LUKE 14:25-35 "CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE" To be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ means we must be willing to submit to Christ's terms. Family life is interrupted when one is willing to follow the Lord. There is a certain sense of fear when we read how His path of obedience affects others for whom we have personal care. A disciple and his cares must be dealt with in view of the Lord's call to follow Him. We can with confidence "cast our care upon Him" knowing He cares for us and each of those people to whom we have responsibility. Family life in itself is important to God, so in this scripture the Lord is not saying that it is of little value. The issue at stake here has to do with loyalty. The highest worth of all that claims our loyalty on earth is our family. They claim our affections, our time, our energy, our love and our devotion. We are loyal to them and stand with them in times of difficulty, distress and despair. To be a disciple of the Lord Jesus means when a decision must be made as to what I must do, I will trust Him with full confidence to care for them, and I must follow where He leads me.
But there are other terms to be met as well. To bear my own cross does not necessarily mean I have some incurable sickness, pain or stress that I cannot lose and it makes me uncomfortable. And it does not mean I bear the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Only He could bear that cross. It does mean I evaluate my own life and empty it of things that are self-centered in motive and yield to a sacrificial life and service for the Lord. And there is more yet to yield - my own life. I have to give consideration as to what I estimate my life is worth. When any suffering I might have, any strength I might exercise, any sympathy I might show is directed to others for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ and their well-being, then I am acting as a disciple, and it moves me to personal commitment to my Lord, to do His will.
The terms of discipleship are severe. These are not a casual walk in the park among sweet smelling roses. Do I really want to bear my own cross? Am I able to do this for my Lord and Master? Am I willing to take this step, in faith and really follow Him? To count the cost of discipleship goes way beyond what is promised in the "prosperity Gospel" that some preach today. They say you don't have to give up anything. Just receive Christ and His salvation and all that He has will be added to what you already have. When there is true repentance toward God because of the consciousness of sin and guilt, then faith in Christ becomes real to us. There is no counterfeiting the cost of bearing the cross. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord and he will find mercy, and to our God and He will abundantly pardon." This does not indicate in any way a casual stroll by the cross and genuflecting towards the Lord for salvation. When we count the cost and the effect of bearing one's own cross and following Christ, this is not some light-weight decision. This is full surrender to the Lord on His terms.
A builder counts the cost of completing the work before he starts. Those hearing the words of the Lord in that large crowd would be challenged to consider what they really wanted and what they were willing to pay or endure to follow Him. There is a building program going on in the world and the Lord wants those who follow Him to be those He can count on. They will be there building stone by stone into the work of building the church - each and every day. They have considered what it means to be a disciple and are willing to pay the price. When the battle for souls is on, they are there doing their part. Building is a choice we make. A battle is something that is thrust on us that we can't avoid. When we surrender to Christ's terms, we will be willing to meet the terms of forsaking all, following our Lord and are fit for service for Him.
When the Lord Jesus Christ concluded this teaching, He used salt as an illustration. Salt was used in the Old Testament times for covenant making indicating the lasting nature of entering into a covenant with another person. It was not used as casual element of covenant making. It was also used in the sacrifices the priests offered showing the eternal value of Christ's sacrifice. For those priests who ate from those sacrifices, the salt gave an enjoyment and appreciation for what was given. The heart of a true disciple always values and shows appreciation for the Lord Jesus Christ. This appreciation does not go away nor decay, but our consideration of Him keeps us free from moral corruption and defilement.
We may never know the value of every single act. We might not understand when we make with Him a pact - That to follow Christ will leads us to places we don't know - As disciples of the Lord, where He sends us, we must go.
We may wonder about our family as to how they will fare. We might worry that they think we for them don't care. To follow Christ means I place them in His gracious hands - And trusting Him to care for them, does more then the best I can.
We may think all I've been trained for has quickly gone to waste. We might never the prestige and power of leadership ever taste. To follow Christ puts my future hopes on treasure that is above - And surrendering to Him means my life is now lived in His love.
We may consider the cost to pay following Him is high indeed. We must never think that following means I will never bleed. To follow Him means I will have pain in body, soul and spirit. As a disciple following the Master, He will give me strength to bear it.
We may think the conditions are high, why not a little lower. We might wish the challenges are less and a little bit slower. To follow Christ means forsaking all, and in faith and loyalty - As a disciple every action is to give Him all glory for eternity.
We may never know on earth the value of what we have done. We might not realize down here the glory for Christ that has won. To follow Christ is reward enough for those who appreciate salvation. As a disciple, following His steps is my own act of consecration.
"Heavenly Father, all the things done here on earth seem so trivial compared to all the glory I see when I look up to Thy throne. If there is any way I can please Thee and honor my Lord this day - please lead me to it and guide and empower me in it for the
name's sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."