1. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

2. Counting the Costs Luke 14:25-35
Jesus challenges a large crowd that was following Him about what it would cost to be His disciple
A current erroneous understanding of being a disciple is that it is a higher plane of living after salvation

3. Counting the Costs Luke 14:25-35
God saves people according to His standards & not those concocted by theologians whomever they may be
Romans 10: Jesus is Lord, you either recognize or do not. No one “makes Him Lord.”

4. Counting the Costs Luke 14:25-35
A disciple (maqhthvV / mathētēs) who follows the teachings of another to become like him (Luke 6:40)
A disciple may change their mind and leave (John 6:60-66).
Discipleship precedes salvation

5. Counting the Costs Luke 14:25-35
In Acts, the term “disciple” was used to identify followers of Jesus later called Christians (Acts 11:46)
A religious teacher was considered to be a Rabbi if he had disciples
The example Jesus sets here will not be followed by those wanting large numbers and popular acclaim

6. The Cost to Relationships Luke 14:26
The term “hate” here is being used in the sense of a Hebraistic exaggerated comparison cf. Gen. 29:30-31
Matt. 10:37 - your love for Jesus must be so great that love for your family will seem as hate by comparison

7. The Cost to Relationships Luke 14:26
Luke 12:53 - the cost for following Jesus could be serious family division, ridicule, rejection, hatred
Being a disciple of Christ demands loving and living for Him first even if that upsets your family

8. The Cost to Self Luke 14:27
They understood that to carry a cross meant death by a tortuous means of execution
Jesus taught this same lesson before - Matthew 10:38; 16:24-26; Mark 8:34-37; Luke 9:23-25

9. The Cost to Self Luke 14:27
Paul taught this same principle:
Romans 12:1-2;
2 Corinthians 5:17;
Ephesians 2:5;
Galatians 2:20

10. The Cost to Self Luke 14:27
A gospel that does not include calling people to take up their cross and follow Jesus does not save
The price of salvation has already been paid by Jesus, but there is a cost you to being His disciple

11. Calculating the Cost to Finish Luke 14:28-30
A significant and noticeable construction project
The point is to avoid wasting resources on what will be worthless with embarrassment adding to the failure

12. Calculating the Cost to Finish Luke 14:28-30
The danger to starting to follow Christ and then turning away is great - Hebrews 6:6
True believers risk God’s chastening (Hebrews 12:4-11) and being miserable

13. Considering the Cost of Defeat Luke 14:31-32
What will it cost to have peace compared to being defeated?
The cost of being Jesus’ disciple is high, but the cost of not being His disciple is a lot higher - 2 Thess. 1:8-9
God’s army cannot be defeated

14. The Cost to Materialism Luke 14:33
This is not a call to make a vow of poverty in order to be saved - good works cannot save you
Jesus is demanding a yielding of all your possessions to their rightful owner, Himself
You have been purchased with His blood and are a steward of what is entrusted to you the years of your life

15. Being of Value Luke 14:34-35
Tasteless is mwraivw / mōrainō (“moronic”), a description of foolishness, something devoid of meaning
Dead Sea salt was a mixture of different salts out of which what was desired could be leached

16. Being of Value Luke 14:34-35
If something loses its ability to accomplish your purpose in having it, then it is useless
Being a disciple is something that is ongoing and not for just a moment in time

17. Being of Value Luke 14:34-35
Failure to continue as a disciple poses great risks including being set aside as worthless

18. Conclusions
It costs a lot to be Jesus’ disciple, but the gain is infinite
The price you will pay depends on whether you exist to serve yourself or exist to serve your Creator

19. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ