The Parables of Jesus
The Tower Builder and the Warring King
Luke 14:28-32
July 26, 2009
This week we are going to turn to two parables that are about discipleship. It is a “Who from you…” parable. This refers to the phrase in verse 28 of Luke 14 that in the NIV says, “suppose one of you.” Literally the phrase means “Who from you?” (tis ex hymon). The idea is sort of rhetorical in that Jesus is asking a question that says, “Would any of you do this?” The answer in these cases would be, “Of course not. No one would.” Not all “Who from you” parables assume a negative answer.
A Sunday school class has often been about discipleship especially kids. One class was learning the Lord’s Prayer and each child would have the opportunity to lead the class out loud. But one youngster had some problems remembering exact words but said what he heard, “Our Father, who art in heaven, how’d you know my name.”
Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ’This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’
"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.
These parables utilize the 1st century Mediterranean culture strong emphasis on honor and shame. While being mock is often personally degrading and can damage an individual’s psyche in our culture, in the Jesus’ culture, mocking was especially offensive. It signified complete social destruction and would adversely affect one’s ability to make a living sometimes for generations.
Towers were often built to guard and defend property as well as store equipment and for the harvest. One of the interesting things that I saw in Ireland was the remains of different watchtowers especially as we approached one of the restored castles that we visited. The land was fairly flat approaching the castle. There would be three natural approaches from the sea that marauding Vikings might take to plunder the land. These towers were built on hills (the only hills nearby) and the partial remains could be seen.
Some watchtowers might be built as lookouts or signal points to give advance warning of an invasion. The exact kind of tower is not really important to Jesus. A guy decides that he needs to build a tower. As everyone knows, one must take great care in how the tower is built, where it is built, and how long it will take to build.
The second parable shows typical descriptions of battle and negotiations for peace. Small kingdoms would often rely on larger powers for protection resulting in becoming a vassal. Protection often entailed a high price of crops, resources, and even people. While we might imagine several historical events, Jesus has no specific event in mind.
The parables are about counting the cost of discipleship.
Counting the Cost of Discipleship
Sometimes we forget how important the question of following Jesus was in the early church. We overlook this because we have the great gift of religious freedom combined with the church’s tendency in the last century to oversimplify the gospel. Discipleship for the early church as well as for the persecuted church is no light matter as several of the stories that I have shared over the last couple of months have illustrated. And I believe that we would do well to remember that even for us, it is no light matter. It is an urgent call. But it is a serious commitment. We should never be cavalier in our approach to following Jesus.
• Casual – yes. Cavalier – no.
It is easy to be too formal in spirituality. Dr. God mentality. Just as the early church used ritual and purity rules that became barriers for the Gentile believers, we have the tendency to use other types of rules such as dress codes that can keep people from seeing Jesus. Don’t get me wrong! I’m not saying, “Anything goes!” That would be an error at the opposite end. Sometimes the clothing of our culture is distracting for others. Whether we like it or not, our clothing sends messages especially in our culture where we pay companies to advertise for them by buying clothes with their logo on it. What message are you sending by what your wear?
The real issue is one of attitude and mindset. Sometimes casual devolves into cavalier. “Oh well. Whatever!” Casual is about making a comfortable and accepting environment. Formality sometimes becomes uptight and rigid. But casual can sometimes become cavalier.
Jesus describes the cost of discipleship as something not to be taken lightly. It is a matter of life and death. There is urgency here. It is a matter of life and death not only for you but for others. For in many ways we are kings and queens that are responsible to others and should be looking out for their interests and not just our own.
The point is clear. Who would build a tower or a house without considering if you had enough resources to finish it? No one would. What king would go to war without weighing if you had enough resources to win? No king would. Just as foolish would be a person that did not consider the commitment to discipleship and what it may cost.
Following Jesus changes allegiances with family, friends, jobs, and even who you do business with. Discipleship requires (Yes! Requires!) the willingness to die. You probably have heard this old story. Men in black masks with automatic weapons enter a church and demand that everyone renounce their allegiance to Jesus. “Those who renounce their allegiance stand against the back wall. Those who do not, stand in the front.” The pastor and a few brave souls went to the front while the rest headed to the back wall.
“You on the north wall are free to leave,” says a masked gunman.
After they left, the masked leader and his followers put down their guns and took off their masks saying to the pastor, “Please forgive us. We just wanted to worship with true believers.”
Discipleship turns the focus of our life from ourselves to others. We place ourselves at their disposal. It changes everything including how we handle our finances.
T. W. Manson, “Salvation may be free, but it is not cheap.”
• One is either a disciple or not.
Too often the church has portrayed that there are two levels of discipleship: the really committed and those who are somewhat committed. Some buy into “back sliding:” Those who are still “saved” but just aren’t where they should be. While this is so inviting and even practical, there just is no basis for this in the teachings of Jesus as we have seen in his parables.
Jesus invites everyone. All should become a disciple. Everyone could if so desired be a follower of Jesus. No one is excluded from the invitation. However, discipleship just may not be possible for everyone. There are too many weeds in their lives. Too many thorns that choke out the kingdom life. There are distractions in this world. There is not enough rootedness in following the ways of Jesus. One either is a disciple or one is not.
Jesus does not give a description of discipleship here because so much of it is given. It is so relational and while there are many actions that can be observed by others, the basic idea behind being a disciple is that one has committed totally and completely to following Jesus around and imitating his life. It is relational. Either you are a disciple 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 (and a quarter) days per year, or you are not.
Discipleship may be possible for all but it is not probably for all.
• Discipleship is intentional.
It just doesn’t happen. It is not a light-hearted affair. Shallow ideas about conversion are destroying lives and souls. We must jettison our fear of human effort. Discipleship does not happen without human effort. But as well, discipleship does not happen because of human effort.
Discipleship does not happen without human effort.
Discipleship does not happen because of human effort.
Relation to Christ activates and empowers the whole of life when humans choose to act. Without action, nothing happens. It is kind of like getting into a car and just sitting there without turning the ignition and putting the car into gear and pushing on the accelerator and driving. If you get into the car and sit there, nothing happens! Sure, when you are a kid, someone gets into the car and drives you around. That might the equivalent of relying on someone else’s discipleship. But being a passenger doesn’t make you a driver. Nor does being passive make you a disciple.
This is what you need to be a disciple:
Discipleship needs:
• Intent
• Choice
• Determination
• Effort
You can’t build a tower with these things. You will never get to where you need to go without these things. A leader will never win a battle without these things. You can never follow Jesus in discipleship without these things.
Many people have good intentions but never make a choice. Some day I will follow Jesus. Don’t be one of those people. Choose.
Some choose and pray a prayer. This is the great heresy of the last hundred years. I made a choice when I was ten. But there is no determination. I have been convinced by the Lord that a decision without determination and effort is absolutely meaningless.
In college in the midst of rebellion against God and escalation of my alcohol abuse, I went to a bible study at a Christian heavy metal band member’s house. I remember the pastor praying for “someone here who needs to be saved and choose Jesus that is engaged in divination” and blah, blah, blah. I felt the presence of God’s but I also heard a voice telling me, “You don’t need to do that. You already did that years ago. You gave your heart to Jesus. He is talking about someone else.” But the reality was that it was me. I had prayed the prayer but I had long ago chosen to walk far from Jesus. And I had no doubt today that if the Lord would have come again at that moment, then he would have said, “Away from me. I do not know you.”
For me, it seems so obvious now. And I know how difficult it is to really hear God’s Spirit and listen to what God is saying when you are pretty good person. I know how deceptive past choices can be. But can you say right now without a doubt that you love God with all of your heart, all of your soul, and all of your being. If not, then all the past decisions in the world mean nothing.
Without your determination and the accompanying effort, the tower of discipleship has not been completed. You are losing the battle. But the great news is that here today, you can renew your choice and consecrate your life to a fresh determination and effort to follow the ways of Jesus. The cost may be great. The demand upon you is nothing short of everything. But I can with my whole heart tell you it is worth it and more. Follow Jesus. Follow Jesus.
