Estimating the Cost

Introduction

Christmas brings out the best in us. We become comparison shoppers at Christmas. We want to get just the right gift. We may find an item at one store and shop around to see if we can find the same item cheaper. Sometimes we will find an item similar to what we want but it isn’t the exact same thing. Then we have to decide which item we are going to purchase. That is when the cost comes into play. A couple of years ago, my dad wanted a socket set for Christmas. I looked around and found several that I thought fit the bill—different manufacturers but the same amount of sockets in all the various sizes. Guarantees were the same. So I bought the least expensive. Was it the best buy? Time will determine. They work fine. Sometimes at Christmas we can find similar items cheaper and feel good about saving some money.

But what about our faith? Can we shop around for our faith? What does it mean to have faith in Jesus? What does commitment mean? Commitment means “yes means yes.” Gurkhas were fearless soldiers from Nepal serving in the British army. They demonstrated real commitment. What would this kind of commitment look like in the Christian? This morning we are going to look at what Jesus said about commitment. And when Jesus spoke he left little doubt about what he was looking for in a disciple.

What Does Jesus Want?

Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. Luke is a master at telling a story and continually keeping his theme before us. In 9:51, Jesus sets his face to go to Jerusalem to face death. He is not going to be derailed or sidetracked. He is going to Jerusalem so that he can take away the sin of the world. Nothing will stop him. Now in 14:25 we are reminded of that journey and the purpose behind it. Jesus turns his attention to the crowd who follow him. He is looking for those who want to be his disciples. Jesus is very serious.

Notice verses 26, 27, and 33. Each ends with the same phrase—“cannot be my disciple.” Jesus is looking for disciples and he wants those who are so intent on following him to Jerusalem to know what is expected. All along he has tried to tell his followers what they could expect in Jerusalem, but now he turns to what he expects of them on this earth. Jesus gives them two expectations and follows those with two brief stories and then gives a third expectation.

Jesus says those who want to be his disciples must first “hate” their family. We must not misunderstand Jesus’s intent. The word hate does not mean to despise. Instead what Jesus is calling for is allegiance. Those who wish to follow him must be sure of their allegiance. Family cannot take God’s place. This is not a call to leave feelings behind or to suddenly turn on your family and become an insensitive clod. This saying bears little impact for most of us, but in cultures like Japan and others in which family is honored above individual desire, a decision to follow Christ can have a highly negative reaction. Here is the point: no person must distract us from following the will of Jesus. No one must cause us to lose sight of our allegiance to Jesus.

Second, Jesus says those who follow him must be able to carry their cross. This imagery would automatically bring an image of death to mind for these first century hearers. To follow Jesus means to follow in suffering. Those who wish to follow Jesus must be willing to bear the pain of persecution. For the disciple of Jesus, we will go down the same path as Jesus took even if it leads to pain, suffering, and death.

Third, Jesus says those who follow him must separate from materialistic attachment. Disciples are attached to Jesus not to material things. This may be the most difficult part of the text for us. Sometimes we fight so hard to make sure that we understand this text to mean it’s okay for us to have things that we miss the point. Jesus says his disciples will give up everything. No doubt Jesus is exaggerating here, but exaggeration is used to make sure that we don’t miss the point. You see, Jesus could have said make sure you don’t get tied to the physical things, but that would not have the same impact as “give up everything if you want to be my disciple.” Don’t miss the impact of the statement. Don’t fight so hard to justify what you have materially. Instead look for ways to distance yourself from the material things.

Parables

Sandwiched between the first two expectations and the last one are two stories whose sole purpose is to make us realize that we need to think about our commitment to Jesus. Jesus tells the story of a person who wants to build a tower. This tower would have served the purpose of protection and storage. The wise person sits down and thinks about the cost of such an effort before he begins to build. To begin to build and to fail to complete the project would open one to ridicule. Then he tells the story of a king who is going to war against an adversary. The enemy has an army twice the size of the king. So being wise he sends a delegation to determine the conditions of peace. Only an unwise king would go out to battle with half an army.

What is Jesus’s point with these stories? Count the cost of discipleship. This isn’t a decision to be made lightly. No one must take turn you from keeping Jesus in sight. The path of discipleship is not always easy. There must be separation from the worldly things of this life. Count the cost. Make sure you are willing to pay the price necessary to be my disciple. There is no doubt from this text—these things are not optional or negotiable. Those who want to follow Jesus must come prepared to be fully and completely committed. One cannot shop his faith around like a Christmas gift.

Discipleship does not mean finding a comfortable niche and settling in. Faith isn’t like a Christmas gift that you shop for to see if you can find a better deal somewhere else. Jesus isn’t a big Santa Claus. Jesus is set on going to Jerusalem. The path he has chosen will not be easy. It will require him to do what no sinless person should ever have to do. And Jesus says that any who want to follow me must be willing to go with me. We do not negotiate with Jesus about following him. In very clear language Jesus has laid out the expectations. We need to be clear about the commitment and not make one unless we are serious about being a disciple. The cost of discipleship is great—it will demand everything and you are not able to call anything your own.

Some sign up for discipleship and then when the screws are tightened cannot follow through with their commitment. Where do you stand? Are you ready to commit to Jesus? What about the commitment you made? Is it a serious commitment or do you shop around to find a better price when the times get tough? Jesus calls us to commit to him and his way. We must determine our commitment. Just a little is not what Jesus is calling us to. He calls us to be his disciples and the expectations are high. The call is to commitment and faith, and the invitation stands before us now.

Follow Jesus

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