COUNTING THE COST
TEXT: LUKE 14:25-35
INTRODUCTION:
1. We live in a world filled with problems (Rom 1). 2. Even congregations of the church sometimes encounter problems.3. Paul's answer to the problem."Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those who are of the household of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." (I Cor 1:10-12)
"And I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling." (I Cor 2:3)
"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" (I Cor 3:1-3)
4. Note that "wisdom" was for the mature."And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." (I Cor 2:1-2).
5. We will never be mature until we understand Christ as Lord. "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." (I Cor 2:2)"However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who ar coming to nothing." (I Cor 2:6).
"For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." (II Cor 4:5)
DISCUSSION:
I. Why we preach Christ as Lord:A. Because of Who he is.
1. God.
"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;" (Col 2:9)
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." (Col 1:15)
2. Creator.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." (John 1:1-4)
"For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him." (Col 1:16)
3. Sustainer.
"And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." (Col 1:17)
4. Preeminent.
"And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." (Col 1:18)
B. Because of the Signs he performed.
"And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:30-31)
1. Power over Disease.
"Now when the sun was setting, all those who had anyone sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them." (Luke 4:40)
2. Power over Satan.
"And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, 'You are the Christ, the Son of God!' And He rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ." (Luke 4:41)
3. Power over Death (Luke 7:11-16)
4. Power over Nature (Luke 8:22-25)
5. Lord over Physical Things (Luke 9:12-21)
II. What it means to follow Jesus as Lord.A. Take up the cross.
"And He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what advantage is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses himself or is cast away? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.'" (Luke 9:23-26)
B. Should first count the cost (Luke 14:25-35).
III. What right does He have to make these claims?A. He is God. (Col 1:15-18) see above.
B. He paid the price.
IV. Specific areas of cost."For the love of Christ constrains us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we know no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (II Cor 5:14-17)
A. Be filled with knowledge of Christ.
"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (Col 1:9).
B. Walk worthy of Him
"that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;" (Col 1:10).
C. Colossians tells us how to "walk worthy."
1. Beware of false religion (2:8, 18-23).
2. Seek things above (3:1-4).
3. Deny fleshly lust (3:5).
4. Money (3:5).
5. Put on new man (3:12-17).
6. Make Christ Lord of your family (3:18-21).
7. Lord of your job (3:22-41).
8. Lord of your time (4:5).
9. Lord of your speech (4:6).