Luke 14: 25-35
Becoming Jesus’ Disciple

by Gary DeLashmutt

Introduction

Remind of use of parables. Here’s two more—read 14:28-32. Clearly, the main point is that we should count the cost before we decide to do something.

What is the decision? Read 12:26,27,33—“be my disciple.” There is a cost to being Jesus’ disciple that we should count in advance. These three verses explain the nature of that cost, but before we examine it, I need to clarify something. Becoming Christ’s disciple is different that becoming a Christian. If you don’t understand this, Jesus’ teaching will appear contradictory to you.

Becoming a Christian costs you nothing. It is a free gift of complete forgiveness, eternal life, and the Holy Spirit indwelling you permanently. The fact that it is free doesn’t cheapen this gift. It is free because we could never earn it, and it is precious because it cost Jesus his life. But it is genuinely free. He paid the full price, and all you have to do is admit you need it and humbly receive it (quote Jn. 4:10; Eph. 2:8-9). This decision is mandatory in the sense that you cannot be accepted by God unless you make it.

Becoming Christ’s disciple is only for those who have already become Christians. This is who Jesus is addressing here (14:25), just as he posed this issue to the 12 in chapter 9 only after they had received him. Some make this decision almost the same time they become Christians, but others (like myself) make it later. This is the decision to follow Jesus as Lord and Master, to learn and obey his direction for your life. This decision is optional in the sense that you can still be a Christian without making it.  And this decision will cost you something . . . 

The cost of discipleship

In this passage, Jesus draws attention to three specific areas of potential cost. Let's examine each one carefully . . . 

Read 14:26. Clearly, becoming Jesus’ disciple will change the way we relate to our families.

Does Jesus mean that we must literally hate our families? The answer is “no” for at least two reasons:

Jesus, as God, created the family unit and authored the command that we should honor our parents and love our spouses and children. 

He also practiced this during his life on earth (subjection to parents; respect and care for Mary, even on the cross, etc.).

Commitment to Jesus therefore means a commitment to love our parents, siblings, spouses, and children in ways we have never done before (FORGIVENESS; RECONCILIATION; HONOR; INVESTMENT; etc.).

Then what does he mean?

This is Hebrew hyperbole. Jesus means that we must love him more than we love our families (see Matt. 10:37 to confirm this). That is, our allegiance to him must be greater than our allegiance to our own families.  The issue here is family approval.

Jesus modeled this also (Jn. 2:4; Mark 3:21, 31-35).

Why bring this up? Because sometimes family members, intentionally or unintentionally, exert a pressure to compromise our allegiance to Jesus. He then becomes a “sword” that divides our families.

Parents and siblings may regard our commitment to Jesus as a betrayal of the family.

Spouses may regard our commitment to Jesus as a threat to our love for them, threaten to leave unless we compromise, etc.

Children may reject our instruction/discipline and make our lives miserable unless we stop urging them to follow Christ.

In each case, we must never spiritualize bad attitudes or behavior, but rather apologize for them. In each case, we must respond with love and patience. In each case, we must be sure we’re standing for God’s Word and not for our own will or some man-made tradition or rule. But we cannot compromise or apologize for putting Jesus first—we must take this stand (sometimes with tears) and let the chips fall where they may. The fact is that we cannot love our families properly unless we love Jesus more than them.

Read 14:27. Here is a second cost of discipleship—to carry your own cross.  What does this mean?

As we saw several weeks ago, the cross symbolized rejection by society. Those who were condemned as capital criminals in Roman society were required to carry the cross-member of their crosses from the court through the main street of the city outside the city walls to the site of their execution. Thus, to “carry your own cross” was to be excommunicated by society.

So Jesus is telling us that our commitment to him may cost us society’s acceptance—even to the point of death. Even though Christians should be model citizens by being respectful, law-abiding and good neighbors, society’s response may be persecution.

Throughout the last 20 centuries, Christians have been persecuted by totalitarian states because their commitment to Jesus as Lord is a threat to that state.

EARLY CHRISTIANS WERE CALLED “ATHEISTS” BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO WORSHIP CAESAR.

Even in a society like our own which defends religious freedom, committed Christians stand as an indictment on materialistic values, moral and ideological relativism, and selfishness. When we do this, we can expect a negative reaction.

JOHN WESLEY’S MOVEMENT PROBABLY RESCUED ENGLAND FROM A VIOLENT REVOLUTION—YET THEY WERE VILLIFIED BY JEALOUS CHURCH LEADERS & OTHERS.

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED UNTRUE ACCUSATIONS AS A CULT, UNFAIR TREATMENT BY THE PRESS, ETC.  THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THIS WON’T HAPPEN AGAIN . . . 

Read 14:33. “Possessions” refers to material possessions—money and things. “Give up” is usually translated “say good-bye to.” 

Some have interpreted this to mean that priests/monks must liquidate their assets and take a vow of poverty. This was part of the clergy-laity distinction. But the passage is addressed to all Christians, and we know that the early church did not command all Christians to give up private property, etc.

No, this refers to something far more radical. It means that to become Jesus’ disciple we must say good-bye to viewing our possessions as our own and forever relinquish control of them to him. 

It means rejecting our identity as an owner and acknowledging our identity as a steward. We agree that God owns all that we have, and we agree to begin to manage it ultimately for the advancement of his kingdom rather than for our own interests. An owner asks, “How much of my money will I give to God?” A steward asks, “How much of God’s money will I keep for myself?”

If you do this, you will give up your plan to become materially wealthy as an unworthy goal. You may wind up living more simply than you did before or than you could because you will be giving away a significant amount of your money to the poor and to Christian ministry. You may have a smaller retirement account than you would have because you followed Jesus’ concern for those who have nothing.

At this point, some of you are probably thinking, “This cost is pretty steep.  I don’t know that I want to pay it. Maybe the free fire insurance policy is enough.” Yes, that’s an option, as we saw before. And you certainly don’t want to decide impulsively to become Jesus’ disciple, because as he warned in the two parables, you probably wouldn’t follow through and this would be embarrassing to you and to Jesus’ reputation.

But before you discount this decision, you should also consider its rewards.  Jesus detailed this on his way down to Jerusalem . . .  

The reward of discipleship

Read 14:34-35. This is not a sudden switch from theology to chemistry.  This is another parable about discipleship—this time about its effect rather than its cost.

In the ancient world, salt was highly valued as a seasoning, preservative, and even as a fertilizer (as with asparagus today). It was a mixture of sodium chloride and other compounds like gypsum. When such salt was exposed to moisture, the sodium chloride evaporated, leaving the “unsalty salt.” This was useless, so people just dumped outside.

Jesus’ point is that it is possible for true Christians to useless in their spiritual impact on others. God won’t reject you—but you will wind up wasting this incredible opportunity.

But if we become disciples, we will be the “salt of the earth”—people who demonstrate the flavor of real life, inspire thirst for the true God, and show them how to find him. This is a tremendous reward—to experience God working through you to help others come to Christ and grow in him (read Jn. 15:8, 11) —something that more than makes up for the cost.

Let’s look at another passage where Jesus talked about the rewards of discipleship. Read Mark 10:28-30. In response to Peter’s concern, Jesus reminds them that it will involve persecutions. But he focuses on three fantastic rewards.

Yes, we may suffer rejection from family members. But we will discover a new family—other disciples. There is a depth of love and form of closeness between committed Christians that is better than any relationship you have ever had in the world. How much better? At least 100 times better.

Yes, we may experience material “downward mobility.” But we will experience God’s material faithfulness and provision. As we put his interests above our own and sacrifice materially to serve others in his name, he will fulfill his promise to care for our needs. The excitement of seeing God come through in this way and the security of knowing he is watching over you is better than anything the world has to offer. How much better? At least 100 times better.

Yes, we may suffer persecution and shame from society. But we will receive eternal reward for our service to Christ in this life. This involves praise and honor from God, roles of responsibility in his coming kingdom, etc. This will far surpass anything honor or power that the world could give you. How much better? At least 100 times better.

Conclusion

This why Jesus’ call to discipleship is an invitation to fullness of life (read Rom. 12:1-2).

“For my own part, I have never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office. People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply paid back as a small part of a great debt owing to our God, which we can never repay? Is that a sacrifice which brings its own reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, & a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with such a view, & with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now & then, with a foregoing of common conveniences & charities of this life, may make us pause, & cause the spirit to waver, & the soul to sink; but let this be only for a moment. All these are nothing when compared to the glory which shall hereafter be revealed in & for us. I never made a sacrifice.”[1]

Have you made the decision to become Jesus’ disciple? Is he calling on you to do so today? You will never regret it . . . 

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