The High Cost #3
| "And whoever does not carry their cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, 'This person began to build and wasn't able to finish.' Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won't he 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. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be My disciples." (Luke14:27-33) |
Let's keep in mind that someone who carried a cross was going to die.
The death we all must die is to ourselves, but some will lose their physical lives too.
But now Jesus takes it further.
We need to be serious about commencing the journey.
He uses two examples of people who did not plan adequately for their undertakings.
A disciple is someone who follows Jesus no matter the cost.
This is not a decision that should be taken lightly.
I remember as a teen, being at an event where a powerful gospel presentation was given. I was one of the team that counseled the teens when they came forward for prayer. I was partnered with a school teacher and when one of the rugby jocks came forward for prayer, accompanied by two of his buddies. I was thinking "Yes Lord! This is a high profile person who will make a big impression."
But the teacher was wiser than I was. She discerned that the guy had his eye on a girl and this decision was to impress her. So she said to him: "This is the most important decision of your life. It will impact how you play rugby, how you treat the people around you, how you handle your relationships with girls, how you approach your school work, how you speak and live. It is the best decision you could possibly make and your life will be richer and fuller but it won't be easier. Why don't you sleep on it and come back to my classroom at break time tomorrow."
I realised instantly that she'd called it right. The next day at break time we waited, the guy didn't pitch, but one of his friends did. He'd spent the night thinking about what Jesus had done for him and what he was willing to give up to follow Him for the rest of his life.
He was ready, he was sober-minded and he was serious.
There was no emotional music playing in the background. No pretty girls watching.
He made a serious decision.
And he is still following Christ today...
