Counting the Cost: Radical Discipleship to Christ

The invitation to follow Jesus is both a gift and a demand. Jesus never hides the cost of discipleship; instead, he places it front and center, challenging us to consider what it truly means to be his followers. Just as we count the cost before taking on a new responsibility—like adopting a pet or building a tower—so too must we count the cost of following Christ. Jesus’ words in Luke 14 are intentionally jarring: “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, spouse and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even life itself, cannot be my disciple.” This is not a call to hostility, but a call to radical allegiance, where our love for Christ surpasses all other loves and loyalties.

The metaphor of carrying the cross is not a mere religious symbol; for Jesus’ original audience, it was a call to be willing to follow him even to the point of suffering and death. Discipleship is not a low-cost, low-risk endeavor. It demands that we place Christ above family, possessions, status, and even our own comfort and security. The world around us often seeks convenience and bargains, but the way of Jesus is marked by costly devotion and surrender.

Yet, this cost is not arbitrary or cruel. Jesus is not asking us to throw our lives away, but to place everything on the altar, trusting that nothing given to God is ever wasted. The things we are called to surrender—whether possessions, relationships, or ambitions—are not inherently bad. They are gifts, but they must not become ultimate. The real question is: what are we holding onto that keeps us from wholehearted discipleship? What are we unwilling to release for the sake of Christ?

True discipleship will change our priorities and may even cost us relationships, wealth, or reputation. But in God’s economy, costly love and devotion are never wasted. The altar of surrender is the place where our hearts meet the hands of the Maker, and there, nothing is lost. The challenge is to examine our lives honestly, to count the cost, and to trust that what we offer to God will be transformed into something beautiful and lasting.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Radical Allegiance to Christ Jesus calls for a love and loyalty that surpasses even our closest relationships. This is not a command to despise our families, but to ensure that our commitment to Christ comes first, shaping all other loves in our lives. When Christ is our highest allegiance, every other relationship finds its proper place and blessing. [33:09]
• 2. Counting the Cost of Discipleship Following Jesus is not a decision to be made lightly or impulsively. Like the builder or the king in Jesus’ parables, we are called to thoughtfully consider what it will require of us—our time, resources, and even our willingness to endure hardship. Discipleship is a lifelong journey that demands preparation, perseverance, and honest self-examination. [34:45]
• 3. No Hidden Fine Print Unlike the world’s contracts and agreements, Jesus is transparent about the demands of following him. There are no hidden clauses or bait-and-switch tactics; the cost is clear and upfront. This honesty invites us into a relationship of trust, where we know exactly what is being asked and can respond with integrity. [31:03]
• 4. Surrender Is Never Wasted Whatever we place on the altar—our possessions, ambitions, or relationships—is never wasted in God’s sight. Costly devotion may seem excessive to the world, but in God’s hands, it becomes something beautiful and meaningful. True surrender is an act of trust, believing that God will use our sacrifices for his glory and our good. [38:26]
• 5. Faith That Transforms Priorities The call to follow Jesus will inevitably reorder our lives. It may cost us comfort, status, or approval, but it also frees us from the tyranny of lesser loves. When we let go of what holds us back, we discover a deeper joy and purpose in living for Christ, knowing that nothing given to him is ever truly lost.
  
  ** [37:51]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [22:52] - Children’s Lesson: Counting the Cost
• [26:44] - Introduction to a Hard Teaching
• [27:42] - The Parables of Counting the Cost
• [28:34] - The Fine Print of Discipleship
• [29:13] - The Illusion of Easy Agreements
• [30:19] - Jesus Puts the Cost Up Front
• [31:03] - The High Price of Following Jesus
• [31:38] - Wrestling with Jesus’ Words
• [32:06] - Understanding “Hate” in Context
• [33:09] - Allegiance to Christ Above All
• [34:00] - Carrying the Cross
• [34:45] - Parables of the Builder and the King
• [35:22] - Blessing and Burden of Discipleship
• [36:14] - The True Cost of Cheapness
• [36:48] - No Low-Cost Christianity
• [37:23] - What Are We Holding Onto?
• [37:51] - The Question of First Loves
• [38:26] - Nothing Wasted at the Altar
• [38:57] - What Surrender Looks Like in Practice

Bible Reading

Luke 14:25-33 (ESV) — 25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them,
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.
27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
29 Otherwise, when he has laid a 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 out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.
33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Observation Questions

1. What are the specific things Jesus says a person must be willing to give up in order to be his disciple? (Luke 14:26, 27, 33)
2. In the parables Jesus tells, what do the builder and the king have in common before they act? (Luke 14:28-32)
3. According to the sermon, how does Jesus present the “fine print” of discipleship compared to how the world presents agreements? [[31:03]]
4. What does the phrase “carry your own cross” mean in the context of Jesus’ original audience? [[34:00]]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus uses such strong language about “hating” family and even one’s own life? What is he trying to communicate about priorities? [[33:09]]
2. How does the idea of “counting the cost” challenge the way people often think about faith or joining a church? [[34:45]]
3. The sermon says that Jesus is not calling us to hostility toward our families, but to “radical allegiance.” What does radical allegiance to Christ look like in everyday life? [[33:09]]
4. The sermon mentions that surrendering things to God is “never wasted.” Why might it feel like a loss to give up certain things, and how does God view these sacrifices? [[38:26]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon asks, “What are we holding onto that keeps us from wholehearted discipleship?” Is there something in your life—like a relationship, possession, or ambition—that you find hard to surrender to God? What would it look like to place it on the altar? [[37:23]]
2. Jesus says to “count the cost” before following him. When you think about your own faith journey, have you ever made a decision for Jesus without fully considering what it might require of you? How did that play out? [[34:45]]
3. The world often values convenience and bargains, but Jesus calls us to costly devotion. Can you think of a time when following Jesus cost you something—maybe comfort, approval, or a relationship? How did you respond, and what did you learn? [[36:48]]
4. The sermon says, “When Christ is our highest allegiance, every other relationship finds its proper place and blessing.” Are there relationships in your life that sometimes compete with your commitment to Christ? How can you put Jesus first while still loving others well? [[33:09]]
5. The metaphor of “carrying your cross” is about being willing to follow Jesus even to the point of suffering. What might “carrying your cross” look like for you this week? Is there a specific step of obedience or sacrifice you sense God is asking of you? [[34:00]]
6. The sermon says, “True discipleship will change our priorities and may even cost us relationships, wealth, or reputation.” Are there areas in your life where your priorities need to be reordered to reflect your allegiance to Christ? What is one practical change you could make? [[37:51]]
7. The sermon reminds us that “nothing given to God is ever wasted.” Is there something you have given up for your faith that you now see God has used for good? How does that encourage you to trust him with future sacrifices? [[38:26]]