Coffee With The Lord

SALVATION IS BY “GRACE ALONE” – God’s free gift through faith in Christ! (Ephesians 2:8-9)  DISCIPLESHIP, HOWEVER, IS NOT FOR “WIMPS”! (Luke 14:25-33)

“Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “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.  Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.  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? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’  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?  And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.  So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

Three key figures of speech dominate this passage dealing with the cost of discipleship…

“HATE” – not literal hatred, or the meaning would violate other passages that demand that we “love.”  The sense seems to be that in comparison to our love for God and our commitment to follow His will regardless of the cost, all other relationships are “hated” (i.e. there is no comparison).

“BEAR HIS OWN CROSS” – Those followers of Jesus who have had to actually die on a cross, like their Savior, have been rare!  The meaning that appears to be intended here focus on the depth of our self-renunciation in order to follow Christ and do His will.  We “die to self” in order to follow Christ completely (Romans 6:5-14)

“COUNT THE COST” – This figure of speech and its intended meaning is reinforced by two other images:  First, the appropriate consideration of the cost of building a tower before beginning to build it.  Secondly, the image of warfare and the importance of weighing carefully whether there are enough resources at the disposal of the “king” to defeat the enemy and win a victory.

So the point is, “DISCIPLESHIP IS NOT FOR WIMPS!”  Jesus put it this way at the end of the passage: “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple!” 

My response?  I’ve heard Your call Lord, and I’ve seriously considered the cost… I still choose to be Your disciple!  How about you?

Ever try to do something really nice and extra special for someone and they act like they’re too busy – they give you all kinds of flimsy excuses – they act like they really “couldn’t care less”?  It’s frustrating!!  It’s insulting and rude!!  It can “tick you off”!!

There’s a story like that in the Bible.  Jesus had been invited to eat at the house of an important religious leader.  During the meal, someone at the meal remarked, “Blessed (enviably privileged) is the person who will eat at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven!”

Now to process this story, you really have to understand all that the word “banquet” or “feast” represented in ancient Semitic culture – it was a very special, celebratory event!  And you also must have some understanding of Jesus’ use of the term “the Kingdom of God or Heaven” from a Biblical point of view. 

Just let me say, we’re not talking about “meat and ‘tators” here – not even “prime rib and key lime pie”!  (“The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit according to Romans 14.17-18 ESV)  We’re talking here about an incredible spiritual reality!  One that will have its ultimate glorious consummation in the future, but also one that can be experienced and entered into “this side of heaven” when an individual accepts the invitation of Jesus Christ to “enter into it” – it’s both a present and a future reality!

So, here’s the story Jesus told that day in the Pharisee’s house when he was invited for dinner…

“A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses! One said… Another said… And another said…  The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’  After the servant had done this, he returned and reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. None of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet!’” (Luke 14:16-24 NLT)

Now it seems to me there are a couple of lessons for me from this story (probably more)…

I NEVER, I mean NEVER, want to treat God’s invitation to enter Kingdom blessing lightly, or offer flimsy excuses – I want to give His invitation and offer my highest priority!  I want to say “YES”!  I want to embrace God’s best for my life in Christ Jesus!  I want all God offers me!  Don’t you?!

I realize that there have been a lot of people who have rejected God’s offer in Christ Jesus!  I admit, I don’t understand that!  But I’m not going to let that keep me from urging others – in fact, anyone else who will listen – to accept it!  I intend to “go out quickly into the streets and alleys and bring in…” anyone who will accept God’s offer in Christ Jesus! … I intend to… “go out to the roads and country lanes and compel others to come in, so that His house will be full.”

Hey, the invitation is out there… Jesus says, “Come!  Everything is now ready!” What are you going to do?  How are you going to respond?

What the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us… A wonderful “sip” of truth!!!

“You, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him!” (Colossians 1:21–22 ESV)