25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and 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. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Salt Without Taste Is Worthless
34 “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 14: 25-35 ESV
Luke 14: 25-35
R C Sproul - The corrupting influences of pragmatism are seen even in the church. “Seeker-sensitive” worship can increase attendance without ever seeing the congregation grow to maturity. Churches targeting specific ages or lifestyles might attract a lot of people from these groups and not minister to those who do not fit certain classifications. Beware of any ministry that emphasizes “what works” and do what you can to help your church avoid slipping into pragmatism. (Read this entire interesting devotional - Luke 14:25–33 Pragmatism)
ILLUSTRATION - Pollster George Gallup contends that fewer than ten percent of evangelical Christians could be called deeply committed. Most of those who profess Christianity don’t know basic teachings and don’t act differently because of their Christian experience. George Barna found that almost half (46%) of evangelicals read their Bible only once a week or not at all.
ILLUSTRATION OF COMMITMENT - As Alexander the Great was carrying his triumphant military campaign towards the East, he and a section of his army approached a strongly fortified, walled city. Alexander approached the city, demanded to see the king and set out terms of surrender. The king only laughed: “Why should I surrender to you? You can’t do us any harm! We can endure any siege.” In response, Alexander offered to give the king a demonstration. Nearby, within sight of the city walls, was a sheer cliff. He ordered his men to line up in single file and began to march them towards the precipice. The city’s citizens watched with horrified fascination as the column moved unhesitatingly towards and over the edge. Only after several men had plunged to their deaths did Alexander order the rest of the column to halt. He then called his troops back to his side and stood silently facing the city. The effect on the citizens was stunning. From spellbound silence they moved to terror. They realized they had no walls thick enough and no resources extensive enough to defend themselves against that kind of loyalty and commitment. Spontaneously they rushed through the gates to surrender themselves to Alexander.
It is impossible today to be sure of the authenticity of such a story. But there can be no doubt about the power of commitment. People loyal to a leader or a principle and willing to pay the price required will always overwhelm people who value comfort and convenience more than a cause. Our society generally does not breed strong commitment. The self-fulfillment ethic seduces us to believe that we have no higher loyalty than one to ourselves. The tragedy is that self-centered values eat away at commitment—not only at commitment to leaders and causes, but at commitments to marriage, family, and friends.
Believers are not immune to the world’s value system. One missionary statesman has observed an irony of church life in the 1990s.
While Third-World Christians are information-poor, they are commitment-rich.
Sadly, Western Christians are information-rich, but they are commitment-poor.
All generalizations are suspect, but that one seems to be uncomfortably true. Yet this condition collides with the plain teaching of Jesus. The demands of our master are incompatible with partial commitment or casual discipleship. The Lord’s call to Himself requires intelligent, unconditional allegiance to His person and work. Jesus was always intensely realistic about what it meant to be His follower. He was never a huckster pushing a product while hiding the real costs in the fine print. Instead, He realistically spelled out His requirements, nowhere more clearly than in Luke 14:25-35. In this passage Jesus makes a different use of parables than we usually find. Normally the main point the Lord makes is made powerfully in the parable itself and needs little explanation. However, the parables of the careless builder and the careful king are used almost as a modern preacher would use a sermon illustration. - Precept Austin
Now great crowds accompanied Him, and He turned to them and said - So here it is, the pinnacle that every Youtuber and social influencer is trying to achieve, lots of followers, and so what will Jesus say to keep them?
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children - If you think I have said this too many times before, well I'm going to say it again, and I'm not sorry. Jesus is the worst PR guy, the absolute disaster of disasters when it comes to sales campaigns. There's no buy one get one free, no customize to fit your lifestyle gospel, no negotiations, like, "I will give up this thing that You call sin, God, but You have to overlook this other thing You call sin because I am not willing to give it up." His statement here takes us back to His other gospel calls, and the reality of the division that it brings. Are you willing to follow Him even if it means ticking off your mom and dad? I have heard a woman's testimony of leaving Islam for Jesus where her dad and brothers wanted to kill her. I have heard of boys ostracized for leaving a fringe group, a cult, because they read the actual word of God and it didn't line up with teachings of their "church". Their families shun them. Can you handle that sort of call, from a Man that says, if you deny me before men I will deny you before My Father? His call here is inconsistent with most of the modern so called evangelical church today. He is calling them to repent of all cultural ideologies, of ancestor worship, of fitting in, of compromise. When I listen to preachers on tv they are saying the word "gospel", but there is no call to repentance, it's a Jesus you can have as an addition to what you actually believe, a Jesus that won't question you, a Jesus that approves of you regardless of your commitment, and all you need to do is say a prayer where you ask him to come into your heart and then you have that added insurance policy, that is mentioned nowhere that I can find in Scripture. You know why you give that other gospel? It's because you are afraid of the consequences of the true gospel, of the crowd turning away and no longer following you, not Jesus, you. You're afraid of the disapproval of family and friends, of them calling you a bigot, of them throwing you out of their circles and community. If you're a pastor that teaches that other gospel, you do it to fill seats and offering plates, for self preservation, but you are no different than the Pharisees who travel over land and sea to make disciples of themselves who become twice the servants of darkness as you. I can' think of anyone more gross than the person that says they know Christ, they are a teacher, and here, "just say this prayer and make sure you come on Sundays to hear my sermons on better living, self help and watered down, doctrinally unsound explanations of passages of Scripture taken fully out of context. Your gospel is not about Christ, it is about you. Listen to Jesus' words consistent with this message.
… 15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. 16Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’… Matthew 23: 15-16
23But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” 24Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.… Matthew 16: 23-25
If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate (miseo in present tense) his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he (ou = ABSOLUTELY) cannot (dunamai) be My disciple (mathetes) - If is a first class condition introducing what follows as assumed to be true from Jesus' perspective. Note the pronoun anyone, which implies a "no exception" clause. “Hate” is a Semitic expression for loving less. The parallel passage in Mt 10:37+ helps us understand what Jesus means by hate. Jesus is referring to coming to Him by grace through faith for salvation. When we compare the passage in Matthew, we can understand that Jesus is not using hate in an absolute sense, but in a relative sense. In other words, Jesus calls for such love and devotion of Himself, that by comparison all other relationships appear to be hatred. Jesus does no prohibit love of those close to us, but calls for our greatest love to be toward Himself. When we evaluate our devotion to every earthly tie, they must all be given a lesser place with Jesus alone receiving preeminence. Jesus is calling for complete commitment. Jesus is calling us to love Him above every person and every thing! He cannot be My disciple is a strong warning which is repeated three times for emphasis (Lk 14:26, 27, 33). The Greek negative term (for "not") used here is "ou" which speaks of absolute negation. The point is that if one is devoted to anyone more than Christ, he absolutely cannot be Jesus' disciple. Jesus is very clear about this.
Beginning with these words, Jesus "quickly put an end to the idea that He offered some kind of welfare program. Although the gift of eternal life is free to anyone who asks (John 3:16), the asking requires a transfer of ownership (Luke 9:23-note; Galatians 5:24-note). “Counting the cost” means recognizing and agreeing to some terms first. In following Christ, we cannot simply follow our own inclinations. We cannot follow Him and the world's way at the same time (Matthew 7:13-14). Following Him may mean we lose relationships, dreams, material things, or even our lives. Those who are following Jesus simply for what they can get won't stick around when the going gets tough. When God's way conflicts with our way, we will feel betrayed by the shallow, me-first faith we have bought into. If we have not counted the cost of being His child, we will turn away at the threat of sacrifice and find something else to gratify our selfish desires (cf. Mark 4:5, 16-17). In Jesus’ earthly ministry, there came a time when the free food stopped and public opinion turned ugly. The cheering crowds became jeering crowds. And Jesus knew ahead of time that would happen." (What does it mean to ‘count the cost’)?
THOUGHT - As you (I) go through each requirement of discipleship, you will need to take a close look at yourself asking, "Am I a disciple of Jesus Christ?" - Precept Austin
Sit down and count the cost - He is making them think about it in quantitative terms, like He did with the rich young ruler. The cost of discipleship to Jesus is total commitment, ultimate loyalty. He gave all on the cross, received what was unfair for someone without sin in order to save someone like me, a sinner. So let's count the cost here: Are you willing to follow Jesus if you lose your family and they take you out of the inheritance? Are you willing to follow Jesus if it cost you every single one of your billion YouTube followers that pay for your special lifestyle. Are you willing to follow Jesus if your husband beats you or your wife leaves you for it. Are you willing to give up your delusions about being a good person, of human autonomy, of making your own way? Are you willing to follow Him if it is to a literal cross, a firing squad? That happens everyday in places all over the world. There are pastors in jail in China right now because they refused to preach the state approved sermons.
…18Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.” 20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”…
…21When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?”… John 21: 18-23
What king - Kings are not above reproach, and they sit in no special seat that keeps them from the consequences of bad decisions. From their seat their decisions affect much more than just themselves though.
Gary Inrig - Discipleship is not a casual or an occasional activity. Enthusiasm for it is important, but that will be insufficient to sustain a man plodding under the burden of the cross. Discipleship is an exciting adventure, but it is also a draining and demanding lifestyle. Warfare looks thrilling in the movies; it looks very different from the trenches. “Count the cost—it is no small matter to build a life for Me.” (The Parables : Understanding What Jesus Meant - Borrow)
Inrig - The second parable poses a very different problem. If it is foolish to begin without counting the cost, it is disastrous to delay one’s choice without considering the consequences. Not only do we need to count the cost of discipleship, we need to consider the consequences of refusing discipleship. One way or another, choice is inevitable. (The Parables : Understanding What Jesus Meant - Borrow) - Precept Austin
…17Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel. 18Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance. 19He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.… Proverbs 20: 17-19
He sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace - His terms are repent and believe, confess your sins, ask for forgiveness. The ability to repent is a gift even, so there is no room for pride, knowing that, listen to the prayers of David.
6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4: 6-10
…16For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings. 17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. 18In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.… Psalm 51: 16-18
…9Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.… Psalm 51: 9-11
Anyone of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be one of My disciples - Everything else is counted as lost, but what is the finite in comparison to eternity?
14This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead. 15 When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.” 16Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.”… John 21: 14-16
How shall its saltiness be restored - A Christian in name only, one without the true gospel, without the regenerating work of the Spirit, is no preservative to the truth, his nature is still that of death. He is without taste, without change, without Christ.
12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. 13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.… Matthew 5: 12-14
Therefore, salt (halas) is good (kalos); but if even salt (halas) has become tasteless (moraino), with what will it be seasoned (artuo) - In Jesus' day salt was very useful as not only seasoning but also as a preservative. See more detailed discussion of salt below. Since most of us think of refined table salt (which is 97% sodium chloride) when we read Jesus' words, we cannot fathom how the salt could possibly become tasteless. What we do not realize in America, is that not all "salt" is the same. Some salt has less sodium chloride than our common table salt. In Jesus' day most of the salt came from marshes southwest of the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea's mineral composition differs from that of ocean water, which is approximately 85% sodium chloride (NaCl) whereas Dead Sea salt is only 12-18% sodium chloride. The point is that the impure salt derived from the Dead Sea was susceptible to deterioration and could lose its flavor, leaving useless crystals fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. Useless salt was simply thrown away. What will it be seasoned is a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer. It cannot be seasoned. It's value is lost.
Guzik - Salt is only useful when it has the nature of salt. A Christian is only useful when he has the nature of Christ. Salt that loses its "saltiness" can't be of use to Jesus. God looks for believers with "tang" that He can use. (Commentary)
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