Exegetical outline

Luke 14: 25-35

I. Jesus taught the crowd the cost of discipleship

- the cost of discipleship is everything!
- loving Jesus above your family
- willingness to offer your life- taking up your cross

II. Jesus taught them to consider the cost of discipleship

- He taught it through illustrations
a. the builder
b. the king

III. Jesus taught them the gravity of not considering the cause
- he taught it through a metaphor
a. the metaphor of salt losing its saltiness - it means they will be
useless in the kingdom
- Jesus taught them to take hid of this teaching
Homiletical Outline

I. The Cost of Discipleship vv. 25-27

a. The cost of being a disciple is everything
- We cant be a disciple if we love others more than Jesus -26
- we cant be a disciple if we love ourselves more than Jesus 27
b. Paul speaks of losing everything for Jesus- Philippians 3:15-17

III. Consider the cost of Discipleship

a. Just a builder we don’t build without calculate the cost or expenses
b. Just like a king going to battle- we don’t fight without think the
ramifications of going to war

c.other biblical illustrations regarding counting the cost of discipleship

- Luke 9 57
- the first doesn’t really the know the cost of following
- the other is still waiting for his inheritance he will receive when his
fathers dies
- the last is indecisive to follow since he still thinks of his family

III. The implication of not considering the cost of discipleship

- Like the salt becoming useless when losing its saltiness, we also will
be useless if we cant truly represent Jesus
-

IV. Applications taken from this teaching

1. We should be willing to take risk for the sake of the kingdom

- we should be willing to give up our comfort when following Jesus
- you are willing to experience hardships because of your faith
- illust: Christians in the middle east who suffers persecution

2. Our effectiveness in the kingdom depends on our commitment to

Jesus
- You cannot say to Jesus that you can only give 70 percent/ God
demands 100% of your commitment

3. As someone who have considered the cost of discipleship, our faith

grew continuously since we are living a life of total surrender
- we are dependent of the Holy Spirit to work in our lives
- we always seek God’s will whenever decisions in life
Title: “Counting the Cost of Discipleship”
Intro:

- What does it mean to follow Jesus?

- we have been by televangelists that following Jesus is gaining
everything. By that they mean abundance of material possessions,
exemption to sickness, without emphasizing transformation of life.

- We need to know what discipleship really means. What does the bible
teaches about true discipleship for us to be able to do the will of God in
our lives.

I would like to bring to a familiar passage in the book of Luke where

Jesus taught the crowd of what it means to be follower and at the
same time encouraging to consider the cost of it.

Luke 14:25-35 ESV

25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to

them, 26 “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. 27 Whoever does not bear his
own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 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? 29 Otherwise, when he
has laid a 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 out to encounter another king in war,
will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten
thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty
thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he
 sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any
one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my
disciple.34 “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its
saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the
manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Transition: Let us dig in to the passages and extract some timeless

truths regarding discipleship.

Body:

I. The Cost of Discipleship- Luke 14:25-27

a. The cost of disciples is everything

- We cant be a disciple if we love others over Jesus -26
- we cant a disciple if we love ourselves more than Jesus 27
b. Paul speaks of losing everything for Jesus- Philippians 3:15-17

Transition: Let us consider the cost through this illustrations

II. Consider the cost of Discipleship - Luke 14:28-33

a. Just a builder we don’t build without calculate the cost or expenses

b. Just like a king going to battle- we don’t fight without think the
ramifications of going to war

c. other biblical illustrations regarding counting the cost of discipleship

- Luke 9 57
- the first doesn’t really the know the cost of following
- the other is still waiting for his inheritance he will receive when his
fathers dies
- the last is indecisive to follow since he still thinks of his family
Transition: Not taking time thinking out the cost will have implication in
our effectiveness to the cause of Christ

III. The implication of not considering the cost of

discipleship- Luke 14:33-35

- Like the salt becoming useless when losing its saltiness, we also will
be useless if we cant truly represent Jesus
- Illustration: Lots of pastors have committed a lot of atrocities in the
kingdom by committing grievous sins that not only cause disgrace to
themselves but the the universal church in general

IV. Applications taken from this teaching

1. We should be willing to take risk for the sake of the kingdom.

- we should be willing to give up our comfortable life when following
Jesus
- you are willing to experience hardships because of your faith
- illust: Christians in the middle east who suffers persecution

2. Our effectiveness in the kingdom depends on our commitment to

Jesus
- You cannot say to Jesus that you can only give 70 percent of your
commitment. God demands 100% of your commitment

3. As someone who have considered the cost of discipleship, our faith

grew continuously since we are living a life of total surrender.
- we are dependent of the Holy Spirit to work in our lives
- we always seek God’s will whenever decisions in life

Challenge:
1. Let us examine ourselves if we really understood the cost of the call
to follow Jesus.
- Are there something that hinders you to fully commit your life to
God? May it be a sin that you cannot give up or some weaknesses that
you are struggling with.

2. If you now considering counting the cost of discipleship.

God wants you to surrender whatever things that hinders you to follow
him. Its either a sin, temptation or some weaknesses that slows you
down your effectivity of being a follower of Jesus.
Let the love of Jesus embrace you as you walk with him daily. Taking
up the cross daily is not easy task, but the grace of Jesus is sufficient to
those who rely with him through the power of the Holy Spirit.

A. If you already considered counting the cost and is already following

Jesus.
- you need to be faithful in following of Jesus.
- help other believers in their calling to follow Jesus.
- represent Jesus wherever you are.

Closing Prayer:

As we come before You today, Heavenly Father, we appreciate the

weight and depth of discipleship. Help us understand the genuine cost,
the sacrifices that must be made, and the unshakable dedication that is
required. Give us discernment to discern the route You have chosen for
us, and give us the strength to bear our cross with courage. We confess
our weaknesses and beg for forgiveness for the times we fail in our
devotion. Fill us with Your Spirit so that we might live out our faith
authentically, reflecting Your grace and transformative power. Lord,
remind us of the tremendous blessings that come from following You
while we assess the cost, and may Your will be done in our lives. In the
name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.