Do We Count The Cost - Levi Baer

Greetings to each one of you and precious name of Jesus. It's good to

see so many people here today from all walks of life. It seems wish

to extend welcome to each one of you as you worship here with us today.

We have a group of young people here as well. That's good to

see each one of you as well, some of you familiar faces, if

you'd like to turn in your bibles this morning. To Luke fourteen, I've

been doing a lot of reading and studying in the Gospels the last while,

and it's just been such a I guess a blessing is one way to say

it, but also it's been very eye opening as far as you know,

when we look at Jesus' life as he walked the dusty streets of the cities

with his disciples before he went and gave himself to die. To me,

it's such a sacred canon of scripture that we can that we can look at

and gain real insights of how to live out a life that Jesus commanded us

to. Now it's one thing to stand up here and say we I mean,

I'll just put it this way. We know the right way to live

the hard part is to put it in action. And I'm very aware of

that this morning, especially as we look at this passage that we are will

look at and study. Is just how short that I fall of fulfilling the

words of Jesus? And how do we do that? As we you know,

in Believe It's Acts eighteen or somewhere there it says in Him we live

and move and have our being, that is in Jesus Christ. That's the

only way that this is possible to live out these scriptures. And don't ever

let yourself be talked into that it's not possible to attain to the words of

Jesus, even though we're very imperfect people. Let's read Luke fourteen, starting

in verse twenty five. And there went great multitudes with him, and he

turned and said, unto them. If any man come to me and hate

not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren and

sisters yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

For which of you, intending to build a tower sitteth not down first

and counteth the cost, Whether he have sufficient to finish it less happily,

after he hath laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, all

that behold it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build

and was not able to finish. 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, or else, while

the other has yet a great way off, he sendeth an I'm not sure

how to say that word for sure, and ambassage and desireth conditions of peace.

So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he

hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good. But if the

salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither

fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill. For men cast it

out, but men cast it out. He that has ears to hear,

let him hear. So here we have this interaction of Jesus himself here in

verse twenty five says there went great multitudes with him, and he turned,

and he said, unto them, And these are the words that he said.

You could kind of break this down into three parts here. First of

all, he's saying, there's some things that you may not have taken into

consideration you in this crowd, and that is that it's very costly to follow

me. And he said, and he explained here that we he says,

we must hate the ones that we love the most. And in my growing

up years, I don't remember very many times spending a lot of time thinking

about what this was actually saying here. I believe it's because we're hardly comfortable

with what we're afraid that it actually is saying. What is he saying here?

Does it mean we really should hate? Should I hate my little two

year old son? We know that that's not what Jesus is asking. The

scripture uses this comparison in other places. If you go back to Genesis,

remember there with Jacob and Rachel and Leah. I forget exactly all that is,

but he uses the term there that Rachel have I loved and Leah have

I hated? He was simply saying, I only I just loved Rachel more

than Leo. That's all Jacob was saying. And that's what Jesus uses here

in scripture again to say, in comparison to how much you love me and

how much time you give to me, it appears as hate to the rest

of your life and all that is involved there. So that's one part.

And then he goes on and he uses some comparisons as we think about of

counting the cost, and that's a title this morning, as have you counted

the cost? And he gives these things about what kind of a person starts

to build a house before he understands how much it will cost. Wouldn't that

be an embarrassment to any one of us? And I thought about that.

I think is here somewhere It talks about building the foundation in verse twenty nine,

and you're not able to finish it. I actually know of instances more

in the East where basements are used under most houses, where people made the

They built their basement and went ahead and put a roof over top, and

they lived in there. But as far as I know, most of them,

it was because they were just It was because they were counting the cost.

It wasn't because they didn't have the money to finish. And I'm sure

there are times when we see a skeleton of a new house, and the

new timber begins to fade, and it sits there for years and years.

It's probably because they didn't count the costs. And then he uses a military

example here a little further on, of a general that goes to war a

king and he doesn't think about the size of his force compared to the one

that's coming against him, that's destined for failure. And then and lastly,

then he talks about salt and how if salt loses its effectiveness, it's no

good, but goes to the manure pile. The other thing we could call

this sermon is the three cannot And if you notice, when we read these

verses three times, three times, Jesus says, you cannot be my disciple.

If and that's what we wanted to look at this morning, I don't

think anyone here wants to fall in the category of cannot be his disciple,

at least I don't. So here we have Jesus turning and speaking to this

crowd. This crowd was following him. He was very popular at this time.

They were walking with him, they were attentive to his words, they

were in close proximity to him. But in reality, as it would be

if it was here today. Most of them were only curious about Jesus.

They weren't serious about following him as a disciple. Most of them, largely,

they would have remained very uncommitted to following Jesus. They were unconverted.

But I believe that Jesus he understood as he looked at this crowd of people.

I don't know how many. It was, three or five thousand people,

and as he knew that his time on earth was short, his time

was short to address the crowd, and he knew that were there were many

shortcomings. He knew that many of the people would turn their backs on him

when things became hard. And that's probably why that we would say that Jesus

used some pretty hard words here because he knew that his time was short.

He used some very strong language when he said that you must hate your family

and love me, or else you cannot be my disciple. This was towards

the end of his three year ministry, like I mentioned, and Jesus knew

it wasn't a time to mince words, It wasn't a time of sugarcoat.

How easy the life of these people would be if you would just follow me

commit yourself to me. He didn't promise some easy thing. The time is

still short today for each one of us when it comes to this thing of

choosing to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. What is a disciple? I'm

sure most of you know, but I just wonder the young children this morning.

What is a disciple? And Jesus says, you cannot be my disciple.

It's simply a follower of something or someone, and in this case,

a follower of Jesus, a learner, one who follows in order to learn

the gospel that Jesus is trying to get across to this crowd here was not

an easy believism gospel. It wasn't cheap grace. And the thing is is

to begin the journey as a disciple of Jesus Christ. It doesn't cost us

anything. Salvation is free. It was free to each one in that crowd,

just as it is here today. But as we embark on that journey,

we will find out that it will cost us. It will cost us

to it will cost our flesh. And in this large crowd, we had

people that were most likely hiding in this crowd, just like we can do

today. It's easier to remain anonymous in a crowd. We just blend in

with the masses, and that's what was happening here. I find it interesting

if you think about in Acts too. There it mentions that there were one

hundred and twenty people there gathered with Jesus. What happened to the other thousands

of people down to one hundred and twenty? And then later they did gain

people again as they joined in the discipleship with Christ. I think I mentioned

it earlier that this tremendous throng, large group of people was very likely a

very diverse group of people, and they had their excitement level was high at

this point. What I would like to look at here for most of the

rest of the message here is five different groups of people that most likely were

part of this large crowd. And to ask ourselves, ask myself the question,

in what category are we? What part of that crowd were we?

The first one I'd like to look at is the committed few. And the

reason I say it was most likely few is because Jesus' own words were white

is the gate, and straight straight as the gate, and narrows away,

and few there be that find it. He used the word few, So

we have the committed few, the genuinely converted. Out of this group,

there was twelve men especially in that group there that day. They were jesus

twelve disciples. But at this point you can correct me if I'm wrong,

but I believe that there was eleven of those twelve disciples that were actually true

followers of Jesus Christ. And we'll talk more about that. Eleven men that

answered the call as he summoned them to leave behind their past, their past

pursuits of living for themsel now they must follow him. Eleven of them had

answered the call to follow Jesus, to step out in faith and follow him,

that radical step that it takes. They had counted the cast. Those

eleven men walked with Jesus until the day they died. There was no looking

back. And I'm sure that along the way there were many things that happened

that made it very costly for them to make the decision that they did.

I couldn't help but think about an experience in Bangladesh almost a year ago or

so, where in the Muslim religion there and in the Hindu when you decide

to follow Jesus and become a believer it is a real thing to them people

of how much it will cost. And this thing of costing you your family

is very real. It actually happens that way. And as you look into

the eyes of Bangladeshi, believer that he's afraid his wife is afraid for his

life because of turning against what their family has always believed. It doesn't make

sense to them. And as the tears are there and he's afraid, he's

afraid for his wife. He's not afraid for himself. He's ready to die

for the cause, but his wife is afraid for his life becomes very real.

Let's go back to these eleven disciples. Jesus first invited four fishermen,

and I think we know who those were, James and John, and Peter

and Andrew. They responded by giving their lives to him. It says that

Andrew and John Andrew brought his brother Peter to Jesus, who was also converted.

Jesus then called Philip and he said, follow me in John one for

three. Philip answered the call, and then Philip found Nathaniel, who's also

called Bartholomew. I believe remember Nathaniel is the one that said, can anything

good come out of Nazareth, Nathaniel became a genuine disciple of Jesus. Then

Jesus called a tax collector named Matthew Matthias. No, sorry, Matthew.

This man, as we know, had been living a very selfish life.

His life was consumed with greed for money. He existed to accumulate the things

of this world. Does that sound familiar to you? But when Jesus called

him, he instantly surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. There'd be no turning

back for Matthew, no turning back. He took it seriously that a man

that puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the

Kingdom of God. Then you have the rest of the disciples, Thomas,

Thadius, James, a Lesser, and Simon who made the radical choice to

submit their lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ. And as I look at

all you young men this morning, I can't help but think about this.

Many of these men were young men. There's a little bit of controversy around

the age of these men, but somewhere probably between the age of fifteen and

nineteen, maybe some of the older ones. So right in your age group

there and probably what was happening when Jesus came to call them, just like

it is with the young people, girls and boys. Most likely they were

at a fork in the road of their life as they were out fishing.

Where was the conversation going on between these brothers Peter and Andrew and James and

John? What do you think their conversation was as a fish? It may

have been what direction will we go? Who is this Jesus? The second

group is the curious majority. The curious majority, these people in this crowd,

they wanted to see for themselves, but they had no intentions of giving

up anything of their own life, any of their selfish desires to be true

disciples. They had no intentions of doing that. Does that sound familiar to

you Many people who name the name of Jesus as far as walking close to

him, being near to where the people are that worship him, but have

no intentions of going all the way with him. The third one is the

confused masses. These people were somewhat perplexed about who Jesus was. You know,

they had been following him previous to this, and they watched Jesus perform

miracles. They watched dead people rise again. I think it added to their

confusion. How can this be? He's just a man, but the things

that were happening, they were supernatural. They simply could not swallow the claims

of who Jesus really was. His claim of being divine was too much for

them to handle. Does it make sense on an intellectual standpoint? Was he

not just a man like them? They saw him as a good man,

like many people do today. Jesus was a good man. His life should

be emulated. But nothing changes, nothing beyond they. I believe that segment

of the crowd was most likely also confused about the way of salvation, and

especially in the day of the Pharisees, that they that they were in there

where surely good people can work their way to heaven, it only confused their

their view of salvation more. And that reminds me of many people today and

myself sometimes that we we presume that a prescribed amount of works will be enough

to see us through number. The fourth group here convicted seekers. These people

I believe were actually sincere and seeking what this Jesus had to offer. They

actually wanted to learn more about Jesus Christ about salvation. They heard the preaching,

and I believe that they were becoming acutely aware as time went on,

as they followed Jesus that their need. They were acutely aware of their need

of forgiveness, and Jesus was offering it to them. I believe there was

a loud alarm going off in their minds that something wasn't right, something was

missing. Up to this point, they had been living for themselves, doing

whatever they pleased, but something was missing. But the sad thing, we

have the convicted seekers here, many people who probably came to the brink of

giving their lives over to Jesus Christ, counting the cost. But it was

too high for them. The cost was too high. They were standing on

the brink and they turned away because the cost was too high. God forbid

that is any of us today. The fifth group is counterfeit followers. These

are people that had the appearance of being genuine disciples, and from a distance,

they blended in perfectly with the crowd of people that was along Jesus.

They blended in with the religious crowd, but they were not genuine. They

knew the right words to say, they sang the right songs. They enjoyed

being in close proximity to Jesus. They traveled with him, but in reality

they were not authentic believers in Jesus Christ. One of those followers was a

man named Judas. Remember the twelfth Disciple, a man named Judas who was

a charter member of the inner circle of Jesus. But Judas was a man

that loved money. Where do you see yourself when it comes in relation to

Judas. In the medical world, it is said that a right diagnosis is

half the cure. Maybe you wonder why I say that. It's because that

if we don't ever think that we are a Judas, nothing will ever change.

Many will say, Lord Lord, have we not prophesied the name?

Have not cast out demons? Have we not done mighty works? This was

Judas. He was with the disciples, He helped cast out demons, but

he would betray his Lord because he had never fully given his heart. The

cost was too high. Jesus is not asking this morning for a certain percentage

of our life, of our heart. Maybe you could say, well,

I give fifty five percent of my time and of my life to the things

of Jesus. What does Jesus say you cannot be my disciple? Maybe we

give seventy five percent of our time the things we pursue. Maybe we give

eighty nine percent of our time. What does Jesus say, you cannot be

my disciple? Maybe we give ninety nine point nine seven five percent of our

time? Is that good enough? That's why I say these are strong words

from Jesus. I can hardly comprehend and what he's asking of us. But

do we believe the words of Jesus? Does it change us? The cost

is very high, but it produces peace and joy in the inner being of

people. That is what the cost produces. I have here a nickel and

a dime, and I believe if you would ask, probably any little child

here from up to about age three or four, depends how bright they are,

if they have this dime, we could probably talk them into switching the

nickel out for the dime. Most likely we would say, do you want

this shiny, bigger nickel? And they would maybe look at it a couple

times and hand you the dime. I believe that's what Jesus is asking.

The question to us this morning is do we want do we take the cheaper,

shinier, bigger, easier path. You know, that's a wrong evaluation

of money. For a child to do that, it's completely wrong on the

value, it's completely backwards. But sometimes we do just that in how we

pursue the things of life. So maybe you wonder this morning, how does

this fit in with Matthew eleven twenty eight through twenty nine. Jesus says,

come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I

will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me,

for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest

for your souls. Where does this fall in to a high cost of following

Jesus Christ? Remember that he actually mentions a yoke here That means being yoked

with Jesus Christ. We can't part that. But the reason it's easy and

the reason it's RESTful is because we're where God wants man to be, in

a relationship with him. And that doesn't mean we're not going to have hard

things in life. He just means that with him there comes a peace that

the world will never give. God forbid that it is said about any one

of us, as I think about the rich man in Lazarus, it says

in Hell the rich man lifted up his eyes. What if that story was

about any one of us? And could it be? Could it be?

Many will seek to enter but will not be able. Why is that?

If you look at it as a ledger this morning, a financial ledger,

and we're going to balance this ledger. And on each side of the ledger,

let's put a list of things here and here and this side is the

daily pursuits of life in our carnal desires, not all wrong in themselves.

Maybe it's maybe it's our hobbies, maybe it's our business. And over here

we have the same amount on the same line. How much time is allotted

to the things of Jesus compared as we go down to the ledger? How

much more time do you spend thinking about the things of Jesus rather than listening

to essential music that has the beat of the world. Maybe the right words,

but the beat of the world is completely of the world. How would

your ledger balance? How would mine? I believe that the heart of God

this morning is calling those of you, those of us that have decided to

follow Jesus, that we commit to a deeper relationship with him, and for

those that haven't, to an initial an initial relationship with him. But just

remember Jesus said you must count the cost. Salvation is hinged on this commitment.

I'd like to just think about in verse thirty four, it says salt

is good. But if the salt has had lost his savor, where ris

shall it be seasoned? Jesus uses this comparison. I believe in the beatitudes

as well. So if we have the most beautiful salt shaker you could ever

find sitting in the middle of our table, but that salt added no flavor

at all to our food, what would we do with it? It would

probably sit right there, it would never get touched, there be no reason

to use it. We'd toss it on the manure pile, it says.

And I believe that there's a reason that Jesus talks about this here is he

thought about this crowd, and he thought about the people that were in it.

He knew that Judas was there and he was gonna he would betray him

someday. And he knew that this crowd would at some point be reduced to

one hundred and twenty people. What is happening? He knew all this,

But what about us? What about us? On an individual level? First

of all, in our walk with Jesus. Have we lost our saltiness?

You know, it's one thing to stand up here and say that we must

be salt and light to the world around us. We would all agree to

that, But how does that play out in your daily life? How does

it play out on Monday and Wednesday? Have we counted the cost of what

it takes to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, that is salty, that

has it in here to share with others? Are we willing to lose everything

to follow him? Jesus doesn't necessarily ask us to get rid of our family,

but it may actually take that. Are we willing to do that if

we know that we're going to lose everything? Diedrich Bonhoeffer said this, as

we allow the Word to be our only armor, we can look confidently into

the future. I believe that's very true. Words, that's that's saying the

word of God. The answer is here and it points to Jesus Christ.

If we could, I believe, if we could somehow catch a glimpse of

the world we live in, the pain, the sorrow, the burdens,

If we could just catch a glimp glimpse, how short of time This is

in relation to eternity filled with joy and singing around the Great Throne, joyous

eternity with God. It helps us put the cost in perspective of such a

short time of being costly, and then we have the rest of eternity to

rejoice with Jesus. Have you counted the costs this morning? And does it

change your life? As we react and meet and live and move around people,

does it change? Is it something that people can see that is part

of our life that we have counted the cost? May God bless