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Cost and Provision

Cost and Provision

Words of Faith 10-5-18

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2018

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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Luke 14:25-35

    [25] Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: [26] "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. [27] And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

    [28] "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? [29] For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, [30] saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'

    [31] "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? [32] If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. [33] In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

    [34] "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? [35] It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

    "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

 

        So.  Have you counted the cost of following Jesus?  If you have given it any serious consideration, you may have some grave reservations.  Can you really afford the cost?  Can you really turn loose of family?  Can you really take up the cross?  Can you really commit everything?  Can you really be salty? 

       I must confess that as I studied this text, I came up against a wall.  I am convinced that we cannot ever truly count this cost! If we are really honest, we realize that this life of discipleship is not something we can really afford or even budget.  But it is also a response we cannot afford to ignore.  Where will the currency for this great cost come from?

       The reality is that the strength to do what Corrie Ten Boom's father did in Nazi occupied Amsterdam could not have been weighed in advance.  This sort of strength is a grace that the Lord gives us when we need it. 

       The resolve to take up a cross daily is easily spoken with words when we do not actually know what that cross will actually be.  The commitment to tithe sounds fairly simple until we have a financial emergency that sets us back.  We can even talk about committing "everything" as long as we are still the steward in charge.

       The same is true of the vows we make in a wedding ceremony.  The words are always easier than the walk.  For better or for worse.  For richer or for poorer.  In sickness and health.  How do we weigh the real cost of those words?

       You see no matter how well we estimate the cost of a building there are always the "change orders" and the "cost overruns.”  There are things we cannot anticipate.  The cost of war always exceeds the best and most careful estimates and there are some costs that cannot ever be calculated. 

       None of the disciples could have anticipated that following Jesus would lead ultimately to martyrdom. He was just calling them away from their nets and tax stands.  But the journey would be far more costly.  Has anyone ever been able to accurately estimate the cost of discipleship?  No. But we CAN accurately estimate the provision of the Savior and that is the key.

       Jesus was saying to the crowd and to us that being a disciple of Jesus will cost you everything, and we must realize that the provision of Jesus for His disciples encompasses every need.  We cannot measure the COST.  But we also cannot measure the provision.

       Jesus was very clear that what is impossible for men is possible with God (Luke 18:27).  In a few chapters Jesus will say, "I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life" (Luke 18:29-30).  The provision of God is immeasurable.  The resource of God is inexhaustible.  He will balance the books and complete what He has started in us.

         Our only option is to surrender the COST we cannot measure to the PROVISION we cannot imagine.

 

         Lord Jesus, I give thanks for the call of God that You have put upon my life.  I cannot begin to measure the cost of that call but I surrender to You.  I know that You are able to do all things.  I know that You are able to provide all needs.  I trust You.  In Jesus' name.