Counting the cost

[B-A-C]

Luke 14:25; Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them,
Luke 14:26; "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.
Luke 14:27; "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Luke 14:28; "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?
Luke 14:29; "Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him,
Luke 14:30; saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'
Luke 14:31; "Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
Luke 14:32; "Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.
Luke 14:33; "So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

You know we can't really do anything to get saved. All we can do is have faith. We can't pay enough money, so it's free.
..and yet... there is a cost.

You can't be a follower of Jesus if you love your family more than you love Him.
Jesus doesn't carry your cross for you... you have to carry your "own cross".

Jesus is asking this crowd... have you counted the cost? Are you going to be able to follow this through? Are you going to finish?
Jesus talks about a man who starts to build a tower... but he didn't count the cost before he started.
Jesus also talks about two armies going out to meet each other in battle, the king has to stop and "count the cost"
of how many men he has, versus how many men the enemy has.

It doesn't cost you anything to get saved, but there is a cost once you are saved.
You can't love the world, and all your possessions more than you love Jesus.

The cost is giving up anything you love more than Jesus.

So when you make the choice to follow Jesus... have you counted out the cost? Have you figured out how
far it is to the finish line? Are you ready to go the distance? Or are you going to quit before the job is finished?

 

[rstrats]

B-A-C,
re: "You can't love the world, and all your possessions more than you love Jesus."

What if you love them the same?

 

[B-A-C]

The Christian journey.

Some people believe being a Christian is like walking into a room. But I don't see this in the Bible.
It is a journey, a walk, a run, a race, a continual progression.

John 8:12; Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."

John 12:35; So Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.

Acts 21:24; take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.

Rom 6:4; Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Rom 8:4; so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
1 Cor 7:17; Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.
2 Cor 5:7; for we walk by faith, not by sight—

This is of course figurative language, these verses aren't literally talking about walking from some place to another place.

Gal 5:16; But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
Gal 5:25; If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Gal 6:16; And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Eph 2:10; For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Eph 4:1; Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
Eph 4:17; So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,
Eph 5:2; and [/u]walk in love[/u], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
Eph 5:8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light
Eph 5:15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

The new testament is filled with these verses about how we should "walk". Where we should walk, and where we shouldn't walk.

Col 1:10; so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Col 2:6; Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
1 Thes 2:12; so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
1 Thes 4:1; Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.
1 Jn 1:6; If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;
1 Jn 1:7; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 Jn 2:6; the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
2 Jn 1:6; And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

This post is getting a little long, but there is enough scripture here.
Next, running the race.

 

[B-A-C]

What if you love them the same?

The Bible says that's an impossibility.

Matt 6:24; "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
Luke 16:13; "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

 

[B-A-C]

Paul says we Christians are all in a race.

1 Cor 9:24; Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
1 Cor 9:25; Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
1 Cor 9:26; Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;
1 Cor 9:27; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

He says it takes discipline to be in this race. He says you can be disqualified from this race.

Gal 2:2; It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

Apparently some ways we run, can be in vain. But running in other ways, is "not" in vain.

Php 2:14; Do all things without grumbling or disputing;
Php 2:15; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,
Php 2:16; holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

Heb 12:1; Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

The writer of Hebrews says sin is like weights that weigh us down. Ever try to run a race with 100 pounds attached to your back?
Sin slows down our walking and running ability. Again this isn't a literal race. The is a spiritual race, a spiritual walk.

Paul says in Philippians that his race isn't over yet. He is still trying to reach the goal.

Php 3:11; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Php 3:12; Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13; Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
Php 3:14; I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

There are more verses like this, but the point is... this journey, this walk, the race are never over until this life is over.

In Pauls letter to Timothy, near the end of his life he said..

2 Tim 4:6; For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
2 Tim 4:7; I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
2 Tim 4:8; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

He finally finished the race, he is looking for his reward.

 

[B-A-C]

There are some Christians that believe there is no cost at all.

 

[PloughBoy]

B-A-C,
re: "You can't love the world, and all your possessions more than you love Jesus."

What if you love them the same?

God said you Cannot love both. The word cannot means you have not the ability to do so. He said whosoever loves this world is an enemy of God. “Believeth thou this”?

 

[PloughBoy]

There are some Christians that believe there is no cost at all.

I know, makes you wonder.

 

[Dave M]

I know, makes you wonder.

makes me sad, but it is as the bible says, people will be blinded, so if your blind you cannot even begin to count I would imagine. People dont seem to want to seek the eternal reward they want the earthly reward and that blinds them IMO

 

[PloughBoy]

Then you think about it for a moment. Then, in light of scripture, God have allowed them to walk in darkness, reprobation, and delusion. It is sad. Some seems so good, nice people, walking in legalism. Until you starting talking about the real “Gospel of Jesus Christ”, and the “cost of discipleship”.

 

[Dave M]

Then you think about it for a moment. Then, in light of scripture, God have allowed them to walk in darkness, reprobation, and delusion. It is sad. Some seems so good, nice people, walking in legalism. Until you starting talking about the real “Gospel of Jesus Christ”, and the “cost of discipleship”.

it is something I do find myself thinking when I talk to many people about there walk, it seems most are not hungry for God, It does become pretty evident in a conversation rather quickly

 

[PloughBoy]

You begin to see we are few in number, This statement in scripture that there are few that are really on this path come to light. “There are Few”. Let no one deceive us.

 

[B-A-C]

* bump *

 

[B-A-C]

Matt 25:31; "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.
Matt 25:32; "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;
Matt 25:33; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
Matt 25:34; "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Matt 25:35; 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
Matt 25:36; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
Matt 25:37; "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?
Matt 25:38; 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
Matt 25:39; 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
Matt 25:40; "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'
Matt 25:41; "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
Matt 25:42; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;
Matt 25:43; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'
Matt 25:44; "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?'
Matt 25:45; "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'
Matt 25:46; "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Jesus says there are two kinds of people in this story. Sheep and Goats. What makes someone a sheep or a goat? Is it what they believe? Or is it what they do?
One group of people didn't do anything in this story. They didn't help anyone, feed anyone, visit anyone, clothe anyone...

The other group of people actually went out an invested their time, their blood, sweat and tears in people. They fed them, clothed them, visited them, and cared for them.
Sometimes there is a cost. In verse 46 here it says those who don't want to do anything... "will go away to eternal punishment".

 

[B-A-C]

Matt 25:14; "For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.
Matt 25:15; "To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.
Matt 25:16; "Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents.
Matt 25:17; "In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more.
Matt 25:18; "But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
Matt 25:19; "Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them.
Matt 25:20; "The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.'
Matt 25:21; "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
Matt 25:22; "Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.'
Matt 25:23; "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
Matt 25:24; "And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.
Matt 25:25; 'And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.'
Matt 25:26; "But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.
Matt 25:27; 'Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.
Matt 25:28; 'Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.'
Matt 25:29; "For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.
Matt 25:30; "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

There are three servants (some Bibles say "slaves") in this story. The master gives his servants something. It seems he expects them to do something with what he gave them.
Two of the servants invest what the master gave them. In fact they increase what the master gave them. They "added to" what the master gave them.
The master calls these two servants "good and faithful".

The third servant is a servant in "the masters house". Not just any house, but the master's house. The master gives this servant something also. You could say he didn't give
this servant as much as he gave the other two. But in the end it doesn't matter to the master. This servant doesn't invest anything. He doesn't "add to" what the master gave him.
He calls this servant a "wicked and lazy" servant. In verse 30, it says "throw this servant out". It wasn't like he was never "in the house". You can't be thrown out if you're already out.

.. to be continued ..

 

[B-A-C]

Luke 13:6; And He began telling this parable: "A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any.
Luke 13:7; "And he said to the vineyard-keeper, 'Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?'
Luke 13:8; "And he answered and said to him, 'Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer;
Luke 13:9; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.'"

The master has a tree in his garden, it's not just any tree in any garden... this tree is in the "master's garden". The Bible says Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, we can't do anything
without Jesus. I believe this. So then I wonder why, the master has come for the last three years 'expecting' to find fruit on this tree. Why would he expect the tree to bear fruit, if he knew
the tree was incapable of bearing fruit? So now it's the fourth year... the groundskeeper says , let me fertilize it, water it, aerate the soil around it, and we'll see if makes any fruit net year.
.... but if it doesn't.... chop it down.

We can't bear any fruit on our own. Only Jesus can help us do that. But some trees, even though the master is watering and fertilizing them... they still refuse to bear fruit.
They still refuse to invest the talents the master gave them. They still refuse to feed the hungry and clothe the poor. The cost is too high for them.

...to be continued ...

 

[B-A-C]

In Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7. Jesus gives what is called 'the Sermon on the Mount'. It is Jesus's longest sermon by far, it takes up almost three entire chapters.
Jesus ends that sermon with these verses.

Matt 7:24; "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Matt 7:25; "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
Matt 7:26; "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
Matt 7:27; "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall."

Now of course.. Jesus is the rock that we build on. The 'sand' is the material things in the world. But even though Jesus is the rock, the foundation... notice it says
in these verses... the man himself (the wise man, or the foolish man) is who builds the house. Whatever we are building for our future depends on where WE (ourselves)
build it. It doesn't say Jesus builds it for us here.

But again.. before we start building something... we should count the cost.