Luke 14:31-33

Rachel Workman: ³¹ “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? ³² And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. ³³ So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

Do you have what it takes to face the things the disciples faced? They were not allowed to take money. They had nowhere to sleep. They faced persecution and even death. They were solely dependent on what God provided. Which I can assure you is much scarier than it sounds. I now solely depend on God but it took many years of suffering to get there.

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John Burnett:  ³¹ Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³² Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends ^[a]a delegation and asks for terms of peace. ³³ So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.  The cost was high but these men dropped all they had to follow Christ. 

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Mike Grimm:  ¹ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³ In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

Jesus is saying, Consider ahead of time whether or not you are willing to become his follower. It will take everything you have and more. Discipleship will figure in every future decision of your life. The will of God will be first in your priority from now on. If you don't have the ability or willingness to give following Jesus you all, then don't begin. Don't move toward a battle that you will surely lose. Figure out your resources and what you are willing to commit ahead of time. If you don't have it, don't commit your forces. Without enough strength they'll be chewed up, destroyed. Halfway measures aren't adequate. It must be all or nothing.

What does it mean to give up everything? We see this attitude personified in some famous disciples:

·        Peter, James, and John leave their nets (5:11).

·        Levi leaves his lucrative tax collecting business (5:27-28).

·        Zacchaeus gives half his fortune to the poor (19:8).

·        The Rich Young Ruler is unwilling to renounce his wealth and follow, and goes sadly away (18:22).

What is there that keeps us from following fully? What must we commit to Christ's cause so that we don't come up short and are recaptured by it? Money held the Rich Young Ruler's heart. What has a hold on ours?

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Tomorrow’s reading for Luke 14:34-35

³⁴ “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? ³⁵ Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”