Luke 14:26-33
New King James Version (NKJV)
26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see 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, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
Before I could do anything else this morning I had to change the ink cartridges on our printer. I remember when I bought the printer thinking what a great deal I got. The thing cost about $100 and it can print, copy, scan and fax. I consider myself pretty computer savy. I was a computer tech in the Navy and have “messed with” computers ever since. What I didn’t consider when buying the printer was the cost of the replacement cartridges. Lucky for me I didn’t select a printer with the worst cost per page, but I could have. I just never thought about it.
We don’t like to consider counting the cost when we embark upon the Christian walk. If you are in just about any church on Sunday morning you would think that Christianity is just about saying a prayer or raising your hand or, in a real radical church, going forward to be prayed for. In our desire to add to our numbers, we sometimes minimize the cost of membership. When we do so we do a great disservice to the newbie. After just saying a prayer, or raising a hand, the new one may be excited for a bit, but soon when things don’t really change and he or she doesn’t “feel it” anymore. The problems begin.
It’s not surprising we do this with Christ. We do it with other relationships. Marriage is way down these days. We have convinced folks that we can have a relationship with a person of the opposite sex by just deciding it. There is no counting of the cost there, because we have minimized the cost. We go into it thinking, if it doesn’t work out I just walk out.
Such an attitude is sad when it comes to marriage, it’s tragic when it comes to the relationship that determines our eternity. “I never knew you” might be something a separated couple says to each other. They are words you don’t want to hear from anyone, but certainly not from the Lord of the Universe.
Review Jesus’ words again, “whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” He didn’t say, “just say a prayer” did He? We only mention baptism or carrying crosses occasionally. “Forsaking all” what in the world is that about?
The truly sad thing is that when you do count the cost, forsaking all is so worth it. You get based on what you give.
Give all and be blessed.
Nick
Be the first to reply