Counting the cost
Luke 14:28-33
King James Version (KJV)
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down
first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able
to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth
not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him
that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an
ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that
he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Counting the cost
The parable gives us an insight into what it means to be -
disciple of Jesus.
Jesus Predicts His
Death.
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that
he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the
chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on
the third daybe raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he
said. “This shall never happen to you!”
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a
stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely
human concerns.”
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my
disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but
whoever loses their life for me will find it.
26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet
forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with
his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have
done.
28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste
death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
The parable starts with a question. "For which of you,
intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost,
whether he have sufficient to finish it?" - Jesus reminds us to think of
our self as to where we are at, as his disciples. Have we denied ourselves and
took up the cross daily?
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my
disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
To count the cost means to leave everything, to deny
oneself, to seek his kingdom first, to love him with whole heart, mind, soul
and strength.
He says the consequences for the one who has not planned
well. Who doesn't counteth the cost, who doesn't understand what it means to be
Jesus' Disciple.
Matthew 10:16 NIV "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as
shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Jesus also gives us another question of a king in the parable;
the king is going to make war against another king. Or what king, going to make
war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be
able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty
thousand?
This gives us the perfect picture for any to plan and
strategically move with the kingdom of Heaven and to be Jesus' Disciple. To
move is to forsake everything for God. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he
hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
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