He Taught Them Many Parables… (The Parable Of Counting The Cost) # 5

Sometimes when this question is being asked, it is being implied that perhaps something is wrong with the church.

Listen, there are some folks who left churches and I believe they were justified in doing so.

But there are times when people will ask, “What happened to ( ),” and it has nothing to do with the church. It has everything to do with when they started coming to church and professing to be a child of God, they SIMPLY DID NOT COUNT THE COST.

• When it comes to the SALVATION that provides eternal life, the Lord paid the price in full for every believer

• When it comes to SERVING the Lord, there is a cost to be paid by the believer

The reason many churches have problems is because people do not count the cost of what is required of them in serving the Lord.

But this is not something restricted to churches.

• Many will enter a marriage, and they can not see past the honeymoon stage of the marriage. When the honeymoon is over, and they start to face the difficulties of establishing a home, they head for the divorce courts.

• Many will enter a new business with all the excitement of becoming successful in that business, but then as they begin to face the realities of starting a new business, they are ready to close the business down.

• Many will enter college with their mind set on graduating, but once they get into the reality of the sacrifices required, they are ready to move on to something else.

• Many will start a new job hoping to be successful, but once they get on the job and start facing the routine of dealing with the various problems, they are ready to move on.

In life, we enter into all kinds of relationships, and it should not surprise us that people will come to a church, and seem to have the best of intentions, but once obstacles are placed before them they are ready to pack it up and move elsewhere.

Then we have that familiar question come up, “What ever happened to ( ) who used to come to church here?”

• Every Bible-preaching pastor has to deal with this problem

• But also, it was something the Lord Jesus had to deal with

The Bible says, “He taught them many things by parables…” Why? Because He saw this as the best way to teach them the truths He wanted to teach them.

The Parable of “Counting The Cost” was used by Him to teach his followers these valuable lessons. Again, He takes something that is physical that they were familiar with and used it to teach them a spiritual lesson.

Let’s look at two small parables of “Counting the Cost,” to see what He wanted to teach us. First, let’s look at-

I. THE PARABLE OF THE TOWER

It is significant that when the Lord spoke this parable, it was when a great multitude was following him.

Look at Luke 14:25-30, we read, “And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 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. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.”

The Bible says GREAT multitudes were following him.

Any time you have a crowd of people, there is a reason they are there:

• If you go to a FOOTBALL GAME, you will see thousands who are there because they love a football game.

• If you go to an AUTO RACE, thousands are there because they love auto racing.

• If you go to a BASEBALL GAME, thousands may be there because they love baseball.

When people come to church, you might assume they are all there because they love the Lord. That may be true, and we hope it is, but also it may not be true!

The large crowds then and the large crowds now do not impress the Lord.

The Bible says GREAT MULTITUDES were following the Lord, and the Lord PUPOSELY AND INTENTIONALLY DID SOMETHING. WHAT DID HE DO?

He knew that many were following him for:

• The food He provided

• The miracles He provided

• He knew people attract people