The Opportunity Cost

Welcome: introduce text and title, talk about third Wednesday.

Luke 14:25–35 NKJV

25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—29 lest, after he has laid the 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 to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. 34 “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

> Pray: Heavenly Father teach us to count the cost so that we do not miss any good thing that you have prepared for us in Christ Jesus. Amen.

I want to talk to you about what you could experience in life if you were willing to pay the price.

Did you know that there is a difference between price and cost?

In manufacturing, cost includes the total expense that goes into making a product. This includes materials, wages (employees), facilities (utilities), processing (equipment), and thing like that.

The price is the amount the manufacturer determines to sell the product for based on supply and demand. The less supply and higher demand, for example, the higher priced the item will be.

There is another type of cost that we need to consider: opportunity cost. Opportunity cost are the things that don’t happen because a course of action is not taken.

A way to look at the opportunity cost is to ask, “What is it I am missing out on (opportunity) because of what I am unwilling to do or pay now (price)?

To take this even further, what aspects of the abundant life, or the normal Christian life do I not experience nor enjoy because I am unwilling to do what is required to have them (John 10.10)?

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t intrinsically desire for their lives to matter. Everyone searches for meaning and purpose in life.

One of the frustrations that we face as Christians is that there are good things that God has prepared before hand for us that we miss out on because we are not in position to receive them (Ephesians 2.10).

There are experiences that we are meant to have and things that we are meant to do but because we are not ready or willing to pay the price we miss out on them.

Illustration: Disney Theme Parks offer experiences: food, shows, games, rides, all set in different locales and themes. I can read about Disney. I can see videos. I can hear other people’s stories of family fun and laughter. But if I do not go to the park and pay the admission fee, I do not get to experience any of those things for myself.

It is the attitude and actions in the beginning that set the stage for the rest of the experience.

In the kingdom, this principle is true as well. If we aren’t willing to do the things Jesus asks then we miss kingdom opportunities —

If we don’t choose share Jesus with others, less people get saved.

If we don’t choose to invite people to church, less people come.

If we don’t choose to develop relationships and invest in the spiritual formation of others, less disciples are made.

If we don’t choose to give generously and joyfully, less human needs are met.

Your time, talent, and treasure are valuable. And how you choose to invest them matters. Everything we do comes at a cost. What we experience is determined by the price we are willing to pay.

Illustration: your theme park experience may dramatically change if you pay for the “easy pass” or the “fast pass.” By choosing to pay a higher price for the ticket, you are buying yourself more time by skipping lines and going directly into the ride or show. Your experience is totally changed because you chose to pay a higher price.

When we embrace the teaching of Jesus about counting the cost, we will be armed with the kingdom perspective that leads toward success.

In our text, the author points out that there were great multitudes who when with Jesus (Luke 14.25). It was to the multitudes that Jesus began to teach these principles.

These are people who for various reasons wanted to be with Him and hear His teaching and witness His miracles. But, as we will see, coming to Jesus and accompanying Him is not the same thing as coming after or following Him (cf. Matthew 16.24).

In fact, what many church-goers are doing in this uncertain season is simply playing it safe. They are watching and waiting to see what will happen in this cultural moment before stepping out in faith and truly following God.

Unfortunately if we don’t step out in faith now, before persecution and attacks get more intense, we will find that watching and waiting will cost us more than we want to pay.

We need to count the cost, pay the price, and consider the outcome of our faith, just as Jesus taught us to.

And we can do this confidently knowing that God is for us and He always teaches and tells us the right way to do things so that we may prosper (1 Kings 2.3). Not only does He lead us and guide us, He goes with us and empowers us through the Holy Spirit so that we can be successful and prosperous.

Counting the Cost

In this sermon, Jesus taught us what the price would be to become His disciples and enter into the abundant life.

We are going to examine three principles that will help us count the cost and enter into a more complete experience.

Consider Christ and Put Relationship First

Luke 14:26–27 NKJV

26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

The most important thing we need to understand is that there is a price to following Jesus. And the consequences of not paying that price are dire.

Following Jesus as a disciple is about being known by Him. This is a relational commitment.

It is about learning of Him and His ways and demonstrating our love for Him by keeping those ways (Matthew 11.29, John 14.15).

The price of being Jesus’ disciple is costly: it is taking up the cross. What does that mean? Carrying the cross is to deny yourself with “lethal determination.” Think about it—those who carried the cross did so to the hill they would be crucified on it.

What must be denied? Love for others and love for self above Jesus.

In other words, any relationship you put before Christ will cost you intimacy with Christ.

Jesus said that loving Him meant that we would seem to hate our own families and our own life in comparison. We would put aside those relationships in favor of joining ourselves to Him (cf. Luke 14.26 TPT).

We know He didn’t mean that we are to hate them—especially when He commanded us to love our enemies (Matthew 5.44). He knew what He was saying…to neglect social customs pertaining to family loyalties would have been interpreted as hate by the audience.

Illustration: Loving my wife makes it easy for me to be around her and spend time with her. When you hate someone it makes it easy to avoid them. As Alexander Bruce says, “It is easy to be devoted to a master or cause when you hate all rival masters or interests.”

We know that explicitly Jesus is saying that He must be first in our lives. Period. The cost of Him not being first is our intimacy with Him.

This principle also applies in other areas of our lives. The price of investing in the wrong relationships can be too costly.

The price you pay to invest in work or social relationship can cost you intimacy with your spouse, children, and marriage.

Consider who will be at your funeral (or who you want there)…those are the people and relationships that matter most. If you aren’t investing there, what is it going to cost you in the long term?

Consider Your Legacy and What It Will Take To Build It

Luke 14:28–30 NKJV

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—29 lest, after he has laid the 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.’

Illustration: Sometimes I experience this when doing laundry. I intend to do my laundry and put it in the washer. I walk away, get busy with work or some other task. I mean to check on it and put it in the dryer when it’s done, but I sometimes get caught up in something else. On occasion, I will remember my laundry and go to do it only to find that it has been done for me…by my wife. She needed to do her laundry and was tired of waiting on me to finish it. I’d say, “I was just going to do it.” but it was too late and she’d make fun of me.

We can intend to follow Jesus. We can intend to have a good marriage. We can intend to be good parents. But if we don’t consider what that means and what it will take and decide that we are willing to do the work, we won’t follow through.

Jesus wants us to finish and finish well. There is a crown awaiting those who finish the race of faith (James 1.12, 2 Timothy 4.7-8).

Like a lofty and high tower, a good life draws attention and respect to God (cf. Luke 2.52). It causes men to acknowledge the good things in you that Christ did (Philemon 1.6). It makes others rejoice and worship God (Matthew 5.16).

But we need to understand that the price for not building a good life on Jesus is our legacy and reputation.

What’s more is that Jesus tells us up front that there will be a cost. And that we need to count it, consider it.

If you want a strong faith, consider what you have to do to have it.

If you want a strong marriage, consider what you have to do to have it.

What are you building with your life? Have you considered what it will take to build successfully?

People are watching to see if you succeed or fail. Count the cost so that you can succeed and leave an inheritance for your children’s children (Proverbs 13.22).

Consider the Consequences and Commit to the Plan

Luke 14:31–33 NKJV

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

In this illustration, Jesus is pointing out the opportunity cost of not following Him: no victory and no peace.

It’s possible, but difficult and unlikely, for an army of 10,000 to defeat one of 20,000. If a king knows that they our out manned, they do the work necessary to secure lasting peace for himself and his subjects. If he doesn’t, they come into bondage of the invading force.

Jesus follows this illustration by saying that if you aren’t willing to give up everything, to have a continual attitude of abandonment and surrender to following Him, you can not be His disciple.

If you aren’t all in with following Jesus, totally commited to Him, you are not going to have victory nor peace.

He clearly says that the price of victory and of lasting peace is total commitment and devotion to Him. Everything is spent in the pursuit of Him and in obedience to His commands—time, talent, treasure.

If you want to secure victory and peace for your life, marriage, family, ministry, business, etc...you need to arm yourself with this willingness and attitude to abandon all other options in favor of Jesus and His way (cf. 1 Peter 4.1-6).

Conclusion

Luke 14:34–35 NKJV

34 “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Ultimately, what you have from God is good. But if you do not invest it wisely in the right things it becomes worthless both in the kingdom (land) and the dunghill (world).

Salt without saltiness is literally good for nothing—it can’t purify, preserve, or season. It can’t even help the land by killing weeds or assisting the fertilization process.

If you will be fully commited to Him in relationship, totally focused on the reward of faith, and completely willing to pay the price, then you will experience the abundant life. Any other way, will lead to a wasted and worthless life in light of eternity.

Embrace the teaching of Jesus. You’ll be armed with the right mindset that will prepare you for success.

You will also discover the power of addition through subtraction: as you delete and remove the things that have kept you from beginning, continuing and completing the work of building a life with Christ you will discover all these things pertaining to life being added to you (cf. Matthew 6.33).

Because you choose to count the costs and pay the price you will have a successful life and ministry and leave a good legacy for those who follow you.

Ultimately, when you finish the race, you’ll receive the crown of life and hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Amen, let’s pray: Father help us to take this teaching of Jesus to heart. To make our relationship with You the highest priority. Help us to consider and think deeply about our legacy and your will and the discipline and practices it will take to get us there. As we consider the consequences of not following you and the rewards of doing so, empower us to commit to your plan. We want to finish, and not only to finish, but to finish well. In Jesus’ name. Amen.