Scripture: Luke 14:25-27

C.I.: In Our Lifestyle

In our series from the Gospel of Luke - we are noting things that require “Total Commitment” (e.g. faith…).
Today we will conclude – putting Jesus first in every part of our Lifestyle!!!

I. Qualities of a “Cross-Carrying Lifestyle,” (Luke 14:27-32)

A. The Impossibility of being a Disciple Without also Carrying a Cross, (vs. 27)

1. Imagine wanting to join some club/organization – that had an requirement that as part of your lifestyle you would carry around a sign - that describes you as a criminal worthy of death??!!!
a. (v. 27), “Whoever does not carry his own cross - and come after Me – cannot be My disciple.”
1) Up until this point in Luke – Jesus has nowhere spoken of His own impending cross.
2) But this is the second time - He has spoken of His followers taking up a cross.
3) (Lk. 9:23), “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
4) 9:23 how often we take up a cross (daily) – 14:27 how necessary it is to take up a cross!

b. Yet practically, what does this “cross-carrying lifestyle” look like? (Read “Dying to Self”)

c. But why did Jesus use the symbol of a cross? – Because a person’s Total Commitment to a cause
– is shown by their willingness to die for that cause.
1) The person who is unwilling to die – or who is ashamed of the cross – cannot be a disciple!
2) (Lk. 9:26), “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, - of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father & His holy angels.”
3) So Jesus is calling for us to make a decision – one to which we must be totally committed to following Him – no matter the cost!
4) “But Rick, if we tell this to people – they won’t want to become a follower of Jesus!”
5) Perhaps, so before they make their decision – there are two things Jesus asks us/them to do…

B. A Willingness to Count the Cost of Following Jesus, (vs. 28-30)

1. Jesus wants followers who have - first considered what it means to be a follower of Jesus!
a. (v. 28), “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?”
1) We all do this – it may not be a tower, but; a vacation, college tuition, car, home, etc.
2) Usually we have the money to do some things – we just don’t have enough to do everything!
3) So we make priorities: this car or that one, this university or that community college, etc.
4) Now if we are able to - budget our money for things that don’t last – can we not also budget our souls for the things that do??!
5) So now we ask ourselves - are we willing to live a totally committed, cross-carrying life for Jesus – or would we be too ashamed to do that?!!!

b. For the person who doesn’t first count the cost – they can later harm the work of the kingdom.
1) (vs. 29-30), “Otherwise, when he has a laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who
observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’”
2) Once we begin following Jesus – it is encumbent upon us – to finish what we start.
3) (Phil. 3:13-14; II Tim. 4:7-8), “One thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the upward goal of following Jesus.” – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; - in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the R. Judge will award…
4) Only those believers – who have calculated the cost of following Jesus no matter the price – will be accepted by Him into His eternal kingdom!

C. A Willingness to Surrender Our Lives to Jesus, (vs. 31-32)

1. These two verses probably apply to more people in this room than most other verses in the Bible!
a. (v. 31), “Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and take counsel whether he is strong enough with 10,000 men to encounter the one coming against him with 20,000?!”
1) Building a tower cost us time, effort and money. – Going to battle could cost us our lives!
2) The odds are certainly stacked against the one king – and things don’t look good for him.

b. Now let us look at what Jesus is really saying to us…
1) YOU are the king with 10,000! – You don’t stand a chance against the other King (JESUS)!!
2) But… how often have we found ourselves fighting against God???
a) We want to keep some sin in our lives – yet struggle with the guilt that comes with it.
b) We want to keep dressing, speaking, enjoying what we do – yet know it is wrong.
c) We know we should be living differently – yet are afraid to try.

c. The right move for us to make – is to raise the white flag and accept the terms He offers…
1) (v. 32), “Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks terms of pe.
2) A day is coming when it will be too late – time to ask God’s terms is before the day arrives.
3) The terms of peace are quite simple – TOTAL UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!
4) We can only when – if we are willing to surrender! – For as long as we continue to fight against the Lord – WE WILL LOSE!

CONCLUSIONS:

1. Jesus calls for those who would be His followers – to be totally committed (the cross is a symbol of
this). - It is by our taking up a cross daily – that our lives are transformed from death to life!

2. But in order for this transformation to take place:
a. We must calculate the cost of following Jesus.
b. We must be unconditionally surrendered to His will - those areas that keep us from living for Him!

3. If you are ready to die to sin & self – and to live for Jesus – God says to you, (Quote Rom. 6:1-4).