The Cost of Discipleship

Luke 14:25-35

As a MS/HS I loved basketball. To be a part of the team there was expectation.

• Prioritize the team above your self interest.
• Discipline yourself to say no to (quitting, overeating, staying up late)
• The first week would be running drills where you wouldn’t touch a basketball.
• The night before I wouldn’t want to go

You know what you could call the players who don't deny themselves or prioritize the goal above themselves?— Useless (Perhaps that's harsh but they were no help for the teams goal)

• Jesus is making the point that.. If you profess to follow Christ yet never prioritize following him you're like salt with no saltiness.
• Your not of use to the kingdom
• You're opposing what it means to be a disciple.
• Who is Jesus speaking to?
• Large Crowd – Seeking Messianic Kingdom - Perhaps looking for power, position, entertainment, excitement.- He will share some hard truths

Key Thought: Disciples follow their master therefore count the cost because disciples in word only are unprofitable for the kingdom.

Disciples follow there master

1. What is a disciple?
2.  Μαθητής- means more in the NT than a mere pupil or learner. It is an adherent who accepts the instruction given to him and makes it his rule of conduct.
3. This is not the disciples- Apostles- This is not the Pharisees- disciples of Moses (Jn 9:28).
4. Most in here would probably consider ourselves disciples/followers of Jesus.- He will give us the standard 

3 Criteria for a Disciple

1. Love God Supremely (26)
2. There would be family opposition for Jewish people following Christ.
3. Every other relationship should pale in comparison to the love that we have for Christ.
4. Literal hatred would oppose our command to love.
5. Literal hatred of ourselves would  be nonsensical.
6. He is using hyperbole or strong language to emphasize a point
7. Hate (μισέω) To have ill will towards, to abhor, detest, or love less-
8. Jesus is saying I want your love for me to be so impactful that every other relationship looks like hate.
9. To be a follower of Christ one must see Him as the ONLY one worth following.
10. Discipleship is a matter of allegiance- When things are hard, when conflicts arise, when faith is small, when opinions surround and enemies swarm. Who will you follow?
11. Our allegiance to God should overwhelm any other allegiance in life.
12. Sacrifice Willingly (27) 
13. The Jews are looking for a Messiah.
14. A physical kingdom, power, protection, stability, strength
15. Jesus is calling them to sacrifice.
16. Being a disciple requires denying self and taking up your cross.
17. The cross represents- shame, pain, suffering, humiliation, 
18. Sometimes we can see crosses and separate them from their original meaning.
19. The cross was symbolized by pain and humiliation.
20. It was the worst way to die, naked and alone.
21. For Christians the call to carry your cross is a call to be uncomfortable and self sacrificial.
22. We carry our cross- Christ carried his before us.
23. John 15:18–19[18] “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. [19] If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
24. Luke 6:22 [22] “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
25. We embrace the cross though it pictures suffering presently it will picture salvation eternally!
26. Surrender control completely  (33)
27. Jesus had taught
28. Luke 12:15 “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
29. Luke 12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
30. Our issue- My issue- Sometimes I think, “How little can I give?”
31. Have you ever thought that?
32. Darrell Bock capturing the essence of Jesus teaching says thats the wrong question “Jesus is getting us to ask the question, “How much does God deserve?”

Surrender complete control of your possessions, money, time, and work - God is worthy of it all!     - If that seems like a lot then you understand why Jesus said count the cost.

Therefore…. Count the Cost – 2 Stories

1. The half built tower (28-30).
2. Could you imagine beginning to build a house? Running out of Money?
3. Tower analogy- laying a foundation requires digging into bedrock.
4. You must be aware of the difficulty, expense and work up front.
5. What a fool! Who would do that? Result humiliation
6. The outmatched army (31-32).
7. Marching your soldiers into battle not sure what your up against?
8. You would want to know! You would want to make peace (if needed)
9. Result more than humiliation– Disaster and death.

Summary- The accent of both parables falls not on the decision to start but the determination to follow through.

• In the late 20th century priority in christian circle was often placed on creating an environment for people to follow Jesus.
• Tent meeting- alter call- nothing wrong with these things.
• Then some would stage people in the crowd who would walk to the front to make it easy on people to repent.
• What Jesus is saying though is there is real cost - You should consider it carefully.
• Those who carefully consider the cost and purpose to follow Christ are an incredible testament to the power, beauty and glory of God. Why? 
• True disciples don't just make a decision but they show a Holy Spirit empowered determination – Give me Jesus, nothing more and nothing less, and I’ll be satisfied.

Main thought: Disciples follow their master therefore count the cost… Because disciples in word only are unprofitable for the Kingdom.

• Uses of salt (34-35)
• Salt to flavor - (French Fries, Meats, takes away the bland)
• Salt to preserve - (Salt can remove the liquid from a meat reducing the environment that microorganisms thrive in, and ultimately spoil the meat).
• Salt to Fertilize- Salt was used as a fertilizer for some vegetables; Salt was used to wilt seeds for fertilizer and improve the soil at deeper levels.
• Evidently most fertilizers are considered salts.
• Some salt can also damage and destroy a plant.
• Salt to put on the manure pile - Salt could be used to slow down fermentation of dung heaps.
• Pure salt doesn’t lose its saltiness.
• But, in this day, there processes weren’t dialed in.
• If salt wasn’t salty or pure- you could use it to Preserve, fertilize or if nothing else for the manure pile.
• Here is the point- Some salt was not even suitable for the manure pile.

Professing followers who do not obey Christ’s voice are not suitable for the lowest level of service for the kingdom of God

• Unwillingness to serve is a problem for the Christian, disobedient followers are a problem because it leads to us becoming useless disciples.
• Brothers and Sisters count the cost of what it means to follow God. 
• It is worth it. But to follow him you must commit to Him.

Christ counted the cost

• Before you were ever born, before you sinned or failed, or refused to follow.
• The Father planned redemption, The son agreed to suffer, die and bear the weight of sin, The Spirit agreed to apply Christ’s work and seal us to the day when Christ returns.
• Philippians 2:5-11 tells us something profound, Christ counted the cost, submitted to the father’s will and accomplished salvation for us.
• Aren’t you glad Christ didn’t follow the way we often do.
• He followed God’s will perfectly on our behalf.
• Remembering Christ is the key to living as a true disciple.
• That's what Paul said when he was struggling and wanting to give up.
• Read: 2 TIm 2:1-11
• This is the God we are called to follow as disciples -
• The cost of discipleship is not worthy to be compared to the joy we will receive when we are with God forever. -He who has ears let him hear.