The Cost of Discipleship (Luke 14:25-35)

What does it mean to be a Christian? Different people will give you different answers. Even among Christians, there is disagreement. Some will tell you that it is equivalent with having a certain background, mostly European, probably white, and from the west, culturally. Some will tell you it means that you are baptized (usually as a baby) and you do what the church tells you. Some will tell you that it means that you espouse a certain worldview and believe “correctly.” They are all wrong, according to Jesus.

Jesus never had a racial/national understanding of His followers. (He started with the Jews but quickly sent His followers after the nations after the resurrection.) He established a church, but not as an institution, but rather the organic body made up of His followers. And He never limited His message to an intellectual assertion.

Jesus offered submission to a Kingdom. He called for disciples, followers. And here, as recorded by Luke, we see what He had in mind for disciples.

Disciples of Jesus love Him so much that their other loves and relationships are hatred by comparison. Disciples of Jesus carry a cross. (And when He said this, He had not been crucified. Imagine how that phrase must have sounded to the people.) To decide to follow Jesus carries a cost. So much so, that Jesus called on people to consider that cost before following Him. As in, “You might not have what it takes.” In fact, no one does. To be a follower of Jesus means to do something you are incapable of, but that God will help you accomplish if you trust Him and persevere through the trials.

To be a disciple of Jesus means to surrender your own plans, desires, and hopes in exchange for the better plans God has designed you for. But it still means giving up everything.

And it is this quality—total surrender—that characterizes a disciple of Jesus. Not a nationality, not a list of rules, not a statement of faith. So, how are you doing?