Couting The Cost Series

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• Following Jesus. What does it take? Is it easy, is it hard? Does Jesus ask anything of those who choose to follow Him or is He just happy to have some fans?

• These questions are part of the reasons we are spending time in our series, “COMMITTED.”

• The word COMMITTED is defined in the dictionary as follows: loyal to a belief, organization, or group, and willing to work hard for it.

• I would image we all have our own ideas as to what it means to be committed to Jesus.

• In this series we are on a trek to see how Jesus and the New Testament defines what it means to be committed to Jesus.

• Today let’s examine the principle of counting the cost of following Jesus.

• People today, especially with the busy lives we live, are very selective to what they will commit to.

• In our text today, Jesus was still drawing large crowds. One would think that Jesus would be happy that is was drawing these large crowds of followers.

• As Jesus scans the crowd, He sees a multitude of people; however, He knows He is also surrounded by numerous followers who were non-committed.

• Jesus uses the occasion to share with this crowd the importance of calculating the cost of Discipleship or what it takes to be a committed follower of Jesus!

• Let’s begin our trek this morning by exploring Luke 14:25-27

• SLIDE #2

• Luke 14:25–27 (HCSB) 25 Now great crowds were traveling with Him. So He turned and said to them: 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, 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.

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. Being a disciple of Jesus is not cheap.

• As Jesus addresses the crowd, He will explain the level of commitment He desires from those who want to follow Him.

• He is driving the point home concerning the difference between simply being in the crowd versus being a disciple of His.

• What Jesus is addressing is the issue of priority and commitment.

• There are so many items of the world which compete for our affections.

• In His address to the crowd, Jesus will disclose three areas of affection which can become roadblocks to having a great relationship with Him.

• These three areas (in which all the other affections of life fall under) are areas in which one’s priorities can be affixed to.

• Jesus comes out swinging as He addresses the first area.

• 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters

• This statement is hard to digest when one initially examines the statement.

• Jesus wants me to HATE people? I thought God is a God of love?

• What is Jesus saying when He tells the crowd they have to hate their parents, wife, children, siblings in order to follow Him?

• John MacArthur Jr. in his commentary Luke states concerning the concept of hate, “Hate in this context is a Semitic way of expressing preference.” MacArthur New Testament Commentary, The - MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Luke 11-17.

• SLIDE #4

• Malachi 1:2–3 (HCSB) 2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you ask: “How have You loved us?” “Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” This is the LORD’s declaration. “Even so, I loved Jacob, 3 but I hated Esau. I turned his mountains into a wasteland, and gave his inheritance to the desert jackals.”

• God did not HATE Esau, rather He gave preference to Jacob.

• In our terms we would say that to follow Jesus, one must put Jesus ahead of family.

• You cannot follow Jesus and put your family ahead of Him.

• This is about priority, not like or dislike.

• This is a cost of deciding to follow Jesus, but here is the blessing in obeying this command.

• If you are a parent, putting Jesus first will make you a better parent. Putting Jesus first will make you a better spouse, and sibling.

• The love you will be able to offer to your family will be a more pure love. It will be a love that is not based on a love for self, but rather it will flow from your love of God.

• A second area of competition for one’s affections is found in the end of verse 26.

• yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.

• Jesus wants us to put Him ahead of our own life!