Prepared by Uri Brito

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An Exposition of Luke 14:26-33

Theme: Jesus' Call to Discipleship

The past 20 years there has been an ongoing debate within the evangelical community on the issue of

lordship salvation. There is much contradictory opinion as to what is necessary for an individual to experience

salvation. I must say tat no one involved in the controversy denies essential truth of the deity of Christ, that He is

Lord and God. In this sense it is impossible to make Christ Lordsince He is Lord. The controversy is not over the

essential nature of Christ, but whether submission to Him, as Lord of one's life, is a necessary aspect of

saving faith. There is one thing we all agree with today and that is that salvation is by faith alone as the

Reformers taught (Sola Fide). We do not all agree with the meaning of saving faith. So, since we all believe in

the truth of God's Word, I believe the teachings of Jesus is germane (of great importance) to this whole

controversy and is ultimately the definitive answer to the question of lordship. In any study of Jesus' teaching on

salvation what is striking is his constant focus upon himself as the source of salvation. Come to me, follow me,

believe in me, drink of me ( Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 8:34-38; john 6:35; John 7:38) are his constant cries. He

says in John 14:6 that He is the way, the truth and the life. A ccording to Jesus, it is through a personal

relationship with Him that one co mes to experience salvation. He preaches the absolute necessity for the new

birth ( John 3:3-6), for conversion ( Matthew 18:3) and the sanctification ( R omans 8: 28-30). He tells men that

it is only those who do the will of God who will enter the kingdom of heaven, that those who truly belong to Him

will manifest the reality of that relationship by bearing fruit of obedience in their lives ( John 15:1-8; 8:31) He

says that none can come to Him except the Father first draw them ( John 6:44) ad yet he calls men to repentance

and faith ( Mark 1:15; John 3:16; Luke 13:3). He teaches that justification is not by works but solely on the

mercy of God( Luke 18; 9-14). He emphasizes faith in Himself and his atoning work as the sole basis for

salvation and complete deliverance from judgment and condemnation ( John 3:14-16), but he also equally

emphasizes his authority as Lord, as clearly seen in his call to discipleship. So today we want to look at Christ's

Call to Discipleship as found in the famous Luke 14 passage. Here we find the conditions of discipleship: Let us

read our text in Luke 14: 25-34: It is clear that Jesus is not talking here about a process of discipleship, but a

commitment to discipleship. While Biblical commitment to Christ results in a process growth, in this particular

passage Christ is talking about an in itial commitment to Himself. Jesus has enunciated unalterable and

absolute r equirements, which he says, must be met or one cannot become his disciple. Let us examine the words

to see what exactly the Lord means by His teaching.

1) Luke 14:26 (Read) “ To properly interpret the meaning of this

passage, especially his use of the word "hate" we need to look at Matthew 10:37. ( Read) What Jesus is dealing

with here is love and devotion. Jesus demands first place in the heart of an individual. He must be preeminent in

the life. All ot her relationships ate to take a secondary place in relationship to himself. William Hendriksen

makes the following comments on the verse: "He tells the people that devotion to Himself must be so

wholehearted that even attachment to parents and other members of one's family must not stand in the way of

your relationship with Christ." The word "hate in Luke cannot have the usual meaning we generally attach

with the word. It is a comparison! He is saying that your love for your family must be less than your love for me.

If a person is not willing to have that unconditional devotion, then Jesus says: "He cannot be my disciple." This

is very strong language class. What Jesus is saying is that if anyone comes to Him and then sees all that he has

to give up and is not willing to do so, He cannot be a disciple or follower of Christ. 2) Verse 27 ( Read) “ The

issue in this verse is that of self-denial. To bear the cross. Notice that the cross is an instrument of death. The

term parallels the idea of self-denial. It carries the idea of dying to self (or as Paul put: I am crucified with

Christ). Everyday we are to die. Everyday we are to renounce the Sovereignty of our own will. Everyday we must

renew our unconditional surrender to the Lord. Here are the words of the great G. Campbell Morgan: " I deny

self when I hand over the key of the citadel to the king ad say, enter and reign in every chamber of the being, in

all possibilities of the soul." John Stott said: " Self-denial is to say no self and yes to Christ; to repudiate (to

refuse to honor) self and acknowledge Christ. Then he says, " come after me" or follow me. Let's turn to Mark

8:34-37 for a better understanding of our text. Read all verses especially verse 35 and dwell on it. Jesus says 1)

Deny self-2) Take up the cross and 3) Follow  me. Here in this passage which is a parallel of Luke 24, which we

are studying. We are dealing with following Him. Let me explain and hopefully I won't confuse you. The tense of

this verb indicates that it means to continually follow. To follow Jesus therefore means a death to self to become

His disciple. I cease to live for my sake in order that I may live for His sake. You may ask why is there the

imperative to deny self, take up a cross, and follow Jesus? " For he says: verse 35 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and for the gospel', the same shall save it. The key to

understanding the passage is the meaning of the word "lose." The Greek word " lose" is precisely the same word

that is translated perish in 2 Peter 3:9 and John 3:16. It means to die eternally (Read or quote 2 Peter 3:9 or

John 3:16). Then read Jon 10:27-29:“ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they (what) follow me: 28

“ And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my

hand. 29 “ My Father which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my

Father's hand. So who are the true sheep of the Lord Jesus Christ? Who are the ones who hear his voice, to

whom he gives eternal life and who will therefore never perish. It is those who follow Him; it is those who

commit themselves to Him to become His disciples. The issue is one of eternity and salvation. So together the

three (deny self, take up a cross, and follow me) indicate true conversion followed by a life long sanctification.

Go back to verse 27 of Luke 14. He concludes our verse by saying again as he did in verse 26 " he cannot be my

disciple." Now before we continue in our study it is very clear that Jesus uses the term " disciple" as

synonymous for the term Christian. To become a disciple, therefore, is to become a Christian. Otherwise it would

be ridiculous to be a Christian and not follow Christ. It is a contradiction. In the following verse he uses to two

illustrations to drive His point home. You see the multitudes that were gathered to hear Jesus were positive, but

uncommitted. So Jesus puts the price of discipleship as high as possible. Jesus urges them to make a careful

inventory before declaring their willingness to follow Him. What Jesus declares is that being a Christian is

serious business. You can't simply make a decision and live like you have always lived. The Bible says in II

Corinthians 5:17 that if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away and behold all

things are become new. Verse 33 ( read) As a matter of summation, then, what Jesus is calling for in these verses

is forsaking of everything and the unconditional surrender of self to him as Lord if we are to become His

disciple. These are the conditions he sets forth for entering the kingdom of God, for entering into a relationship

with Jesus Christ. Apart from this commitment to become His disciple we cannot be saved. There are a number of

passages on Jesus'teaching on discipleship ( Mark 8: 34-37; John 12: 24-26; Matthew 11: 28-30; Mark 10: 17-22).

These passages teach us that a Christian is one who has died to his life, in this world, and given himself wholly

to Christ, to love supremely and serve him exclusively. We cannot follow Christ and possess eternal life unless

these descriptions found in our text describe our life. You cannot prove you are a Christian by waltzing down the

same old path. Having made a decision, having walked an aisle, having gone into an inquiry room, or having

read through a little book was  never the biblical criterion for salvation. The Biblical criterion for salvation is

what your life is like right now. If you are really a Christian, your testimony will be clearly, decisively

distinguishable from the rest of the world.

If you want assurance of salvation, that is the Holy Spirit's work. When did your life change? When did you turn

form living for yourself and surrender yourself unreservedly to Jesus as Lord to become his disciple? When did

you come to him on his terms as he defined it in Luke 14? Who do you live, yourself or Jesus Christ? Who rules

your life? This world and the fulfillment of your own interests, plans and ambitions or the kingdom of God?

When did you forsake all and follow Him? In other words, when did you repent? The Bible says: Unless you

repent, you will perish ( Luke 13:3) Prayer.