Lesson 68 Luke 14_25-35

Luke 14:25-35

READ Luke 14:25-35.

Verses 26-27 are very similar to Matthew 10:37-38, which we have already studied. Verses 34-35 are very similar to Matthew 5:13-14, which we have already studied.

But the teaching in verses 28-33 is unique to this section.

But the theme isn’t unique. The theme is obviously the cost of following Jesus. This is not the first time we’ve seen that Jesus isn’t afraid to tell people to consider the cost of following Him.

Frankly there isn’t a lot to study in this passage – there’s just a lot to meditate on. If Jesus had just used these illustrations and then left them unexplained, we could have all sorts of interesting arguments about what he meant. Is he saying that salvation is something you have to buy, and some people have enough and some people don’t? But there’s no use for that kind of discussion because Jesus so clearly states his point: if you are going to be my disciple, that demands your willingness to give up everything you have.

So this is a passage not filled with detail to study, but stating a simple truth that is almost overwhelming to meditate upon. I feel like the simple things I’ll share with you this morning are pathetically shallow compared to the depth and richness of this truth.

I was born in 1977. My generation grew up in the middle of one of the most significant economic expansions ever known. My generation is the generation of the personal computer, cable and satellite TV, TIVO, the internet, the Xbox, the ipod, the cell phone, and now the internet, TV, xbox, and ipod all in one cell-phone sized gadget. My generation just can’t imagine life being about anything other than me. My personal pleasure. What makes me happy.

But actually, that’s not unique to my generation. That’s true of every generation, because it’s true of every sinner. We think the world revolves around us – we naturally think nothing is more valuable than ourselves and whatever makes us happy. That started with Adam & Eve, who cast off their relationship with God for what they thought they needed to make them happy.

Every generation since then has done the same thing, though in different ways. Into that mayhem Christ speaks: Save your life and you will lose it; lose your life for my sake and the gospel’s, and you will find it. None of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. I am more valuable than anything else in the world; give up everything, and come follow me. Wow.

Here are a few thoughts on these words in Luke 14, and this concept of giving up everything to follow Christ:

These words show the value of Christ:

Valuations are a huge deal in America right now. Whether it is the value of homes, the value of commodities such as gold, the value of debt such as corporate bonds, or the value of future earnings through stock prices, accurate valuation is very difficult right now. It’s hard to know how much you should be willing to pay for a share of GE, or an ounce of gold, or a home.
So how valuable is Christ? If we could do an appraisal, what would we discover? The Bible gives the appraisal and tells us: He’s worth the loss of everything. As a matter of fact, the loss of everything is no loss at all if it means gaining Christ.
Now at other times when Jesus talked about the cost of following him, he talked about giving up possessions and relationships. But here in verse 26 he adds another phrase: even his own life. No possessions can be more valuable than Him; no relationships can be more valuable than Him; and even your own life must not be more valuable to you than He is.
If you had to choose you would gladly give up your own life to have Him.
TURN TO Matthew 13. READ Matthew 13:44-46. This is likely the point of these parables. I recognize that some people interpret these to mean that we are the treasure and Christ sells all that he has to obtain us. But I believe the point is the great value of Christ, and the kingdom of God. It would be well worth giving up all you have if you could just have Christ. TURN TO Philippians 3. READ Philippians 3:8.

These words add an important edge to evangelism:

There’s a very important reason why in our church’s gospel presentation we use the words “Savior and Ruler.” Turn to Jesus as Savior and Ruler. Because Jesus says “If you are going to follow me, count the cost. I will be your ruler. I will be your master. I’ll be the owner of everything. I’ll expect you to be willing to forsake any other relationship if necessary for me; to give any earthly possession if needed for my sake. I’ll expect you to no longer count your life as dear to yourself. Every part of your life will now be lived as a stewardship for my sake.”
Don’t even think about following Jesus if you expect to continue to hold on to your life as your own. If you are planning to continue living life your own way.
This is a good deterrent for false professions. Let me show you a passage that has a similar concept. TURN TO Joshua 24. We talked about this passage last summer, but it’s worth seeing again.
READ Joshua 24:15-25

They insist that they are ready to come serve the Lord. And Joshua basically says “I’m not sure. Do you know what that means? Do you realize the holy nature of God? Are you ready to abandon your idols?”
I know this is national Israel, and so there are some differences, but can you imagine being at an invitation at a modern evangelistic crusade, and a large crowd responds to the invitation, and the preacher then says to them: “Now I’m concerned that you don’t get it. You don’t understand how serious this. You don’t understand that following Jesus means giving up everything. He will be your king now; He will rule your life from now on; your life won’t be about you anymore, but about Him. I think you need to go back to your seats, because you’re not really ready for what this is going to cost you.”
If the preacher did that, the people who were truly experiencing a saving work of God in their hearts would say: “No, I don’t care what it might cost me to follow Him, I have to have Jesus. Take the world, take everything, just give me Jesus.”
I’m not suggesting that we have to say all of that when we share the gospel. But one of the reasons I love our church’s gospel presentation is because it starts with God as Ruler and Owner of all things, and ends with the call to turn to Jesus as Savior and Ruler.

Now, #3, these words in Luke 14

Unmask a lie: the lie that the best life is a life lived for personal pleasure; the lie that personal pleasure is the greatest life treasure.

But millions of people are believing that lie today. Every one of us are tempted to believe that lie. What movie can I watch Monday night that I will enjoy; where can I go shopping Tuesday night that I will enjoy; where can I go out to eat Wednesday night that I will enjoy; what games can I play on the internet Thursday night that I will enjoy; what music can I buy on Friday that I will enjoy; what beach can I go to on Saturday that I will enjoy.
Into the midst of that self-centered mayhem come some strong words from Jesus: he who saves his own life will lose it; but he who loses his life for my sake and the gospels, will find it. (Mark 8:35) To the man living a life of personal pleasure in Luke 12, Jesus says “You fool, this night your soul will be required of you.”
Jesus unmasks the lie that personal pleasure is the greatest life treasure. It is not true; the best life is not the one lived for personal pleasure. There is a greater treasure to live for.

Unmasks another myth: the myth of personal ownership:

America is built on the idea that we have certain rights, and we own certain things. In a sense that is very good: much better than some communism where the government owns it. But we can’t let the principles of capitalism get us confused about who actually owns everything.
But clearly people are confused. You hear people say things like this: “I can’t believe God took that away from me.” Maybe they lost a car, a home, a boyfriend, a job, even a family member. I can’t believe God would take that away from me. Actually, that job, that car, that parent, that boyfriend, was God’s all along. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, and the Lord is to be blessed either way because it is all His.
People say “You need to give God part of your time.” I don’t give him some of my time: I steward the time that He has given to me.
People say: “How much of my money do I have to give to God.” I don’t give him some of my money: all of my money is his, I am a steward of that money for him. It’s not that this part of my money is mine, and this part is his. But it’s all his: now this part goes to health insurance because God wants me to be a good steward of the body he’s given; this part goes to my mortgage because God wants me to provide a place for my family to live; this part goes to dates with my wife, because God wants me to nurture my relationship with her. But it’s all his, and I’m just a steward of what is already his. That is the mindset that Jesus’ followers must have.

When Christians live this way that we are talking about; live as if Jesus is the greatest treasure; live as if everything is his; live not for themselves but for Him – they have a powerful testimony.

Increases the testimony of Christians:

In Luke 14, note vv.34-35. I’m not positive about the connection between the previous verses and these verses. But it may well be that Jesus is making the point that a profession Christian without this kind of commitment is a Christian with a pretty useless testimony. In other words, a professing Christian living for himself is a Christian with an empty testimony. No one is going to see the great value of Christ in his life, because Christ isn’t that valuable in his life.
If you live a life centered on personal pleasure, you are saying to everyone around you: “I am the most valuable person in the world.” If you live a life centered on Christ, you are saying: “Christ is the most valuable person in the world.”
Many Non-Christians see this: they see the necessity of commitment. They recognize that if the Bible was really true, that would mean giving up everything. They can’t figure out why so many Christians live and talk as if Christianity requires no commitment. They may not believe the Bible; or they may not have any interest in following Christ; but they understand that a Christianity with no commitment is a joke.
But they can also recognize true commitment to Christ. You can’t miss it.

These truths also

Lay the foundation for radical sacrifice:

TURN TO, READ Acts 20:24 My life is not the issue; my life is not dear to me, I am not living for me; the only thing that matters is that I take this life and finish the course and the ministry God has for me. The precious value of Christ is the foundation for radical, risk-taking missions.
TURN TO, READ Rev. 12:11 Here we are told about martyrs who are now in heaven; they overcame the devil because for them Christ was a greater treasure than even their own lives. The treasure of Christ is the secret of God-glorifying, Satan defeating martyrdom. And it is still happening all around the world.

Conclusion:

Save your life and you will lose it; lose your life for my sake and the gospel’s, and you will find it. None of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. I am more valuable than anything else in the world; give up everything, and come follow me. Are you a disciple of the one who said those things?