Construction Costs

Background to passage: Still on the way to Jerusalem in Perea, crowds of people continued to follow Jesus. He just told the parable of the banquet that people been invited to and RSVPed, but when the party started, they began to make excuses. After two rounds of gathering people, in his anger, he declared that none who were invited would ever taste of the food. They were not willing to follow through.

Luke 14:25–33 ESV

25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “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. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a 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.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Opening illustration: Story of John MacArthur leading a prostitute to follow Jesus, “Coming to Jesus, in other words, means acknowledging Jesus as the preeminent relationship in one’s life, whose costly mission determines the way of one’s life, and whose presence takes precedent over all things in life.”

Main thought: We must count the cost before we choose to follow Jesus

1) Three Requirements for Discipleship (v. 26-27, 33)

Luke 14:26–27 ESV

26 “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. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:33 ESV

33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

1) Three Requirements for Discipleship (v. 26-27, 33)

Explanation: 1) One must “hate” the closest of human relationships. For a disciple of Jesus, no human relationship takes priority. 2) One must be willing to deny self and die daily to their own agenda. Take on the shame, suffering, and follow Jesus. 3) One must renounce everything, flinging all things, all accomplishments, all relationships, all accolades, all glory and honor to the side, being single-mindedly loyal and devoted to Christ.

We talked about denying self and taking up the cross and dying daily two weeks ago. We are not to associate with our own agenda, desires, needs, wants with the exception of a desire to exalt Christ. Absolute, unconditional

Matthew 10:37 ESV

37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Illustration: Tennessee Fan

Application: Are you willing to defy family if need be to follow Jesus? Right now, look at your relationship with your family, is it known that I will choose Christ. Not just in theology or politics, but when you have been taken captive for Jesus’s sake, and you have the opportunity to renounce Christ and be free, you will choose Christ. Like the Anabaptist martyrs, will to encourage your husband or wife or brother or son to hold fast to Jesus as they are burned or hanged, knowing that you will share the same fate?

2) Two Perspectives (v. 28-32)

Luke 14:28–32 ESV

28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a 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.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.

2) Two Perspectives (v. 28-32)

Explanation: Jesus gives two short illustrations about counting the cost of a huge decision. “...but here it is addressed to the “large crowds.” Luke thus addresses the charge not to the converted, but to crowds and readers, to all who are contemplating a relationship with Jesus, lest they imagine that familiarity with Jesus, even proximity to him, are substitutes for costly discipleship with him.”

A man building a tower, probably over a vineyard or home for viewing distances or defense. This is a business decision, money involved, perception in the community involved. You always crunch the numbers to see if this is “too much house.”

Secondly, in war you much also count the cost. Lives on on the line. The future of cities or nations is on the line. Losing money is embarrassment, telling mothers that their sons aren’t coming home is another. Spartans vs. Persians

Argumentation:

Illustration: A. M. Hunter, ‘In the first parable Jesus says, “Sit down and reckon whether you can afford to follow me.” In the second he says, “Sit down and reckon whether you can afford to refuse my demands.” ’

Application: We must know the cost of following Jesus. It is life altering. It defines your purpose and the rest of your life. The gospel that Jesus calls us to is not easy. It costs you everything. We must not preach a watered down version of the call of Jesus. This is why we don’t cater to every whim and desire of what we think people in the world want. This is why the songs we sing have content that is rich and deep and faithful to this call. Yes, we want to reach others, yes we want to be friendly and love others, but we must not remove the barrier of absolute allegiance, radical commitment, and determining that Jesus is worth selling everything, and releasing all things for Christ.

3) One Decision (Mark 1:15)

Mark 1:15 ESV

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

3) One Decision (Mark 1:15)

Explanation: The gospel is simple enough that children can understand its basics. Yet it is deep enough to drown the wisest and most intelligent men and women on the planet. Jesus’s message was plain and simple: repent and believe. Repent from your sin because you have infinitely offended a holy God. Believe and put your only hope for salvation and right relation to the Father in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as the punishment for your sin and the source of your righteousness.

One Decision: Is it worth it? Will you surrender all. Will you take up your cross, die to self, sell out, fling your lives away for the kingdom? Will you renounce all? Will you stand firm against family if necessary. Is he worth more that money, possessions, fame, or status?

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Simple, yes. Easy, no. The bar set by Jesus is absolute allegiance. It is ultimate treasure. It is costly grace. It is personal at the core, and you must decide. You must decide with your eyes wide open: if you aren’t willing to renounce all that is of any earthly value, you are not able to be his disciple. “Do not promise to follow Jesus unless you understand the “cost” and are willing to “pay” it...God’s grace can only be received by those who, in repenting, place him above everything else.”

Closing illustration: “...like all things in life of surpassing value, the gospel is both costly and worth the cost.”

Recap