS to forsake every possession we have for him.

THIS is what we have signed up for.

This is what it takes to be his disciple.

Why? Why is everything demanded of us?

Because he gave everything for us.

Philippians 2:5–11 NIV

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Amen! He is worthy of our everything.

How Do We Keep Our Commitment?

Now, if you are thinking of changing your mind about Jesus, it’s too late for most of us to back out of our commitment to Christ!

We have already walked the aisle, prayed the prayer, checked the box.

So, since we are in this for the long haul, how do we keep our commitment?!

By doing what we have talked about before:

Walking day by day with Jesus.

By handing our life over to Jesus, day by day.

By prayer, reading and studying the scriptures, serving others, by attending worship, by fellowshipping with the body of christ.

The Bible tells us how to do this as well:

2 Corinthians 4:16 “16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

Galatians 5:16 “16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Ephesians 5:1–2 “1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

My friends, we have the Holy Spirit within us, teaching us, admonishing us, equipping us day by day for the work we have committed to as disciples of Jesus Christ.

We are not alone. We have no strength of our own.

But by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to fulfill our commitment to Jesus, one day at a time.

Amen.