The cost of discipleship
Luke 9: 57-62
Three men came to Jesus. This conversation will teach us about the cost of discipleship.
A.Intro
When going to the SADF – South African Defence force, I noticed one thing.
These people were serious about the war.
They were counting the cost….. we had to do test after test…. From medical to IQ tests.. we had to count the cost also, for it could have cost us our lives.
This is in a way the same with our Christian walk. It’s costing us one life and that is the earthly life. Paul calls it the flesh life.
But there are so much to gain…. A heavenly life!.
But this life will cost you….. that’s why I’m talking about the cost of decipleship.
Let’s examine the Word:
B. Body
First Man
1. Verse 57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road..
This is the road a disciple should be on. …. The Lords road.
Proverb 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Tells me there are two roads, The Lords road and mans road.
On which road are you?.
When Jesus called Matthew He said “Follow Me”, which meant he had to walk the same road that Jesus walked
Notice!: Here you find a lot of people who followed Jesus but were not called. There were lots of people who just followed Jesus, never committed themselves to Him
One man made a bold statement:
2. Verse 57 Lord, I will follow you wherever you go.
That is bold!
Wherever you go……
Listen to Jesus answer ……
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head
What an answer…….
He’s saying …. Count your words, I’m not heading for the Jerusalem Hilton Hotel. There is no luxury in following me.
Listen buddy you need to count the cost before committing meaningless words.. Listen to Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it--
I’m heading for the Cross….. do you still want to follow?…
That’s going to be a lonely place …. Do you still want to follow me?
The world will hate Me, and you ….. do you still want to follow?
Same today……
You just tell people that you are born again and notice their reactions!
3. Sadly you never hear the persons answer, but you hear other answers like in verse 59.
Second Man
59. And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
This doesn’t mean his father was already dead.
He was buying time… His excuse was to wait for his father to die before he could follow
He could have heard Jesus answer to the first man and decided that he’s not ready, he need more time.
Jesus answer: Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
Jesus says, now is the time… you can’t wait, let your father look after himself.
So many people today have this excuse. They say: I want to but need to do a few things first.
One person told me once… I want to follow the Lord but I first need to get my life in order…that’s sad. They’re rejecting the very one who made lives.
Third man
4. Now for the third man:
Verse 61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house
This seems fair but what this man is saying is that he first wants to go and seek a second opinion.
Notice the words … at my house. showing earthly possessions.
Reminds me of the monkeys in Africa.. they catch them by putting warm rice in hollow coconuts, once the monkey’s grab the rice it’s over they won’t let go.
People are also today like this man attached to family and possessions.
Jesus answers:
62. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
This is hard word but true.
You can’t have it both ways. Remember Proverb 14. A disciple needs to stay on the Lords road.
Have you counted the cost? It seems hard…
Jesus said this road might be lonely, sometimes hard, you might lose some friends, maybe family, or even status and possesions.
but Jesus has send Help.
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
Have you counted the cost?
Lets pray!
