Embracing the Cost of True Discipleship
Summary
In today's exploration of Luke 14:25-33, we delve into the profound and often challenging call to discipleship that Jesus presents. The essence of being a disciple of Jesus is not merely about enjoying the benefits of faith but embracing the cost that comes with it. Jesus' words in this passage are stark and demanding, urging us to evaluate our priorities and allegiances. He calls us to love Him so deeply that all other loves seem like hatred in comparison. This is not a call to diminish our love for family or possessions but to elevate our love for Christ above all else.
The modern church often focuses on attracting large crowds and providing comfort, but Jesus' approach was different. He wasn't interested in numbers; He was interested in genuine followers who understood the cost of discipleship. This cost involves a willingness to bear our cross, to endure hardship, and to prioritize our relationship with Him above all else. Jesus uses the illustrations of building a tower and going to battle to emphasize the importance of counting the cost before committing to follow Him.
In our culture, we are often drawn to instant gratification and comfort, but true discipleship requires patience, perseverance, and a willingness to sacrifice. It challenges us to examine what we truly love and where our loyalties lie. Are we willing to let go of our possessions, our comfort, and even our closest relationships if they come between us and our commitment to Christ?
The call to discipleship is not about earning salvation but about living out the reality of our faith. It is about allowing the Holy Spirit to empower us to die to ourselves and live for Christ. It is about resting in the finished work of the gospel, knowing that Jesus has secured our relationship with God. As we embark on this journey of discipleship, we are invited to embrace the cost, knowing that what we gain in Christ is far greater than anything we could ever lose.
Key Takeaways:
1. The True Cost of Discipleship: Discipleship requires a love for Christ that surpasses all other loves. This means prioritizing our relationship with Him above family, possessions, and personal comfort. It is a call to evaluate our true allegiances and be willing to sacrifice anything that competes with our devotion to Jesus. [17:33]
2. Counting the Cost: Jesus uses the metaphors of building a tower and going to battle to illustrate the importance of counting the cost before committing to follow Him. This involves a careful examination of our lives and a willingness to endure hardship and sacrifice for the sake of the gospel. [19:56]
3. The Danger of Comfort and Complacency: In a culture that values instant gratification and comfort, true discipleship challenges us to embrace patience, perseverance, and sacrifice. It calls us to examine whether we love our comfort and possessions more than we love Christ. [22:19]
4. Empowered by the Holy Spirit: Discipleship is a cooperative effort between us and the Holy Spirit. It requires us to seek the Spirit's power to die to ourselves and live for Christ. The Spirit empowers us to turn away from worldly desires and pursue a deeper relationship with God. [55:09]
5. Resting in the Gospel: Our journey of discipleship is not about earning salvation but living out the reality of our faith. We are called to rest in the finished work of the gospel, knowing that Jesus has secured our relationship with God. This assurance frees us to follow Him wholeheartedly. [59:38]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[03:14] - Defining Discipleship
[03:58] - Counting the Cost
[05:31] - Prayer for Understanding
[06:32] - The Challenge of Discipleship
[10:45] - Jesus and the Crowds
[14:29] - The Truth of Discipleship
[17:33] - Love for Christ Above All
[19:56] - Calculating the Cost
[22:19] - Embracing Sacrifice
[26:09] - Public Faith
[31:21] - Prioritizing Christ
[35:32] - Evaluating Our Loves
[44:52] - The Rich Young Ruler
[49:20] - Daily Commitment to Christ
[55:09] - Empowered by the Spirit
[59:38] - Resting in the Gospel
[01:08:36] - Embrace the Cost
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 14:25-33
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Jesus mean when He says that one must "hate" their family to be His disciple? How does this align with the commandment to honor one's parents? [16:50]
2. In the sermon, what examples are given to illustrate the concept of "counting the cost" of discipleship? [19:56]
3. How does the pastor describe the modern church's approach to discipleship compared to Jesus' approach? [11:51]
4. What does the pastor say about the role of the Holy Spirit in discipleship? [55:09]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How might Jesus' call to prioritize Him above family and possessions challenge cultural norms and personal values? [17:33]
2. What does it mean to "carry your own cross" in the context of modern-day discipleship, and how does this relate to personal sacrifice? [21:00]
3. How does the pastor suggest that comfort and complacency can be dangers to true discipleship? [22:19]
4. In what ways does the pastor suggest that resting in the gospel can empower a believer's journey of discipleship? [59:38]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current priorities. Are there relationships or possessions that you might be placing above your relationship with Christ? How can you realign these priorities? [17:33]
2. Consider a situation where you might need to "count the cost" before making a decision to follow Jesus more closely. What steps can you take to evaluate this decision? [19:56]
3. In what areas of your life do you find yourself seeking comfort over commitment to Christ? How can you challenge yourself to embrace sacrifice and perseverance? [22:19]
4. How can you actively seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in your daily life to help you die to self and live for Christ? [55:09]
5. What practical steps can you take to ensure that your faith is not static but actively growing and maturing? Consider setting specific goals for spiritual growth. [59:38]
6. Identify one area in your life where you might be holding onto possessions or comfort too tightly. What is one action you can take this week to loosen that grip and prioritize your relationship with Jesus? [33:43]
7. How can you demonstrate your love for Christ in a tangible way this week, both in your personal life and within your community? [11:35]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
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Day 1: Prioritizing Christ Above All
The call to discipleship is a call to prioritize our love for Christ above all other loves. This does not mean we should love our family or possessions less, but rather that our love for Jesus should be so profound that it makes all other loves seem secondary. In a world that often values comfort and material possessions, this call challenges us to evaluate our true allegiances. Are we willing to sacrifice anything that competes with our devotion to Jesus? This is the essence of the true cost of discipleship, where our relationship with Christ takes precedence over everything else. [17:33]
Luke 14:26-27 (ESV): "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. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."
Reflection: What is one thing in your life that you have placed above your relationship with Christ? How can you begin to realign your priorities today to reflect your love for Him above all else?
Day 2: Counting the Cost of Commitment
Jesus uses the metaphors of building a tower and going to battle to illustrate the importance of counting the cost before committing to follow Him. This involves a careful examination of our lives and a willingness to endure hardship and sacrifice for the sake of the gospel. True discipleship is not about seeking comfort or avoiding challenges but about embracing the journey with all its demands. It requires us to be intentional about our commitment, understanding that following Christ may lead us through difficult paths, but with the assurance that He is with us every step of the way. [19:56]
Luke 14:28-30 (ESV): "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? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’"
Reflection: What are some potential costs or sacrifices you might face in your journey of discipleship? How can you prepare your heart and mind to embrace these challenges with faith and perseverance?
Day 3: Embracing Sacrifice Over Comfort
In a culture that values instant gratification and comfort, true discipleship challenges us to embrace patience, perseverance, and sacrifice. It calls us to examine whether we love our comfort and possessions more than we love Christ. This is a radical call to live counter-culturally, where our lives are not defined by what we have but by who we follow. The danger of comfort and complacency is that it can lead us away from the path of true discipleship, where we are called to take up our cross daily and follow Jesus, even when it means letting go of what we hold dear. [22:19]
Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
Reflection: Identify one area of comfort in your life that may be hindering your spiritual growth. What steps can you take to embrace sacrifice and prioritize your relationship with Christ?
Day 4: Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Discipleship is a cooperative effort between us and the Holy Spirit. It requires us to seek the Spirit's power to die to ourselves and live for Christ. The Holy Spirit empowers us to turn away from worldly desires and pursue a deeper relationship with God. This empowerment is not about striving in our own strength but about relying on the Spirit to transform our hearts and minds. As we yield to the Spirit, we are enabled to live out the reality of our faith, reflecting Christ in all that we do and say. [55:09]
Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV): "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."
Reflection: In what ways can you invite the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you in your daily walk with Christ? How can you become more attuned to the Spirit's leading in your life?
Day 5: Resting in the Finished Work of the Gospel
Our journey of discipleship is not about earning salvation but living out the reality of our faith. We are called to rest in the finished work of the gospel, knowing that Jesus has secured our relationship with God. This assurance frees us to follow Him wholeheartedly, without fear or striving. As we rest in the gospel, we are reminded that our identity and worth are found in Christ alone, and not in our achievements or possessions. This rest is a profound invitation to trust in God's grace and to live out our faith with confidence and joy. [59:38]
Hebrews 4:9-11 (ESV): "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper sense of rest in the finished work of the gospel in your life? What practices can help you to trust more fully in God's grace and live out your faith with joy?
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Quotes
A disciple of Jesus embraces the cost of embodying the character of Jesus through cultivating spiritual growth in loving community with other disciples who share his commission to impart the gospel to the world. Let me repeat that. A disciple of Jesus embraces the cost of embodying the character of Jesus, through cultivating spiritual growth in loving community with other disciples who share his commission to impart the gospel to the world. [00:00:58] (44 seconds)
If we're going to fulfill that commission, if we're going to obey Jesus and make disciples, then clearly we must first understand exactly what a disciple is. And I truly believe there's a lack of clarity in the church today. When I say church, I'm not talking about just Riverbend. I'm talking about the big C, the big church. I think there's a dearth of understanding as exactly what a disciple is. [00:02:45] (29 seconds)
Now large crowds were going along with him, and he turned and said to them, if anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. [00:04:23] (0 seconds)
