Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke 14. This morning we saw where Jesus had been invited to supper at the Chief Pharisees home. Now Jesus has left that home. He is headed to Jerusalem to give His life for our sins. Jesus is “all in” for our salvation. In the message tonight, Jesus addresses the commitment of the believer. These are words that you will rarely hear from the pulpits of America. But these are Christ’s Words, and true Words. Let’s read the section, then we’ll break it down.

Luke 14:25-33 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold 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, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

As Jesus prepared to go to the Cross of Calvary, He understood the bigger picture. Jesus did not dumb down what He was saying to get more followers. Too many pastors have dumbed down the Gospel message in order to get large followings and big buildings.

The Gospel that Jesus preached never – NEVER – said that salvation was like a free sample at Sam’s Club. The Gospel that Jesus preached demanded commitment to God, commitment to His Son. The Gospel that saves demands wholehearted love to the Savior.

Several years ago I heard a preacher attempt to explain away this text. After all, if salvation is a free gift, then it expects nothing of you. So he began to say tell us that there are two levels of salvation. There is the first level where you are saved by faith in Christ – but don’t have to do anything afterwards. Then there is the second level where you go on to be a disciple of Christ. He explained that “you can be saved, but not a disciple”.

This is not what the Scripture teaches.

A “Disciple” is a student, a follower of Christ. The Apostle said in:

Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.

and 1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

The First Word In Salvation Is “REPENT”
To “Repent” Is To Change Who Or What You Are Following

When Jesus started preaching following His baptism, He ALWAYS preached REPENTANCE. Here are just a few instances:

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 9:13 … I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Matthew 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

Mark 2:17 … They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

In order to be saved, the first thing that the convert to Christ must do is REPENT. To repent does not mean “to feel sorry for” yourself. I means to reorient your lifestyle – to choose to follow another. When you REPENT you stop trusting in the things and gods of this world, and cast yourselves upon Jesus.

As Jesus left the Chief Pharisees home, large crowds were following Him. We read:

Luke 14:25-26 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

All of these people who followed Jesus, followed for different reasons.

Some believed He was Messiah, and followed Him.
Others believed He would liberate Israel, and followed Him.
Some had infirmities they wanted healed, so they followed.
Others were just curious, and wanted to see something entertaining.

Jesus is in a position that many pastors I know would want to be in. I remember reading a book a few years ago where a certain pastor “opened for Bono”, and bragged about the large crowds. Many, many pastors and Churches would be thrilled to have packed services! But Jesus turns, and rather than encouraging the crowds throws a pitcher of cold water on it.

“If you come to Me, You must love Me much more than you love your closest relatives. You must MISEO, “Hate” those closest to you. I demand your fullest love!”

When Jesus uses the word “hate” here, He does not mean that we should despise those closest to us. Our God has never promoted hatred. In the Old Testament God said:

Leviticus 19:18 …. thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.

We are to love people in proximity to ourselves. We are to be a people who do good. Jesus told us:

Matthew 5:43-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, LOVE your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

What Jesus IS saying is that our love for Him must be so much greater than the love we have for others, that in comparison it will seem that we “hate” those closest to us. God has always demanded that we love God Himself with our ALL.

Matthew 22:37-40 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

When you come to Jesus to be saved, you are to MAKE GOD FIRST. What Jesus says must be more important to you than what your Facebook Friend says. What Jesus has commanded must be more valuable to you than what your parents think, or your siblings. In fact, salvation is only secured when Jesus Christ is the most loved and important person in your whole life. He is greater than your own life.

The genuine Christian is a person who has fallen in love with Jesus – and He is easy to love. Once we are saved by faith in Him we seek His voice, we love His presence, we adore Him for what He did for us on Calvary. We love Jesus first and foremost. We love God with our ALL. We were lost and undone, and able to bring ourselves to God. Jesus Christ died so that He might bring us to God. The Apostle said:

1 Peter 3:8-18 … Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Jesus Christ died and rose again so that He might bring us to God. If you are saved, you are a child of God. This relationship means more to you than even your own life. You are bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20) so that you can glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which belongs to God! As Christians “you are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19). You are a child of the King. You belong to the Kingdom of God!

The Child Of God, Saved By Faith, Bears His Cross

Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Before I was saved, the Cross was a nice piece of jewelry worn around the neck.

The Heartlight Devotional notes: “Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it many years ago: “When Christ calls a man, he calls him to follow him to a cross and die.” Bonhoeffer paid that cost when he died at the hands of the Nazis in WWII. Our commitment to Christ isn’t a simple thing that happens just between our ears. Jesus warns us not to pretend to follow. He cautions us that our commitment must be heartfelt and soul-deep and that there is a cost that comes with following him. Jesus calls us to count the cost and then to follow him.”

Being saved can cost your relationships.
Being saved can cost your life.
Being saved means to carry the Cross.
The disciple of Christ – the saved person – carries the Cross daily.

When you “bear His Cross”, you are occupied with it daily. The Christian makes much of the Cross of Christ because it is the only means by which we can become children of God. Jesus was quite adamant about the Cross:

Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

The Christian willingly carries the Cross of Christ daily. We are not compelled to do so. We cling to the Cross because it is by the Cross we are saved. Our sins were a barrier between us and God – our sins kept us from His presence. But Jesus Christ went to the Cross to give His life for ours. He did something for us that we could not do. No sinner can make make themselves right before God. But God can make us right before God. God did this through His Only Begotten Son.

Luke 9:23 And {Jesus} said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross DAILY, and follow me.

To the world, the Cross is no more than an ornament, a piece of jewelry. But to the Christian, the Cross is our pardon.

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Count The Cost, Because Jesus Calls You To Be All In

Luke 14:28-33 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold 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, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Contrary to much of the “easy believism” preaching of today, Jesus tells that crowd – and us – to “count the cost” of following Him. There is a cost in following Jesus. Let me give you a few point:

• When you follow Jesus, you will no longer follow the world. When you say “yes” to Jesus, He, through the Spirit of God, will change your allegiances. The Bible says:

Colossians 1:10-14 that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12 giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

When I gave my life to Jesus, I lost my old friends, my old ways, my old habits. Oh, I did not become perfect by any means. I still mess up. But my King is no longer peer pressure, but Him Who died for me on Calvary. My King is not to please others, but to please Him. The Bible chastises the Christian who lives to please the world, saying:

James 4:4-10 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Christians are to be friendLY to everyone. We are to LOVE those around us. But we are nonetheless to STAND AGAINST the ways of darkness. It was sin and darkness that caused our Savior to go to Calvary. We do not justify sin. We do not condone sin. I am often bemused when I read about some Contemporary Christian artist who is asked,

“Do you believe that only those who believe in
Jesus Christ will go to Heaven?”

I have seen it time and time against. When asked that question, they hem and haw. They try to get around it with a non-commital “Well, I don’t make judgments”. Beloved, you are either a disciple of Christ or a disciple of the world. Only the disciple of Christ will be in Heaven one day. Did not our Lord say:

John 14:6 I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: No man cometh unto the Father BUT BY ME.

Did not the early Church preach:

Acts 4:10-12 be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The world will never like the message of Christ – yet this is the message of salvation. The only door into Heaven is through faith in Jesus. Faith in Christ demands that you make a decision: You can follow the world, or you can follow Jesus. You cannot stand between two points: Jesus will not allw you to do so.

Beloved, Christ bids us all to Heaven, to the Kingdom Banquet. He has paid the price. He has secured the invitation for us. Will you come to Him? To be saved is to turn toward Jesus and lay your life down at His feet. As Dr. Bob Utley said:

“The gospel is absolutely free, but it costs everything that we are and have (cf. Matthew 13:44-46).”

Dr. Thomas Constable states in his commentary:

“Salvation guarantees heaven, but it also calls for complete commitment to Jesus, not to secure heaven but to express gratitude for heaven.”

God gives Himself for us when we give ourselves to Him. This is what salvation is. And this is what God calls whosoever will to. Oh Beloved, if you do not know the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior, today would be a wonderful; day to give your lives to Him. But there is one final thing we must discuss before I close this message.

The Christian Is To Be Salt

Luke 14:33-35 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Christian is called to be salt. Food without salt is tasteless. We bless society when we do as Jesus said – we stand firmly in faith following Him. I submit that one of the reason America has so fallen into darkness is because too few Christians have been salt. Beloved, America needs us to stand up and profess the truths that Christ professed. The Christian who does not believe Jesus Christ is Lord is probably not a Christian in the first place. The Bible says:

Romans 10:8-13 the word of faith, which we preach; 9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Salvation does not begin until you “confess with your mouth the LORD Jesus”, or as some versions read, “Jesus is Lord”. Is He Lord of your life? If not, then you are probably not saved. Those who are saved acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord.