LUKE
14: 28-32
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
28 Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. What is
the first thing you will do? Won’t you sit down and figure out how much it will
cost and if you have enough money to pay for it? 29 Otherwise, you will start
building the tower, but not be able to finish. Then everyone who sees what is
happening will laugh at you. 30 They will say, “You started building, but could
not finish the job.”
31 What will a king do if he has only ten thousand
soldiers to defend himself against a king who is about to attack him with
twenty thousand soldiers? Before he goes out to battle, won’t he first sit down
and decide if he can win?
32 If he thinks
he won’t be able to defend himself, he will send messengers and ask for peace
while the other king is still a long way off.
Erecting a stately building is costly, and waging war against an
opponent who is obviously stronger is dangerous. Likewise, it costs to follow Jesus; but in
spite of dangers that disciples may have to face, total dependence on Jesus
will guarantee salvation. See Job 22:21:
2 Cor. 6:2
Rejection is an
indispensable condition of following Christ, required for accurately counting
the true cost of allegiance to Him. This condition of full and selfless service
to God demands our hearts and minds, not just our bodies. In Luke
14:28-32, two parables and an exhortation urge us to forsake all that
we have as a mandatory condition to becoming Christ's disciples. One main
lesson is emphasized in these scriptures: the
nature and influence of true discipleship.
Now, if you go up
two (2) verses before arriving at v. 28, and one verse after verse 32, there is
stated three times (verses 26, 27, 33) the commanding assertion is "cannot
be My disciple." One who faithfully follows Christ must be
prepared to hate—or more accurately, "love less"—his father, mother,
wife, and children, as well as his own life. Loyalty to Jesus Christ and God
the Father must be above even the highest loyalties of earthly love, that is,
all our love of self must be subordinate to our love for God, who must be first
in our life.
1. Is that which costs nothing worth anything? Luke 14:25-27.
Scripture Observation: When King David needed to build an altar to the
Lord, he would not accept the free gift of the threshing floor because it cost
him nothing (2 Samuel 24:21-25). To David, a sacrifice was worthless if it
cost the offerer nothing. The
discipleship to which Christ calls us means a life of surrender to God's will
and sacrifice for His cause. If we count the cost of a full submission to
Christ's claim on us, we also must count on His grace and help to become one
with Him. His disciples do not make the journey to His Kingdom for free—it costs
them their lives.
The costliness of
commitment to God's will is seen in the example of Jesus. He requires nothing
of us that He Himself has not done. Christ lived with the humiliation and agony
that often accompanies living according to the will of God. Both the Father and
the Son counted the cost before proceeding with their plan for the salvation of
humanity. In being sent into the world, Jesus knew ahead of time what it would
take to accomplish the divine goal. He left His Father's house to build His church
so that the gates of Hades could never prevail against it
(Matthew
16:18).
2. What is the significance of the tower-builder? Luke 14:28-30.
Scripture Observation: This parable contains three principles: 1) The truth
is a costly thing; 2) before we enter into God's way of life, we should
estimate the cost; and, 3) whatever it costs, it is worth it. Although it
pleases Jesus when a person is called and responds with zeal (2 Corinthians 7:11), He is far too humble and wise to pride
Himself on the numbers of converted. Instead, He cares for quality rather than
quantity, and He promotes truth and loathes counterfeits.
A builder who does
not count the cost before laying the foundation is humiliated as a disgraceful
failure, yet an unfinished life is far more tragic than a rock foundation
without a building. Jesus warns, "No one, having put his hand to the plow,
and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). Thus, failure
to count the cost of following Christ results in an incomplete life.
"Holding fast to the word of life" is part of the solution for
finishing one's life successfully (Philippians 2:16).
3. What is the significance of a king going to war? Luke 14:31-32.
Scripture Observation: The parable of a king going to war continues the
theme of the previous parable: Both must count the cost. The king has to
estimate men's lives, as well as money and equipment. He knows he must have
resolve and fortitude to enter the battle. The king represents Jesus, who has already
counted and paid the cost in His flesh, setting us an example. As King, Jesus
must choose just the right people for the battle—those who will listen and obey
with determination. He must test the quality of His potential soldiers to
determine whether they can be used for such an important task.
The king also
represents the saints battling against spiritual enemies (Ephesians 6:12). In preparation to be kings in the Kingdom, the
saints must also count the cost of their lives. Solomon says, "By wise counsel
wage war" (Proverbs 20:18), so with good advice we must enter upon
religious dedication. We must be willing to be driven to triumph over Satan,
the world, and our own human nature. Perseverance, endurance, willpower, and
willingness to sacrifice are all traits of a king in time of crisis.
Meditation
Calculating
the cost is important before undertaking any
serious project. The “tower” could be a watchtower or a farm building. That one
must “sit down” points to a
careful and unhurried process.
In
Christ,
Playwright Janet Irene Thomas
Founder/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre of
Fine & Performing Arts
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