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The Scriptorium

Count the Cost

Make sure you're following Jesus for the right reasons. Luke 14.25-34

Luke 14 (5)

Pray Psalm 27.4-6.
One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

Sing Psalm 27.4-6
(St. Denio: Immortal, Invisible God only Wise)
One thing we request but to dwell with You, Lord.
Your beauty to test and to think on Your Word.
In trouble You hide us secure in Your grace.
No foe may o’erride us: We sing of Your praise!

Read Luke 14.1-33; meditate on verses 25-33.


Preparation

1. What “cost” did Jesus call the people to “count”?

2. Who cannot be a disciple of Jesus?

Meditation
We recall that the “great multitudes” who mobbed Jesus wherever He went were primarily interested in themselves. They enjoyed the spectacle – the healings, putting down the religious leaders, free lunches, and so forth. They no doubt found His teaching interesting and mysterious. But they were following Jesus primarily out of self-interest.

Jesus felt the need to clarify the cost of discipleship. He confronted the crowd directly and frankly (v. 25). The love you have for anyone else, even for your own life, must pale into hate when compared to the love you have for Jesus (v. 26). So great must that love be that you would be willing to lay down your life rather than deny Him (v. 27).

Being a disciple of Jesus entails serious costs and commitments. We must make sure we understand this cost, lest we be embarrassed by not being able to carry through on it when push comes to shove (vv. 28-32). And we must make up our mind to have nothing in our life that impedes or hinders our ability to follow Jesus (v. 33).

Who can possibly be a disciple of Jesus on such terms? Only those whom Jesus calls, to whom He sends His Spirit, who seek Him continuously in His Word and prayer, and who obey Him explicitly.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Part of obeying Him explicitly looks a lot like imitating Him. And in this case, we must watch and learn how He did His righteous living and teaching. It was usually as He was going (Lk. 14.25). As Moses taught, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deut. 6.6, 7).

Jesus followed the Law perfectly. Always and in every way. And He lived it out so that His followers could see how it is done. And then do it.

But before Jesus wanted anyone to sign up as a follower, He wanted them to “count the cost” (Lk. 14.28). Stop. Think it through. This is a lifelong commitment. As Jesus warned, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk. 9.62).

Or as Solomon wrote, “Prepare your outside work, make it fit for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house” (Prov. 24.27).

Do you ever hear this preached about? Does anyone ever share the good and bad news of the Gospel?
Do you ever hear in these quick ads on radio and TV that share part of the Gospel, anything about counting the cost? No. All we ever hear either from pulpits or podiums or radio or TV is sign up here. Get saved.
Quick, pray this prayer. And all will be well. But will it?

“Who can stand before His indignation?
And who can endure the fierceness of His anger?
His fury is poured out like fire, and
The rocks are thrown down by Him” (Nahum 1.6).

But when we Count the Cost and obediently follow Him, we know His blessing:
“The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and
He knows those who trust in Him” (Nahum 1.7).

“Who can possibly be a disciple of Jesus?
Only those whom Jesus calls,
to whom He sends His Spirit,
who seek Him continually in His Word and prayer,
and who obey Him explicitly.

For reflection

1. What do you expect to be the “cost” of following Jesus today? How will you prepare for this?

2. If we’re not supposed to follow Jesus for what we can get from Him, why are we supposed to follow Him?

3. How should “following Jesus” factor into our presentation of the Gospel?

Christ was content that they should follow him and hear the teaching of the gospel, but he could not stand that they should promise themselves external and bodily happiness through him and his kingdom and should seek after nothing but the benefits of this world. And so he turned to them and explained to them that his kingdom was a different sort of kingdom than they had ever imagined. He set before them the laws that they would need to observe and keep if they wanted to follow him and be his disciples. Johannes Brenz (1499-1570), An Ecclesiasticall Exposition upon Saint Luke 14.1

Pray Psalm 27.7-14.
Seek the Lord, not just now but throughout the day. Ask Him to guide you into those good works that flow His grace to others. Renew your commitment and devotion to Him.

Sing Psalm 27.7-14
(St. Denio: Immortal, Invisible God only Wise)
Hear, Lord, when we cry and be gracious, we pray!
Lord, do not deny us Your favor this day!
Our help, our salvation, though others may fall,
preserve our good station when on You we call.

Lord, teach us; Lord, lead us because of our foes!
Hear, Lord, when we plead for release from their woes.
Had we not believed all Your goodness to see,
our heart sorely grieved and in turmoil would be.

Wait, wait on the Lord; persevere in His grace.
Hold fast to His Word; seek His radiant face.
Be strong, set your heart to abide in His Word.
His grace He imparts; therefore, wait on the Lord.


T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by
clicking here.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
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