on August 21, 2013
Luke 9:57,58 – As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
We have here another individual who is enamored with Jesus! No one ever taught like He taught! No one ever did the miraculous deeds that He did! No one ever demonstrated such mercy and grace blended with truth like He did! Having witnessed the awe and wonder, who wouldn’t want to be a follower of Jesus? So, with Jesus on the way to Jerusalem (where it was thought that He would establish His authority) it should not be surprising that this man would declare His readiness to become a full-time disciple of Christ. Our Lord’s response to this man’s declaration of allegiance reveals that Jesus can see inside of this man, things that we cannot see. He sees a man with an IMPULSIVE nature – one who has not considered the real cost of His commitment. It’s grand to follow Jesus when He’s feeding the multitudes. It’s easy to follow Jesus when He’s popular and everything’s going wonderfully. It’s easy to follow Jesus – if it doesn’t cost anything! Jesus helps this man understand that following Him will mean times of tribulation and discomfort in this world! Before making an impulsive decision to follow Jesus, COUNT THE COST!
Our Gospel writer includes other instances of this same principle in chapter 14. In verses 25-27 we read that large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and it’s likely that many shared the impulsive nature of our first man. Jesus said to these crowds, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” This hard word insists that we do not make a casual commitment to Christ! He demands our complete love and loyalty along with a self-sacrificing obedience if we would be His disciple! COUNT THE COST!
Again, in verses 28-30, He asks, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ What is He saying? COUNT THE COST!
Jesus finishes this lesson in verses 31-33 by saying, “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not 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, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Jesus plainly defines the price of discipleship and it requires that we all COUNT THE COST!
Thursday: Meet together with at least 1 or 2 other believers to enter the Throne Room of Grace.
Friday: Pray for the Good News families of the week: Ted & Paula Miller, Laura Mohr, Aaron Montanaro.
Saturday: Praise God for His amazing grace, manifested in Christ Jesus!
Sunday: Give God the honor and worship that He is worthy of!
Monday: Consider what it really means to be a Christian and a true follower of Christ.
Tuesday: Count the cost of discipleship. Are you willing to forfeit comforts, face opposition, endure trials and tribulations that come with being a Christian?
Wednesday: Count the cost of salvation. What did your redemption cost God? What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, but lose his soul? Are you ready to give up everything to be His disciple?
Prayer Challenge: It would not be an injustice to Scripture to substitute the name of Jesus in place of “wisdom and understanding” in the Proverbs. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. THOUGH IT COST ALL YOU HAVE, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.” (Proverbs 4:5-9) And then, …test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:8,9)