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Counting the Cost of Discipleship Title: "Counting the Cost of Discipleship" Text: Luke 14:25-35 Speaker: Jon Paul Dennis, GraceWay Church Date: 3-13-2016 Introduction Counting the Cost of Discipleship Have you ever wanted something or someone so bad you were willing to sacrifice whatever to get it? Maybe it was long work hours to save up to purchase a house, or little to no sleep staying up all night to talk with your new girlfriend, boyfriend, or fiancé...maybe countless of sacrifices for a college degree. Many count the cost of considering what neighborhood they will live in. Many are counting the cost of what church to attend. Someone once said this phase: "It may cost you a little, it may cost you a lot, but it will cost you!" In many respects, that is true of most things in this life. However, we rarely hear about the cost to follow Jesus Christ. In Luke chapter 14, Jesus' fame continues to spread throughout Jerusalem as crowds travel with Him. In verse 25, Jesus states a shocking reality of what’s required to follow Him. Jesus primary focus when speaking to large crowds was to make disciples. Jesus didn’t teach to entertain but it was to truly make disciples and although great crowds followed and many followed for different reasons. Jesus taught in way that challenged the motives of those in His presence. Being the Good Shepherd that he is, Jesus began speak demands that would not miss lead those who would consider becoming a disciple. Luke 14:25 “Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them”, Crowds For many, crowds are an indicator that something great is happening; Ministries, sports events, parties are usually concluded as successful or unsuccessful by what size crowds it draws. Regardless of the reason a crowd of people gather don’t all gather for the same reason? Such was the case of terrorist attack at the Boston marathon April of 2013. Just because there’s a crowd of people meeting together doesn’t mean everyone is on one accord. Not every smile, pat on the back, compliment, words of encouragement, high fives are genuine. Even in churches some just tag along for the moment until something more appealing comes along or leave when challenges are more than expected. This was the case of many in the crowds that followed Jesus. Jesus had a different view of crowds when it came to following Him. He was not merely concerned with who was there but more important why they were there. Not everyone in Jesus day who crowded around him was truly genuine followers of Jesus. Why?? (Joh 6:24) So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. (Joh 6:25) When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" (John 6:26) Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. (John 6:27) Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." Jesus, in testing their motives makes some radical statements in John 6:53-58 the disciples that were following him responded in verse 60. Jesus knew they were complaining in Verse 61 and Jesus responds in verses 61-65 and Look what happens in verse 66. Jesus over and over tries to show them that they must believe on Him and Him only. Verse 35 when he says “I am the bread of life” and in Verse 27 Showing them that he is the only way to for salvation and that they cannot work for their salvation. In verse 28 they ask what can they do?? And Jesus draws there attention back to Him-self in verse 29. When Jesus lays out the conditions it reveal those who really was committed to obeying him. Let’s go back to our text Luke 14:26 "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. Here, Christ shows us what we must be willing to do in order follow him. Explain, Comes to me??? We know from Scripture Jesus says himself "No one can come to the son unless the father draws him" This is all the more reason this is a qualification of all those to follow Jesus because this is no just a decision of the human will but it’s a divine call and a complete submission of the Human Will to Gods will. In other words, this is supernatural; it’s beyond human possibility and a divine miracle. Not just anyone comes to Jesus but only those whom the father draws to the Son. Those people, who God draws to Him are, foreordained and are given the gift of repentance to see themselves as God sees them and turn away from a life of willful practice of sin without hope. How is this a miracle? (Give the Gospel) Act 17:26 puts it this way but Ephesian 2, Romans 5,3 and 6. Luke 14:26 "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. Now what is this!! a contradiction? In Ephesians 5:22-25 husbands are told to love their wives as Christ love the church. Titus 2:3 women are to love their husbands and children. Romans 12:10 Commands us to show family affection to one another with brotherly love and in Exodus 20 one of the 10 commandments is to Honor your father and mother so that you may have long life. Surely, this verse can’t mean what is says?? Well what’s the context?? Hate, This word miseo ̄ in the Greek means to love less in its context it’s a chosen preference. Remember Said God loved Jacob, but hated Esau (Mal 1:3; Rom 9:13); father and mother are to be hated in comparison with Christ (Luke 14:26; compare Mat 10:37). There’s an old saying…. “Blood is thicker than water” Hearing this saying in my generation in the circles I grow up, this meant family was more important than friends, no matter what type of friends they were. Best friends, childhood friends, Girls friends. It didn’t matter; you were to choose your family regardless of the conflict or circumstances. However, there are some who considered this old saying to mean something more significant. It would go like this “The blood of the covenant this thicker that the water of the womb”. Weather this saying actually meant that or not, in light of the context of this verse we can point to some truth regarding the binding affect for the blood atonement of Jesus Christ to all those who believe. Matthew 10:34-37 gives us a better description of that was going on here in verse 26. For the first century Jew, Jesus teaching was so radically different it would cause more division than unity. Many Jewish families had such long history of attempting to obey the Law of Moses for salvation trying to establish a righteousness of their own. Then the Jesus comes and says statements “I am the Way the Truth and the Life” in that time and even today for a Jew to abandon his or her families traditional beliefs to following the Lord Jesus Christ was not an easy choice and Jesus knew this. During that time and even now you were often disowned by your family, which meant you were disowned by those you worshipped and went to school with even where you shopped. You were considered an outcast, someone who doesn’t have favor with God. Why all this?? 1. This isn’t about creating tension for the sake of being spiritual! rather it’s about devotion Matthew 6:24 2. Conviction in the truth; Psalm 112, Eph 3:17 Luke 14:26 "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. How can one love his own life more than Christ?? Self-Preservation- Self-indulgence - Luke 12:16-21 Self-reliance- Romans 10:1-5 Self-pity- 1 Peter 4:12-13 This has to do with self-preservation. This is also can be linked to sin of omission where you had an opportunity to correct error with true and exalted Christ but kept silence. This is not the consistent practice of the Christian. He or she exalts Christ, there affections are above, they can't keep silent about the glories of Christ, His praises is on their lips regardless who’s around, there attitude is I will bless the Lord at all time and his praise shall continually be in my mouth. The Disciple of Christ longs and lives to glorify God in word and deed, this is what we were made for, and this is why we exist! This is the Christian’s privilege and Joy to let the world know who Jesus is and all that he’s done!! Anything or anyone that competes against your devotion for Christ must be treated as if you hated it or them.
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