Luke 14:28-35

Luke 14:28-35

For which out of you all, after desiring to build a tower, does not count the cost after sitting down to see if he has enough to finish?  In order that in no way after he desires to lay a foundation and after not being strong enough to finish it all the ones who see will begin to mock him saying that this man began to build and is not strong enough to finish it.  Or what king, after going to another king to come together into a war, first – after sitting down – will consult if there is enough power in ten thousand to meet the one with twenty thousand after he comes upon him?  And if not, while he is still far off, after sending a messenger, he asks for the terms of peace.  Therefore, in this manner, all everyone out of you who does not separate from all of his goods is not powerful enough to be my disciple.  Therefore, salt is good.  But if the salt also loses its savor, in what will it season?  It is fit neither in the earth or in manure.  It will be cast outside.  The one who has an ear, hear!

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus talks a good bit about counting the cost in this passage.  The analogy that Jesus makes is to building a tower.  I think it is important to think about why Jesus might have chosen a tower.  A tower is large and rises up for all to see.  Therefore, if it stays incomplete it becomes an eyesore and an easy point of ridicule.  Jesus is saying that if we claim to be His disciple but don’t finish, we will make an easy target for ridicule and even perhaps become an eyesore in the community!  When we claim to be a disciple yet don’t actually become one, we make a mockery out of being a disciple in the first place!

Are you a disciple?  Who knows you claim to be His disciple?  Where is your discipleship progressing well?  Where is it in danger of floundering?

Second Thought:

Jesus then compares us to a king who goes out to battle.  It is important to figure out if the battle can be won.  If not, it is better to sue for peace and avoid the fight altogether.  In other words, if we are going to go down the process of discipleship, there will be both internal and external battles to have.  If we don’t have what it takes to win those battles, we need to do whatever it takes to stay at peace with God until we can win those battles.  Otherwise, we will find ourselves in an impossible battle and lose.

What battles do you know you have to fight within yourself in order to be a disciple of Christ?  What external battles do you have?  Which ones can you win?  Which ones can you win in the future, but aren’t capable of winning right now?

Third Thought:

Jesus closes this section with a discussion on salt.  Good salt brings out flavor.  Good salt helps the body regulate everything from blood pressure to brain signals through our nerves.  However, if salt stops being salt, it cannot do any of these things.  It is useless and therefore is simply thrown out because it has no use.  What is Jesus saying?  If we are to be His disciple, we need to continue to be His disciple.  So long as we are His disciple, there is use for us.  But if we stop being His disciple, there is no use for us and we risk the danger of being thrown out!

How do you continue to be His disciple each day?  Are you ever tempted to go your own way and stop being His disciple?

Passage for Tomorrow: Luke 15:1-7