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Devoted to Christ

Luke 14:26-35

On three separate occasions, Israel was reminded of what it meant to follow God as a covenant partner: first at Sinai (Exodus 24), next when the nation entered the Promised Land (Joshua 8:30-35), and again after the tribes settled their allotments (Joshua 24:1-28). In addition, these obligations were indirectly reconfirmed three times a year when the people gathered in Jerusalem (Exodus 23:14-17). Finally, parents were expected to daily instill the requirements of the covenant into their children (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

Why the repetition? Because of the human tendency to forget how costly it is to follow God in a world that isn't following Him. If we are not continually reminded of the benefits of following God, the costs can seem extreme. (Jesus' "beatitudes" [Luke 6:20-22] relate costs to benefits in the kingdom of God. For example, if you are hungry now, you will be filled; if you weep now, you will laugh.)

When Jesus arrived in Israel He found a nation that had stopped counting the costs of being a "salty" (Luke 14:34-35) people. So when crowds began following Him He was quick to point out the costs of true discipleship (Luke 14:26-35).

There was the price related to family: If you have to choose between God and family, you have to love God more (Luke 14:26). And there is a cost related to life itself—the command to take up one's cross was an invitation to die for Christ if needed (verse 27). Related to these costs, Jesus explained why it was necessary to consider them before making a commitment: No builder starts a project, and no king starts a war, without being sure he can pay for it (verses 28-32). In short, it (potentially) can cost everything to follow Jesus (verse 33).

People who don't count the cost become as useless as salt that has lost its flavor—that kind of salt serves no purpose in the kitchen and deserves to be discarded (verses 34-35).

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