Luke 14:25-35
Parker Haines continues this week’s sermon series The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 14:25-35. Parker reminds us of our journey through Luke thus far and how Jesus fixed His eyes on the cross and the fulfillment of His earthly ministry. Jesus’ tone becomes one of warning, and He describes what it really means and looks like to follow Him. In the life of believers, God’s warnings are a means of grace to us.

Main Points

There are two main movements in today’s text, which center around the following questions and further implications for our lives.

• What is the cost of becoming a disciple of Jesus?
• Why should you consider the cost of following Jesus?

Key Takeaways

• Jesus’ language in the text is meant to target our love for Him above all other things.
• Our devotion to Jesus should be unparalleled to anything else.
• The Pilgrim’s Progress book by John Bunyan is a worthy read, as it is an allegorical book about God’s redemptive saving grace and how it is applicable to us all.
• Why does Jesus demand our love and devotion above all else? (This type of affection is what it takes to go with Him where He is going.)
• Jesus was going to the cross to die for us. The cost for following Christ is your full life.
• Dying is the opposite expectation of coming to the Lord, as the Lord gives life. However, we are called to die to ourselves and take up our cross daily… We are to follow in His example for the glory of God and for love and benefit of others.
• Dietrick Bonhoeffer quote from his book, The Cost of Discipleship: “The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world.” (smaller portion, summary, of the larger quote)
• We must daily deny ourselves and die to ourselves to follow Jesus.
• Jesus implores us to both count the cost and to consider the costs.
• Jesus puts the cost of following Him upfront, because He wants us to understand the price we must pay with no surprises.
• Tragedy is not absent from the hands of the Lord. (Job reference)
• Why should we be willing to pay the highest cost to follow Jesus in our one and only earthly life? (We should be willing to follow Christ because on the other side of the cross is eternal life – To Know God. We will live forever in His presence, experience eternal joy, enjoy fellowship with the saints, live in the new Eden, have glorified bodies, etc.
• Jim Elliot quote – “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” What a worthy and true statement to reflect on with the primary goal of following Christ.

Questions for Personal Application:

• Do I truly believe that following Christ is worth the cost?
• Am I following Christ? Is it evident to others? In my heart of hearts, is it evident to me? (Reminder that the Lord knows all things, spoken or not.)
• Regardless of hardship or tragedy or ease or comfort, do I trust the Lord for what He has for me in this life and the one to come (eternity)? Am I willing to follow and worship Him in every circumstance or position in life?

Discussion Questions for Community Groups:

• What does the cost of following Jesus look like for us individually and with our families, communities, workplace, nation, and world?
• Can we identify ways that following Jesus has cost us?
• How is it evident that Jesus has our ultimate love and devotion?

Take some time to encourage and pray for one another.

Passages Referenced

Luke 14:25-35; Luke 9:23-46; Job 1:20-21 

Worship Setlist

Who is Like The Lord; How Great Thou Art; Christ Is Enough; Undivided Heart