THE PORTRATE OF A DISCIPLE THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP Luke 14:25-35
Oswald Chambers There is a difference between salvation and discipleship. A man can be saved by God s grace without becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. Discipleship means a personal dedication of the life to Jesus Christ. Men are saved so as by fire who have not been worth anything to God in their actual lives.
I. THREE CONDITIONS CONDITION # 1: HATE CONDITION # 2: CROSSBEARING CONDITION # 3: TOTAL COMMITMENT II. THREE PICTURES A TOWER A WAR A SPICE
Luke 14:25-35
A person can be saved by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, but a person will never follow and serve Him until he is willing to make a sacrifice. That is what this passage is teaching. There is a difference between being a believer and being a disciple. Unfortunately, not all believers are disciples. J. Vernon McGee
I. THREE CONDITIONS CONDITION # 1: HATE v. 26 Times when family loyalty comes in conflict with one s commitment to Christ. 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.
Genesis 29:31-33 J.K. KARRIS Discipleship is not periodic volunteer work on one s own terms and at one s convenience. Deuteronomy 21:15
Matthew 10:37-39 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 10:34-36 34 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law ; 36 and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'
CHRIST IS TO HAVE THE PRE- EMINENT PLACE IN YOUR HEART.
CONDITION # 2: CROSSBEARING v. 27 Hating one s life means having a willingness to die or give one s life for Christ. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Salvation is free, but it is not cheap. It involves repentance, commitment, and renunciation of anything that stands in the way of the abundant life to which Christ calls His disciples. David Shepherd
The question Jesus is asking is, What will they do with their life? Will they live for themselves, or will they live for Him? CONDITION # 3: TOTAL COMMITMENT vv. 28-33 A disciple must be willing to relinquish - give up - everything.
I. THREE PICTURES PICTURE 1 A TOWER 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 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'
PICTURE 2 A WAR 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? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be
In verse 33, for the third time we have the VERY SOLEMN words of Christ: disciple....he cannot be My v. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
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. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Philippians 3:7-8 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
I am determined not to look upon anything that I possess except as in relation to the kingdom of God. Dr. DAVID LIVINGSTON
THIRD PICTURE A SPICE 34 "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
H.A. IRONSIDE Salt can become worthless. It does not fulfill the purpose for which it was intended. It is possible for the Christian to become so careless and so contaminated by the principles of the world that he fails to fulfill the purpose for which God made him.
Shall we shrink from the privileges extended to us? I want to hear, Well done, good and faithful servant!
Perhaps it is time, maybe it is the right time for you to say to Jesus, What do I lack in becoming a true disciple of Christ?
THE PORTRATE OF A DISCIPLE THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP