“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?” (Lk. 14:28).
Jesus was marching to Jerusalem to be crucified. Legions of people were traveling with Him. He began a discipleship teaching with His words that would find their consummation in His blood.
All inordinate loves rip one away from Christ. Everyone is occupied by inordinate loves. The predicament is not in their occupation, but rather in their hearts.
Discipleship is not embraced by anyone who loves any person, any agenda or any thing, even his own life, more than he loves Jesus. This principle is illustrated by the heavenly war described in Revelation 12:7-12. Michael and his angels defeated Satan and he was cast down to earth. Satan was defeated “because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death” (v.11). The angels’ love for their own lives was not as vital as their love for Jesus – that is the level of engagement you must sustain.
Saints are not called to partial spiritual commitment. If you are not abandoned in your love for the Lord Jesus Christ, you will receive slight assurance from the Holy Spirit that you are “in Christ.” Many professing Christians refuse to allow their faith to play so pivotal a role in their commercial lives as to risk losing a customer, business associate or sale. They shun the opportunities God brings their way to strengthen their faith, transform their culture and nurture those within their sphere of influence.
Martyrdom of self for Christ is not optional for the believer.
Christians are those graced by God with His Holy Spirit. From the moment of your conversion, God expects you to build a tower of discipleship. What are the hard costs you will have to pay to construct your discipleship tower?
Jesus says the calculable costs are carrying your own cross and coming after Him (Lk. 14:27). The cross was the incomparable instrument of death – it still is. Just as the ancient cross-bearers shamefully carried their crosses before the eyes of their culture, so must you. You are to bear Jesus’ name to a wretched society tragically ashamed of Him. There is no employment for private Christianity. Closeted Christianity finds no domicile in Christ’s disciples.
God does not recognize cheap Christianity – it is not for sale. The value of Christianity is non-negotiable. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (Jn. 12:24).
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