Counting The Cost PDF

COUNTING THE COST
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www.pacolethillsbaptist.org
July 21, 2019
Luke 14:25-35
1. Over the years I have preached, heard and read quite a few messages from this passage
of Scripture.
2. For instance I have from time to time preached on how Jesus defined discipleship and
three of the definitive statements Jesus made about being a disciple are found in this
passage.
NOTE: The other three are John 8:31, John 13:34-35, and John 15:8
3. Most commentators and speakers teach that in this passage Jesus is stressing the
importance of counting the cost before committing ourselves to Him.
4. Now I believe that it is important for every person to embrace Jesus Christ with their
eyes wide open and with the knowledge that following Jesus Christ may cost a great deal,
but I also believe that it is impossible for any believer to know in advance what full
surrender to Jesus Christ might ultimately mean for them.
5. The emphasis should not be placed on our need to count the cost, but rather it should
be placed on our willingness to pay the price whatever the cost.
6. Our willingness to pay the price will depend on our love for and devotion to Jesus
Christ.
I. The setting.
A. Jesus was in the final stages of His earthly ministry, and He had “set His face (was
determined) to go to Jerusalem.” Luke 9:51
B. We are told that large crowds were going along with Him.
C. During His earthly ministry people followed Jesus for various reasons.
1. Some followed Him because of the signs He was performing on those who were
sick. John 6:2
2. Some followed Him because He fed them. John 6:26
3. Some followed Him because of their messianic expectations.
4. Some followed Him because God had revealed to them that He was the Christ,
the son of the living God. Matthew 16:16
D. What was true then is true today.
E. A careful study of Scripture reveals that prior to Pentecost there were relatively few
true believers although Jesus had impacted many lives on various levels and in various
ways.
II. The situation.

A. Jesus spoke of a builder who wanted to build a structure and a king who was going
to meet another king in battle.
1. Before he started the builder would need to sit down and determine if he had
enough resources to cover the cost of the project.
2. The king, knowing his army would be outnumbered, needed to determine if his
ten thousand soldiers were capable of defeating an opposing army of twenty
thousand soldiers.
B. I believe that in both instances Jesus is talking about Himself.
1. Jesus clearly declared that He would build His church. Matt 16:17-18
17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and
blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 "I also say
to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the
gates of Hades will not overpower it.
2. Paul made it plain it plain that Jesus Christ is the King of kings and Lord of
lords. 1 Tim 6:12-16
12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were
called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13
I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ
Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep
the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord
Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time — He who is the
blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who
alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man
has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
C. Only Jesus Christ knows in advance what it will cost to build His church, and only
Jesus Christ knows what must be true of His soldiers if He is to win the eventual
victory.
NOTE: An example of this truth is found in the life of the Apostle Paul.
1. In reference to Paul the Lord told Ananias, “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he
is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and
the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's
sake.’" Acts 9:15-16
2. Are we to suppose that the Lord revealed to Paul all that he would suffer in
advance so that he could count the cost?
3. No, it was revealed to him as he lived out his life and fulfilled his ministry.
4. Notice Paul’s summation of what he suffered. 2 Cor 11:22-33
23 Are they servants of Christ? — I speak as if insane — I more so; in far more
labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger
of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three
times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked,
a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys,
in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen,
dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness,
dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27 I have been in labor and
hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without
food, in cold and exposure. 28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily
pressure on me of concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my
being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. 31 The God
and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not
lying. 32 In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city
of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33 and I was let down in a basket
through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.
III. The standard.
A. As Christians we are:
1. The Lord’s building blocks. 1 Peter 2:4-5
And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is
choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being
built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
2. Soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Tim 2:1-4
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 The things
which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these
to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 Suffer hardship with me,
as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself
in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as
a soldier.
B. Jesus has fully counted the cost related to building His church and He fully
understands what must be true of those who enlist in His army.
1. They must love their King supremely.
2. They must lay down their lives for their King and follow their King wherever He
might lead.
3. They must surrender to their King total control over their lives and their
resources.
APPLICATION
1. We are not told how the large crowd responded to His words, but I suspect that many
in the crowd lost their enthusiasm, at least until they could forget what He had said.
2. The modern church, at least in most western nations, suffers from an inadequate view
and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. The Apostle Paul:
a. Came to understand the depths of his depravity and sin.
b. Fully understood that he deserved to be judged.
c. Came to understand the greatness of God’s love for Him and the full implications of
Christ’s sacrificial death on his behalf.
d. Embraced Jesus Christ as God’s anointed Savior and Lord.
e. Came to love the Lord Jesus with all his heart and soul.
f. Did with his whole heart what he encourages us to do. Rom 12:1-2
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a
living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of
worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which
is good and acceptable and perfect.
g. Was a living example of a man who loved Jesus supremely, followed Him fully,
and trusted Him totally.
4. The question is what are you and I an example of?

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COUNTING THE COST

II. The situation.

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