“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” Luke 14:28 ESV
Reflection: what is your end goal of being a disciple of Jesus Christ?
My wife and I have had the chance to build several houses during our time together. And during the building process, there will always be some unexpected expenses, for many reasons. It might be something you forgot to include, or didn’t plan carefully enough before starting the project. For very custom designed homes, these changes often run as high as 25% above the original plan, according to realtors. It is therefore important to think through and plan as carefully as possible before even starting. And to also plan that there will be some changes and cost overruns, even with the best plans. Once you are in the middle of the building project, stopping is a really bad option for everyone.
It is interesting that Jesus is using a similar building analogy in becoming a Christian, which really is a decision to be a disciple of Christ. But if we think about it, becoming a Christian is often a decision that is made on a whim, not carefully thought about. Caught up in the emotion of the moment, feeling convicted by the message. And when the alter call is given, you decide to pray the sinner’s prayer. But later, when you start realize what it actually means to be a Christian, the cost involved, what you have to forsake, all the changes you have to make to your lifestyle, you might question the decision. It might not be what you signed up for, at that alter call.
But what Jesus is telling us today is that this is not a decision to be taken lightly. Even before deciding to become a Christian, before making a commitment to follow Jesus Christ, we must consider the total cost. And he gives three dimensions for us to think about.
First is about relationships, and he says ““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 14:26 ESV. Is he calling us to “hate” our family? Clearly not, as we know his heart. But the word used here for “hate”, in Aramaic means to “set aside”, meaning to put Jesus Christ higher than any other relationship, including spouse, children, parents etc. And we can see that while Jesus loved his mother, siblings, disciples, etc, his relationship with his Heavenly Father was number one.
Second, he says that being a disciple is daily commitment and work; not a “once and done”. The sinner’s prayer was the decision point, and repentance means moving in a new, different direction. Just like building a house takes time and commitment to get it right. “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27 ESV
Third, is about forsaking earthly possessions, as he says “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33 ESV. (We might wonder how the prosperity gospel message squares this point from Jesus?) We live in a very materialistic world, and Jesus is clearly making the point here, again, that we are not to focus on earthly possessions, as it will take our attention away from his teaching. “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”” Luke 16:13 ESV.
One might be wondering, “is Jesus trying to scare people away?”
In some way, it might seem so. If we think about alter calls, they typically don’t bring up what the decision to follow Christ will cost. What it practically means to leave your old life behind and behind and follow Jesus. Remember when Jesus called the disciples to “Follow me!”, they left everything behind. Because, the goal of discipleship is clearly to be more and more like our teacher, our Lord, Jesus Christ. He needs us to rely on him alone. Not on other relationships. Not on our possessions. Not on trying to fit in the world. And he said that ““If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18 ESV. The more we let him form us and become like Jesus, the more we will see the rejection by the world. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”Ephesians 2:10 ESV