Text: Luke 14:25-33
Objective: To encourage the congregation to consider what it’s going to cost them to follow Christ; to implore those who are on the fence to go all-in for Christ; and to remind them that they are not alone in their walk of faith- they are surrounded by other believers and Christ himself will give them strength to be his disciples.
4 Headings:
- It will cost you everything
- You are either in Christ or you are out of Christ
- You are not alone in your walk
- Today is the day to follow him
Exposition:
Luke 14:25
- Jesus gaining popularity
- Crowds attracted for the wrong reasons:
- To see miracles, to hear wisdom, to go where everyone else is going to
- Jesus concerned with quality of faith not quantity of followers
Luke 14:26
- First term and condition of discipleship
- Sounds like discouragement (CF Luke 9:57-62)
- Jesus wants followers to consider the cost
- Setting terms and conditions
- Physical v. Spiritual following
- “Hate”
- Semitic hyperbole
- Jesus not telling us to break love commandments
- Means to love less (CF Gen 29:30-31 and Matthew 10:37)
- Love for Jesus greater than dearest things
- Love for others considered “hate”
- Emphasize “cannot”
Luke 14:27
- Second term and condition of discipleship
- “cross” slightly different meaning
- Today it has a positive connotation, Christ, Christianity, means by which we are saved
- To 1st-century people “cross” was the most brutal form of execution (Eg. Matthew 16:21-22)
- Equivalent of “take up your electric chair, gas chamber, lethal injection, firing squad”
- What did it mean for the 1st-century person?
- Philip Ryken quote: “Even before Jesus was crucified, they would have recognized the cross as a symbol of rejection, humiliation, and excruciating pain. Crucifixion was the most gruesome form of execution in the Roman world, a death penalty reserved for traitors and criminals, and slaves. To see a man carrying his cross was to see a man going to die the worst of all possible deaths.
- Taking up your cross is a form of self-denial (CF Luke 9:23)
- Emphasize “daily”
- Discipleship and sanctification (CF Romans 8:12 and Ephesians 4:22)
Luke 14:28-30
- Illustration to show what it will cost to follow Jesus
- Vacation illustration
- Illustration of our inadequacy to reach heaven on our own
- Not enough good works to gain salvation
- We must look to Christ (CF Matthew 11:28-30)
Luke 14: 31-32
- Illustration to show what it will cost NOT to follow Jesus
- Alexander the Great example
- The weaker king is the believer prior to coming to Christ
- Our sins placed us at enmity with God (CF Ephesians 2:1-3)
- The stronger king is God
- He demands justice
- “A great way off” is time we have until judgment day
- Do you have what it takes to stand against God?
- If not we must surrender and ask for terms of peace: the gospel
Luke 14:33
- Third term and condition of discipleship
- Jesus requires us to give up all that we have
- Does not mean we cannot have anything
- It means that if Christ calls us to give up the things in our possession, we must willingly do so for his sake
Closing:
- Terms of discipleship:
- Love Christ more than anything else in the world
- Carry our cross daily
- Renounce all that we have for Christ
- Jesus savior AND lord
- Exhortation:
- Be all-in for Christ
- Matthew 6:24
- Follow Christ today
- Calling of Peter, Andrew, James and John (Matthew 4:19-22, Luke 5:11)
- Calling of Matthew (Matthew 9:9, Luke 5:27-28)
- What do we gain from denying self and following Jesus with all our love for Him?
- Freedom, joy, life, closer more intimate relationship with Jesus (Jeremiah 33:3)
Bro. Joe Recto
UCBC New Jersey
September 10, 2023