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. 

 ¹⁸  “But they all alike began to make excuses.  The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it;  please consider me excused.’

 ¹⁹  “Another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out;  please consider me excused.’

 ²⁰  “Another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’

 ²¹  “And the slave came back and reported this to his master.  Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’

 ²²  “And the slave said, ‘Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’

 ²³  “And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.

 ²⁴  ‘For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.'”  Luke 14:16-24.

This Scripture for today teaches us the need for “irresistible grace”, the “I” in “TULIP”.  Although many were invited, none came.  “But they all alike began to make excuses.”  There was the need to “compel”.

“as it is written,
         “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 
    THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
         THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; 
    ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
         THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
         THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”  Romans 3:10-12. 

“Where is the wise man?  Where is the scribe?  Where is the debater of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”  1 Corinthians 1:20-21. 

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,”  Ephesians 2:1. 

We may bristle against the thought of “compel”.  We may not like this doctrine of “irresistible grace”.  But, because of this spiritually dead condition of man described as “total depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, “irresistible grace” is the only opportunity and provision of God for salvation.   

Salvation “… does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”  Romans 9:16.  “For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”  Romans 9:15. 

Jesus said in John 6:44:  “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;  and I will raise him up on the last day.”

So then, why do we rely on our own wisdom and skill in presenting good invitations to others?  Why do we rely on the wisdom and skill of others in accepting these good invitations?  Why do we preach and teach “a gospel” based on the wisdom of man?

The Scripture for today ends with a warning.  ” ‘For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.’ ”  Luke 14:24. 

In case we breeze by this warning, Galatians 1:6-9 confirms the importance of understanding and preaching and teaching the true gospel.  “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;  which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!  As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”

Calvin in his Commentary about these verses states in part: 

“… They were removed from Christ; not that they entirely rejected Christianity, but that the corruption of their doctrines was such as to leave them nothing more than an imaginary Christ.  …

On the same principle, he calls it another gospel, that is, a gospel different from the true one. And yet the false apostles professed that they preached the gospel of Christ; but, mingling with it their own inventions, by which its principal efficacy was destroyed, they held a false, corrupt, and spurious gospel. …

The gospel of Christ. To know what are the leading points of the gospel, is a matter of unceasing importance. When these are attacked, the gospel is destroyed. …

It is impossible, no doubt, for angels from heaven to teach anything else than the certain truth of God. But when the credit due to doctrines which God had revealed concerning the salvation of men was the subject of controversy, he did not reckon it enough to disclaim the judgment of men, without declining, at the same time, the authority of angels.  …”

Here is the full commentary – Click here: Commentary on Galatians and Ephesians | Christian Classics Ethereal Library

In conclusion, “TULIP” also known as the Five Points of Calvinism presents in a nutshell, the true gospel, the true doctrine of salvation.  “TULIP” gives all the glory to God for salvation.  As Calvin stated:  “The gospel of Christ. To know what are the leading points of the gospel, is a matter of unceasing importance. When these are attacked, the gospel is destroyed. …”  Let us pause and meditate on the Scripture for today including the final warning.

 ¹⁴  and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”  Luke 14:12-14. 

It is hard for us, regular folk, to even imagine such a thing for even a plain potluck dinner.  “But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind”.   

Now, think of a king.  Only a few of the top class of citizens of a kingdom get the privilege to be around him.  But, to be at a king’s feast, you have to be the very best.

So, what does our King of Kings do for His heavenly reception (the best party of all time)?  We will read just a few verses later in this same chapter of Luke 14 that He commands His slave:  ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’  Luke 14:23.

 ⁸  “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him,

 ⁹  and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place.

 ¹⁰  “But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you.

 ¹¹  “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

There are 10 verses which contain the word “humility” according to this keyword search by BiblewayGateway.com. Click here: BibleGateway.com – Keyword Search: humility .  There are also more verses which contain the word “humble” like today’s Scripture.  Moreover, other Scriptures may use neither word but still also contribute to this teaching on the importance of humility and that warn against pride. 

But, for today’s devotion, it is enough for us to meditate upon today’s Scripture and these 10 verses.     

 ³  And Jesus answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?”

 ⁴  But they kept silent.  And He took hold of him and healed him, and sent him away.

 ⁵  And He said to them, “Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?”

 ⁶  And they could make no reply to this.”  Luke 14:1-6.

It is first striking that verse 3 states that Jesus “answered”.  Where was the question?  But, on closer examination, we read in verse 1 that “they were watching Him closely”.  Jesus perceived that the Pharisees’ attitude was so thick with accusatory questions, He indeed “answered”.

So, how did Jesus answer them?  Jesus answered them with questions.  First, he questioned them:  “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?”.  Second, he questioned them:  “Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?”.

But, Jesus did more than answer them with questions.  Jesus confronted them and their legalistic attitude through the healing the man which served both as an answer and an inferred question. “And they could make no reply to this.”  They could make no reply to either the express questions or to the act of healing which also served as an answer and an inferred question.     

The importance of this analysis is that as Christians, we too will be watched closely.  We too will face attitudes thick with accusatory questions.  We too may not directly hear the questions, but we will need to answer those “questions” (that is, questioning attitudes) by both our words and actions.

But, there is hope.  “But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.”  Matthew 10:19

But, there is also more than words that we will say that will serve as answers to questions.  “Our actions may speak louder than our words.”  And our actions will also answer and confront and question.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.  For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;  to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.  And who is adequate for these things?”  2 Corinthians 2:14-16.

 ³⁵  “Behold, your house is left to you desolate;  and I say to you, you will not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'”  Luke 13:33-35.

The prophecy in this Scripture is interesting.  The desire of Jesus is interesting.  Others have commented on these important points.  For one example, here is a general link to Calvin’s Commentaries, and there are certainly other commentaries as well.  You may want to save it as a favorite (or as a “bookmark”)  Click here: Calvin’s Commentaries—Complete | Christian Classics Ethereal Library

But, for the short space and purpose of this daily devotion, I would like to comment on how, in contrast to these people of Jerusalem, the righteous run to the safety of the LORD.  But, more important than the decision of the righteous, we should focus on the faithfulness of God in protecting His people.  

Proverbs 18:10
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower;  The righteous runs into it and is safe.”

Ruth 2:12
“May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.”

Psalm 91:4
“He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge;  His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.”

The entire chapter of Psalm 91 provides a fitting conclusion of the “Security of the One Who Trusts in the LORD”.  It was the favorite chapter of my mother.  For my college years, I gladly read it just about every day.

Psalm 91

    ¹  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
         Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
    ²  I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
         My God, in whom I trust!”
    ³  For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
         And from the deadly pestilence.
    ⁴  He will cover you with His pinions,
         And under His wings you may seek refuge;
         His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
    ⁵  You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
         Or of the arrow that flies by day;
    ⁶  Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
         Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
    ⁷  A thousand may fall at your side
         And ten thousand at your right hand,
         But it shall not approach you.
    ⁸  You will only look on with your eyes
         And see the recompense of the wicked.
    ⁹  For you have made the LORD, my refuge,
         Even the Most High, your dwelling place.
    ¹⁰  No evil will befall you,
         Nor will any plague come near your tent.
    ¹¹  For He will give His angels charge concerning you,
         To guard you in all your ways.
    ¹²  They will bear you up in their hands,
         That you do not strike your foot against a stone.
    ¹³  You will tread upon the lion and cobra,
         The young lion and the serpent you will trample down.
    ¹⁴  “Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;
         I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
    ¹⁵  “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
         I will be with him in trouble;
         I will rescue him and honor him.
    ¹⁶  “With a long life I will satisfy him
         And let him see My salvation.”

There are many Scriptures which tell us what happened on that third day. 

 “He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.”  Romans 4:25. 

^“So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.”  Romans 5:18.  

 ³⁰  “And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.”  Luke 13:28-30.

What is the intended impact of this conclusion?  This section of Scripture started with “And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?”  And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”  Luke 13:23-24. 

First, Jesus informs us of the horrors of hell:  the weeping, the suffering, and the agony of knowing that one’s beloved heroes are in heaven while you are on the outside thrown out.  We cringe to even hear about it, but it is the truth that serves to warn everyone.

Second, Jesus informs us of the diversity of heaven.  We may feel that we are excluded due to our race or nationality, but Jesus encourages us that there will be those in heaven who come from all parts of the world.

Third, Jesus informs us that heaven’s rewards will surprise us.  We will think some will receive higher positions than they will actually get, and on the other hand, we will think some will receive lower positions than they will actually get.

The intended impact of this conclusion is a summary of warnings and encouragements that we should “Strive to enter through the narrow door.”  There is nothing more important to us than our final destination which will be either heaven or hell, so strive for heaven! 

In conclusion, don’t take anything for granted, but like Paul, “… press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:14.  “… do all things for the sake of the gospel,  … become a fellow partaker of it.  Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?   Run in such a way that you may win.”  1 Corinthians 9:23-24.

 ²⁷  and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from;   DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.’ ”  Luke 13:25-27.  (Emphasis added.)

When something is repeated in Scripture, we should pay more attention to it and meditate on it in accordance with the repetition.  I will often make it the focal point of the devotion.  Such is the case today with Jesus’ statement:  “I do not know where you are from”. 

There is a deeper meaning to “know” than knowledge of facts about a person.  Obviously, Jesus did know facts about these people and did recognize them as they point out:  ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’.

In Jesus’ use of this “know”, it carries a meaning of intimate familiar love.  We read Scripture such as Psalm 1:6:  “For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.”  In contrast to “knowing” the righteous, there is a distant lack of familiarity and lack of love with the wicked (“I do not know where you are from”) such as in Psalm 1:5:  “Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.”

But, this intimate familiar love, this “know” is not based on any condition (such as righteousness, works, or will) supplied by man.  In Ephesians 1:4-6, we read:  “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:29-30.

We can rebel against this “narrow door” of unconditional election.  We can say:  “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”  Psalm 2:3.

Or, we can embrace the narrow door as the only provision for salvation.  We can “Strive to enter through the narrow door”.  Luke 13:24. 

For those who rebel against this “narrow door” of unconditional election, saying,  “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”, “He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.”  Psalm 2:4.  “…  I do not know where you are from;   DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.’ ” Luke 13:27.