Many people are willing to accept Jesus as Savior.
They want forgiveness.
They want hope.
They want eternal life.
But Jesus never presented discipleship as merely receiving blessings.
He also told people to consider what following Him would require.
Jesus said:
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”
(Luke 14:28, KJV)
That raises an important question:
HAVE WE COUNTED THE COST OF FOLLOWING CHRIST?
JESUS DEMANDS FIRST PLACE
Jesus said:
“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
(Luke 14:26, KJV)
Jesus was not commanding hatred in the sinful sense.
Elsewhere Scripture commands husbands to love their wives, children to honor their parents, and Christians to love even their enemies.
Jesus was establishing priority.
Matthew records the same principle:
“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…”
(Matthew 10:37, KJV)
Notice:
LOVE FAMILY
↓
BUT
↓
LOVE CHRIST MORE
Christ must have first place.
That can become difficult when following Christ conflicts with what our family believes.
Perhaps our parents taught us a religious tradition.
Perhaps our spouse believes differently.
Perhaps our friends disagree with what Scripture teaches.
Perhaps following Christ creates tension in relationships we value.
Jesus does not tell us those relationships are unimportant.
He tells us that none of them can take His place.
WE MUST TAKE UP OUR CROSS
Jesus continued:
“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
(Luke 14:27, KJV)
The cross was not a piece of jewelry when Jesus spoke those words.
It represented suffering, sacrifice, shame, and death.
Jesus was telling His hearers that discipleship requires surrender.
He said elsewhere:
“…If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
(Luke 9:23, KJV)
Notice the pattern:
DENY SELF
↓
TAKE UP THE CROSS
↓
DAILY
↓
FOLLOW CHRIST
Christianity is not:
FOLLOW CHRIST WHEN CONVENIENT.
It is:
FOLLOW CHRIST DAILY.
JESUS SAID TO COUNT THE COST
Jesus illustrated discipleship with a man building a tower.
Before beginning, the man should:
“…sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost…”
(Luke 14:28, KJV)
Why?
“Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it…”
(Luke 14:29, KJV)
Beginning was not enough.
The builder needed to finish.
That is an important spiritual lesson.
A person can begin following Christ enthusiastically.
But what happens when obedience becomes difficult?
What happens when friends oppose us?
What happens when family disagrees with us?
What happens when Scripture requires us to abandon something we enjoy?
What happens when remaining faithful costs us something?
Jesus tells us:
COUNT THE COST.
JESUS DEMANDS COMPLETE SURRENDER
After giving another illustration, Jesus concluded:
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”
(Luke 14:33, KJV)
Jesus is not teaching that every Christian must literally dispose of every possession.
He is teaching that nothing we possess can possess us.
Everything must be subordinate to Christ.
Our money.
Our possessions.
Our relationships.
Our ambitions.
Our reputation.
Our traditions.
Our preferences.
Even our own lives.
CHRIST MUST COME FIRST.
THE RICH YOUNG RULER FACED THE COST
A rich young ruler came to Jesus asking about eternal life.
He appeared sincere.
Mark tells us:
“Then Jesus beholding him loved him…”
(Mark 10:21, KJV)
But Jesus identified what stood between that man and complete surrender.
He told him:
“…One thing thou lackest… come, take up the cross, and follow me.”
(Mark 10:21, KJV)
How did the man respond?
“And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.”
(Mark 10:22, KJV)
Think about that.
He wanted eternal life.
He came to Jesus.
Jesus loved him.
But when following Christ required surrendering what he valued most:
HE WENT AWAY.
His possessions mattered more to him than discipleship.
WHAT WOULD CAUSE US TO WALK AWAY?
That is a difficult question.
If Scripture showed that something we have always believed is wrong, would we change?
If following Christ cost us friendships, would we remain faithful?
If obedience required giving up a sinful relationship, would we do it?
If biblical worship differed from what we preferred, which would we choose?
If following the New Testament church meant leaving a religious tradition our family had followed for generations, would Christ still come first?
The real test of discipleship often comes when obedience costs us something.
THE APOSTLES LEFT EVERYTHING
Peter told Jesus:
“Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?”
(Matthew 19:27, KJV)
The apostles had counted the cost.
They left occupations.
They left security.
They faced persecution.
Many suffered terribly for Christ.
Why?
Because they believed Jesus was worth more than everything they surrendered.
PAUL COUNTED EVERYTHING LOSS FOR CHRIST
Paul had religious status.
Education.
Influence.
A respected position within Judaism.
Yet after coming to Christ he wrote:
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”
(Philippians 3:7, KJV)
Then:
“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…”
(Philippians 3:8, KJV)
Notice:
WHAT WAS GAIN
↓
COUNTED LOSS
↓
FOR CHRIST
Paul had counted the cost.
And Christ was worth it.
DISCIPLESHIP REQUIRES ENDURANCE
Jesus said:
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
(Matthew 10:22, KJV)
Following Christ is not merely beginning the race.
It requires finishing.
Paul later wrote:
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”
(2 Timothy 4:7, KJV)
Then:
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness…”
(2 Timothy 4:8, KJV)
Notice:
FOUGHT
↓
FINISHED
↓
KEPT THE FAITH
↓
CROWN
THE BIBLICAL PATTERN
HEAR CHRIST
↓
BELIEVE CHRIST
↓
COUNT THE COST
↓
DENY SELF
↓
TAKE UP THE CROSS
↓
FOLLOW CHRIST DAILY
↓
PUT CHRIST ABOVE EVERYTHING
↓
ENDURE
↓
FINISH THE COURSE
↓
KEEP THE FAITH
↓
RECEIVE THE CROWN
THAT IS THE PATTERN.
Jesus never promised that discipleship would always be easy.
He promised something far greater.
He promised that following Him would be worth the cost.
The question is not merely:
“DO I WANT JESUS TO SAVE ME?”
We should also ask:
“AM I WILLING TO FOLLOW JESUS WHATEVER IT COSTS ME?”
Jesus said:
“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
(Luke 14:27, KJV)
Those are serious words.
Don’t accept this conclusion merely because it is written here.
Open your Bible.
Read Matthew 10.
Read Matthew 19.
Read Mark 10.
Read Luke 9.
Read Luke 14.
Read Philippians 3.
Read 2 Timothy 4.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Then ask yourself:
WHAT WOULD I REFUSE TO GIVE UP IN ORDER TO FOLLOW CHRIST?
And if something comes to mind, ask an even harder question:
HAS THAT THING BECOME MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAN JESUS?
“…If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
(Luke 9:23, KJV)
COUNT THE COST.
FOLLOW CHRIST.
FINISH THE COURSE.
KEEP THE FAITH.
ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.
The Biblical Pattern
Biblical Studies & Books by Kevin L. Walker
TheBiblicalPattern.com
The Biblical Pattern 