The Cost of CommitmentLuke 14:25-35

Crowds Jesus drawing big crowds.

Would be considered a great success by today’s standards.

Building full of people, financially stable.

Luke 14:26-27

Luke 14:26-2726 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:26

Crowds First rule of selling a quality product:

never discuss the cost up front.

But…

Jesus tells them what it will cost from the start!!

Luke 14:26

Cost to Follow 3 ways in which discipleship will cost the

follower. 1. Relationships 2. Life 3. Possessions

Luke 14:26

RelationshipsBeing a disciple of Jesus will mean changed

relationships.

Luke 14:26

Luke 14:26“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my

disciple.”

1 Cor. 7:12-15

RelationshipsFamily

Rejection by parentsEjection from the familyDeath

Marriage1 Corinthians 7:12-15The unbelieving may depart.

Single, not yet married.Children

Luke 14:27

LifeBeing a disciple will mean a changed life.

Luke 14:27

Luke 14:27Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Romans 12:1

Life A life of sacrifice.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Matt. 16:24

A Life of SacrificeJesus carried his cross on the way to give his

life for us.A disciple carries his cross by giving his life

for others.The new disciple will have to make many

changes in his or her life.Jesus will leave no area of their life alone,

and a would-be disciple must give up control over every aspect of it.

Matt. 16:24

A Life of Sacrifice

Jesus will leave no area of life alone, and a would-be disciple must give up control over

every aspect of it.

Matt. 16:24

Matthew 16:24If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Luke 14:33

Very Costly It means giving all of our time and all of our

money; It means loving the un-loveable and

touching the untouchable; It means honesty and integrity in

everything we do;

Luke 14:33

Very Costly

• It means loving and forgiving whenever we are wronged by others;

• It means a life of moral and sexual purity; • It means daily confronting and putting right

the wrongs we do to God, and the wrongs we do to others.

Luke 14:33

Conviction NeededBeliefs are those things we are willing to

argue about.Convictions are those things we are willing to

die for.When we are committed because we have

conviction, our whole live will be effected.

Luke 14:33

Possessions

The would-be disciple must be prepared to change the way he views his possessions:

Luke 14:33

Luke 14:33Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:28-30

Know the Cost

It will change your relationships.

It will change your life.

Iit will change what you own and how you own it.

Luke 14:28-30

Luke 14:28-3028 For which of you, intending to build a

tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

Luke 14:31-32

Kick the Tires

Changing…AmbitionsJobsWhere we live How we spend our timeWhat we wearWhat we ownWhat we watch on television Everything?

Matt. 28:19

What Jesus WantsMatthew 28:19

Not: Go and make converts of all nations But: Go and make disciples of all nations

Discipleship is costly

Luke 14:28-30

CountingCount the cost

Luke 14:31-32

Luke 14:31-3231 Or what king, going to make war against

another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

Luke 14:34-35

What Jesus WantsTrue Disciples not admirersParticipants not spectators

Luke 14:34-35

Making DisciplesTreat it like warfare

Christian discipleship is like going to war Don't start what you can't or aren’t willing to

finish. The cost of failure is enormous

Matt. 19:16-22

Worse for a ChristianFalling away for a Christian is worse than

never having been a Christian at all.

Luke 14:34-35

Luke 14:34-3534 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Heb. 6:4-6

Hebrews 6:4-64 For it is impossible for those who were once

enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Matt. 7:21-23

Being a Disciple of Jesus Christ…Is something valuable!Is something worth giving our lives for!

Matt. 7:21-23

Matthew 7:21-2321 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,

Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

James 1:22

James 1:2222 But be ye doers of the word, and not

hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Something is only worth what you are willing

to pay for it.

True DiscipleshipReal Commitment

It Will Cost