RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-05-27	Count the Cost (Lk.14:25-33)
		Luk 14:25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, Luk 14:26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. Luk 14:27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. Luk 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— Luk 14:29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, Luk 14:30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Luk 14:31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Luk 14:32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. Luk 14:33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. Jesus was not impressed by the great crowds that followed Him because He knew their hearts (v.25). Jesus did not aim to gather appreciative crowds. He wanted to make true disciples. Great crowds came to hear, but committed followers became scarce. Jesus' messages seem to discourage the half-hearted (v.33). In fact, Jesus said, “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Mt.7:14). This contradicted the Jewish belief that all Jews, except for tax collectors and other notorious sinners, would be saved. Jesus focused on the narrow gate rather than the wide the gate (Lk.13:24). Luk 13:24 "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. The reference to “hate” is actually a lesser love (v.26-30). Jesus was calling His disciples to cultivate such a devotion to Him that their attachment to everything else, including their own lives, would seem like hatred by comparison. He was on His way to a cross outside Jerusalem, and the crowds were not ready for that (v.27). It is easy to be in the crowd but not so easy to carry the cross. The builder and the king represent Jesus Himself (v.31). Jesus is building His church and needs the best materials. Jesus is fighting a spiritual battle and needs the best soldiers. I wonder how many of us think of ourselves as God's “best materials”. Are we the kind of quality people that He can use for building and battling? Jesus repeats the phrase, “cannot be My disciple” three times (v.26,27,33). The multitudes were positive toward Jesus, after all they were following Him, but they were uncommitted. It is sad but true, that most of our churches have “great multitudes” who seem positive toward Jesus, but have no commitment. Jesus did not make it easy and set the cost of discipleship (v.26-27) very high (v.33). He is asking us to make a careful inventory of our lives before declaring our willingness to follow Him (Lk.9:57-62). Jesus is speaking of more than abandonment of material possessions, but of absolute surrender. Are we trying to hold on to some cherished sins? Or cling to some secret indulgences? Our commitment to Jesus must be without reservation. How is your commitment to Jesus? Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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