THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
Luke 14:26-27
1. HATE EVERYONE…IN COMPARISON TO HIM (v. 26)
“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”
A. This means Christ has preeminence (Colossians 1:18). You cannot love anyone or anything above Jesus and be His disciple. If you love things or even people more than you love Jesus, you cannot be His disciple. If you love your own life more than you love Jesus, you cannot be His disciple.
B. The Law speaks of something similar to this and the reason is because love for those other people lead to following after either them or their gods thus pulling someone away from the Living God. These individuals must be strongly opposed and avoided and warned of.
“6If your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom neither you nor your fathers have known, 7of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end), 8you shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him. 9But you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. 10So you shall stone him to death because he has sought to seduce you from the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 11Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.” (Deuteronomy 13:6-11)
C. How many people have left Christ to chase after a wife or have refused to be converted because their loved ones were not or are not Christians? How many people have neglected the service and worship of God to have their children play sports or to sit at home and watch sports on TV? Such people cannot be His disciples.
2. CARRY YOUR CROSS (v. 27)
“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”
A. In comparison to Jesus’ cross this would mean vicarious suffering that is suffering for someone else’s benefit. The apostles suffered “for Jesus’ sake” and “for your sakes” (the church’s sake)
“8we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So death works in us, but life in you…15For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-15)
B. Jesus said earlier that this is a daily matter and involves denying yourself. The word deny means to disown (Strong) or renounce (D. Chambers) oneself. This, immediately following His prophecy of His own death. This taking up of our cross coincides with us losing our lives for His sake. For life eternal and salvation of the soul is all that really matters to the disciple.
“23And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. 25For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?’” (Luke 9:23-25)
C. The disciple must “follow after” Jesus. Many begin to follow Jesus but do not “follow after” Him. These are not disciples. When Jesus told the large crowd that they had no life in them unless they eat His flesh and drink His blood, “many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.” They did not “follow after”. But the twelve did and replied “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.” (John 6:26-68)
3. GIVE UP ALL YOUR POSSESSIONS (v. 33)
“So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”
A. Matthew “got up and followed Him” leaving his tax booth behind (Mark 2:14).
B. Peter and Andrew “immediately left their nets and followed Him” (Matthew 4:20).
C. Of James and John we read “immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him” (Matthew 4:22).
D. When Jesus sent them out He told them not to “acquire gold, or silver, or copper…or a bag… or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff” (Matthew 10:9-10). Giving up their possessions showed faith that what they needed would be provided. It also showed allegiance and devotion to their Lord. These men went on to lose their very lives that they might receive the “crown of life”.
E. Paul counted all his possessions as rubbish so that he “might gain Christ”. Not only this but he “followed after” saying of the resurrection “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12KJV)