The Cost of Discipleship

Introduction

Again this is our series on the parables of the kingdom. Parables can sometimes be tricky to interpret. They only have one main point. Heather mentioned that maybe an example of taking a parable too far would help. So here is one that is really easy: in Luke 18 Jesus tells the parable of the unjust judge - he is a judge that doesn’t care about God or others. A widow has to petition him three times to get the request she has of him. Jesus’ point is that if the unjust judge would grant the woman’s petition, wouldn’t God? Now that’s an easy one to see - the only point of similarity is that requests got answered - to say that Jesus is saying God can be unjust would be wrong and taking the parable way too far.

In Jesus’ ministry this was an important way of teaching. At that time, teaching in parables was a way of instructing those that believed but keeping the main truths hidden from those who had already rejected.

We’re looking in our Part 1 of this series about the Kingdom taking Root and with last week’s lesson on The Sower and Sowing, today we’ll look at The Growing Seed.

In the previous parable we are reminded that we cannot make the seed grow and in fact we cannot even explain how it grows - it is a mystery.

This is the last message in seeing the kingdom take root. These are parables that talk about fundamental aspects of the kingdom: the new cloth and bottles - the kingdom is not contained in or by anything in this world; the two debtors - the woman loved much because she was forgiven much, and kingdom citizens love much; then we saw the sower and the soil - kingdom citizens listen to the word and watch the condition of the soil of their heart.

Main idea: Kingdom citizens understand that citizenship costs a great deal. The values of the world and the kingdom are reversed. Kingdom citizens sacrifice everything.

Luke 14:25–33 AV

25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

1. Abandon our Identity

vv 25-27

In starting to count the cost of discipleship Jesus will address this area of our identity.

In verse 25 we see a bit of backstory that there were great multitudes following him. Jesus had no problem drawing a crowd. But Jesus is not interested in a crowd - he is interested in authentic disciples.

The problem is that many will follow with Jesus but not change their fundamental loyalties and ultimately not change their identity.

A. With Respect to Our Family

Verse 26 is a well-known and sometimes difficult verse. A disciple here is not just a follower, but someone who identifies with Jesus’ mission.

In the context of the time that Jesus was in there was a high cultural value place on the family network.

Jesus says that they must hate their family - hate here is a hyperbolic statement meant for comparison - he is saying that one must disavow any allegiance to one’s family over him.

Matthew 10:37 AV

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Hating here just means that we set aside the relationships that used to be our identity, and then reconstruct our identity within this new community, this kingdom community of saints, where we are oriented to God’s purpose.

We all have identities - racial, economic, political, geographic. Illustrate southern identity.

But to be a true disciple of Christ you must disavow these identities…ALL of them. You can’t attach any of these identities to being a Christ-follower - but we do. Groups try this all the time - true Christians would be this status, choose this economic model, true Christians would be this political party - no, none of that, and the more those groups try to suck us into their identities the more I reject them.

In other words, I’m supposed be so on mission with Jesus that the agendas of my family, an economic framework, a political party, or the region I was born don’t matter.

Not all Christians are disciples - some are more attached to their race, their politics, their family, or their money more than they are to Christ.

Kingdom citizens are not dual citizens

Again, new cloth and new bottles, Jesus is not something you add to who you are. Jesus will emphasize this with his next point.

We have to consider our identity:

B. With Respect to Ourselves

Another well-known but often misinterpreted verse is here in v. 27.

We are told to bear our own cross. Jesus teaches this several times as in

Luke 9:23 AV

23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Bearing our cross is not a physical disease, it’s not cancer, it’s not a financial struggle, or family issue.

Matthew 10:38 AV

38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

It means that true disciples of Jesus live as though they were condemned to death by crucifixion. There is no pursuit of status, or financial security, or accumulating possessions - but complete freedom to identify with Jesus in his shameful suffering.

True kingdom citizens have abandoned all earthly identities. They are already living their heavenly identity - follower of Christ.

2. Realize Our Insufficiency

vv 28-32

Here come two quick parables to highlight the importance of the conditions he just placed on discipleship.

A. The Pictures of Counting the Cost

Both parables are hypothetical and demanding. They require analysis of resources and the outcome when available resources fall short.

First we have a landowner that builds a tower - not sure what kind of tower, maybe a tower in vineyard, or a watchtower, but that’s not important.

The second parable is about a king going to war.

B. The Results of Not Counting the Cost

We are told about outcomes when the resources aren’t sufficient. The first one - the landowner who can’t finish his tower - is mocked and humiliated. The other one, the king, must surrender.

But we have to understand the greater lesson here. The context here is telling us something bigger than just not finishing a tower (discipleship) or missing out on a peace agreement.

The ultimate idea here is that whatever resources we have are not enough. We must realize our insufficiency. Our family and ourselves (back in 26-27) are still insufficient resources.

The only dependence that completes the tower is total dependence on Christ. The only way that happens is to have total loyalty and allegiance to him but abandoning family and self identities.

The idea is not that if a ‘plan’ enough I can be a good disciple.

We must have an unyielding faithfulness to God’s mission in Christ; the show constantly our identity as a disciple of Christ - only then can we build the tower, and succeed in battle.

3. Say Goodbye

v 33

Finally Christ sums it all up in one verse. This follows the structure of 26-27.

The word forsaketh literally means to ‘say goodbye’ to ‘bid farewell’. It is a leaving behind.

We must abandon all ‘earthly securities’ - family, money, groups, organizations, identities…

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke 3. The Cost of Being a Disciple (14:25–35)

His thought probably is that of abandonment of things, yielding up the right of ownership, rather than outright disposal of them. The disciple of Jesus may be given the use of things in trust, as a stewardship, but they are no longer his own. The present tense implies that what Jesus requires in relation to possessions is a continual attitude of abandonment.

Our identity falls in line with the kingdom to which we are already a part of. We have one identity - kingdom citizen.

On February 3, 1943, a troop ship named The Dorchester was carrying more than nine hundred soldiers and military personnel across the North Atlantic. A German U-boat spotted the convoy and fired three torpedoes at the ship. Only one struck the target, but the blast below the waterline fatally damaged the ship. In the cold darkness, the crew was ordered to abandon ship. There were not enough lifeboats for all the men, nor were there enough life jackets.

Four chaplains aboard the ship that night helped comfort those injured in the explosion and those who feared the coming of death. When the ship was ready to sink, the chaplains took off their life jackets and handed them to four young soldiers who had none. They gave up their own lives in order to save others.

Salvation costs nothing, but discipleship costs everything.

Luke: An Introduction and Commentary 1. The Cost of Discipleship (14:25–33)

These words condemn all half-heartedness. Jesus is not, of course, discouraging discipleship. He is warning against an illconsidered, fainthearted attachment in order that those who follow him may know the real thing. He wants them to count the cost and reckon all lost for his sake so that they can enter the exhilaration of full-blooded discipleship.