Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ²⁷  “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

 ²⁸  “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?

 ²⁹  “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him,

 ³⁰  saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’

 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 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.”  Luke 14:25-33.  

After our Scripture yesterday in which “the poor and crippled and blind and lame” were brought into the kingdom of heaven and in which others were also compelled to come in, this Scripture seems particularly hard in contrast.  And, I  think that was the intention;  it was no coincidence.

This Scripture for today protects us.  When we read about irresistible grace, we can be tempted by laziness and smugness.  But, this Scripture reminds us of the cost of discipleship and protects us from these temptations.   

I am also reminded of the following two parables which also point out the cost as the Scripture for today, but these parables also point out the value of such investment.  “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again;  and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”  Matthew 13:44.  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”  Matthew 13:45-46.

We read in the beginning of today’s Scripture:  “Now large crowds were going along with Him”.  It is easy to follow “a bandwagon”.  We can easily imagine that there were curiosity seekers who were tempted into thinking that just by following Jesus, that they were disciples. 

For us today, it may be easy to follow for a while.  We may be entertained by some of the worship services.  We may see our friends, even family.  We may tap our feet to the music.  We may like some of the messages that we hear.  We may like the fellowship hour snacks.

But, as this Scripture reminds us, there is a cost to discipleship.  Discipleship costs us all that we have.  “And He said to him, “What is written in the Law?  How does it read to you?”  And he answered, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  And He said to him, “You have answered correctly;  DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.” ”  Luke 10:26-28.  

We cannot love God, as we should, in our own strength.  We cannot love our neighbor, as we should, in our own strength.  In summary, we cannot pay this cost of discipleship and give up all of our own possessions, nor obey the ten commandments and all the law as we should, in our own strength.