Cost of Discipleship
Luke 14:25-35 (KJV) And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
✅ 1. What is a Disciple?
📌 A disciple is someone that is a follower and learner of Christ and his Word.
A Pastor once told me a saying, He said “A believer is different from Christian?” (I remember being confused a bit) he continued to say, “A Christian is someone who is a follower of Christ and or is Christ like that is where the term came from, Christian means little Christ, but a believer is someone who just believes on Christ but isn’t being discipled or in ministry and so he said they are believers not christian.” (And I thought thats an interesting take on the word “Christians”) but there’s truth to that idea as disciples are christians, little Christs, followers of Christ. So lets look at a verse that shows the believer and the disciple…
📖 John 8:30-31 (KJV) As he spake these words, many believed on him. 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
📌 So we see here that some believed on him, but Jesus takes it further and tells them to be disciples by continuing in his word, this is the separation of believers and disciples.
📖 James 1:22 (KJV) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
So if you continue in his word, you’re not only reading what it says, but also following what it says. Disciples are those who go to church but even then not all church goers are disciples,
A great mistake people can make is thinking that disciple is salvation, and some would say “a true believer is a disciple be we can know them by their fruits?
📖 John 15:8 (KJV) Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
The mistake is thinking that this fruit is speaking about our good deeds? The fruit is referring to making more believers and disciples as the verse shows later in v16
📖 John 15:16 (KJV) Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Jesus says “go and bring forth fruit” — the use of “go” suggests movement, mission, and outreach.
He says “that your fruit should remain” — pointing to something lasting and eternal, which strongly points to eternal souls, not just temporary works or feelings.
📖 Romans 1:13-17 (KJV) Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
📌 Its clear that having fruit is referring to souls saved and not our deeds
I want to prove that we can believe and have no works yet still be saved.
📖 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 (KJV) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
📌Again its clear that some believers will have no works yet still be saved, and if we have works it will be rewarded at the judgement seat of Christ.
So then disciples are separated from believers.
✅ 2. Discipleship Requires first love for Christ
📖 Luke 14:26 (KJV) If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
"Hate" here means to "love less" (not literal hatred) it's about priority, and why that is important is because Cults can abuse this causing a forced move on certain followers to literally hate there parents and force them to separate so they can have full control, Cults are like this, but how I know this is speaking about priority, first God tells us to love our parents with respect as the 5 commandment of God and secondly the parallel passage to this is Mathew 10:37….
📖 Matthew 10:37 (KJV) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
🔍 Jesus is saying the same thing here but Matthew clarifies it explicitly as a matter of priority, not hatred.
Jesus must come before family, relationships, and even our own life, meaning your heart should have God first in everything. An example is I will go to church no matter what even if my wife is having a bad day towards me, I am still going to church! Now the difference is if my wife is in need of serious help I would stop church and sort my wife out, only because God would want me to protect my wife….
📖 Ephesians 5:25 (KJV) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
The difference is God is looking at the heart….
📖 Matthew 22:37 (KJV) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
The Apostle Paul gives us another example.
Philippians 3:8 (KJV) Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
💬 Application: Are there relationships in your life that rank higher than Jesus?
✅ 3. Discipleship Requires Bearing Your Cross
📖 Luke 14:27 (KJV) And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Bearing the cross is ready to be judged and hated by the world just as Jesus was because that is why he was on the cross in the first place for speaking against the sins of the world, rebuking sin. Just think about that for a second? Jesus was persecuted for preaching against sin.
📖 John 15:18-20 (KJV) If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
This is bearing the cross, it comes with being not liked, hated, and even persecuted.
📖 2 Timothy 3:12 (KJV) Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
📖 Matthew 16:24 (KJV) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
💬 Application: Will you bear your cross and follow after Christ if so I will pray for you.
✅ 3. Discipleship Requires Counting the Cost
📖 Luke 14:28-32 (KJV) For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
To be a disciple we have to count that cost, because it comes with being self-sacrificial, your time and energy to serve the church and face persecution, I was saying to my church in Auckland to pray for me continually, because its actually full on to do a mission work alone, I have 3 services just as my church so that means I preach 3 times a week which can be really exhausting on top of our work, but what is that to a savior who sacrificed his life that we may have eternal life?
📖 Romans 12:1 (KJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
So we all need to consider our lives and count that cost Just as a builder or a king plans and calculates, so should we. I believe each and every one of us should sit down and consider discipleship because this is the only chance you get to serve God Almighty and for me I would have it no other way, the sacrifice is nothing when God has given us abundance of inner peace, overflowing in the Holy Spirit and Hope of Eternal life, you can’t beat it. God always providing our needs so my mind is not focused on those things, it’s wonderful, A freedom unexplainable and infinite.
📖 Philippians 4:6-9 (KJV) Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
We can come to God and pray for our needs and he provides for us all the time, also the peace of God will keep our hearts and minds through Christ, this is the true inner peace that is healing to the soul.
💬 Application: Have you counted the cost of truly living for Jesus? It's not about convenience it’s a lifetime calling.
✅ 4. Discipleship Requires Total Surrender
📖 Luke 14:33 (KJV) So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Jesus calls for absolute surrender — possessions, plans, goals.
He doesn't want a piece of your life, He wants the whole.
I remember first time coming into Christ and realizing that my hobbies were conflicting with the Bible like Art work that I used to draw looked demonic, I was into drawing skulls and stuff, and I remember feeling bad about it, eventually I gave up that drawing, and the other was rapping, I liked rapping, but this definitely was conflicting with what I was reading in the Bible so I gave that up too because I wanted to serve the church. I stopped hanging with the wrong crowds too, and made the church my crowd, there were things I had to let go of, unlike the rich young ruler he struggled to let go of his possessions…
📖 Mark 10:21-23 (KJV) Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
It wasn’t about money for God, it was to test to see where his heart was and as we could tell it was stuck on money. He couldn’t let it go. This is opposite to the guy in the tree who was willing to give back the money…..
📖 Luke 19:8 (KJV) And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
💬 Application: What is it in your life that you haven’t surrendered? Career, pride, time, comfort?
✅ 5. Discipleship Must Endure
📖 Luke 14:34-35 (KJV) Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Salt, in the ancient world, was used for:
Preservation (preventing decay)
Flavor (adding impact)
Purity (symbol of covenant and holiness)
But when a disciple loses his savour that is, his godly influence, conviction, and testimony — Jesus says: “It is good for nothing… men cast it out.”
🔥 Falling Christians Can Become Unprofitable
When a believer ruins their testimony through sin, compromise, or double living,
they become like tasteless salt — still present, but powerless.The world no longer respects them, the church may lose trust, and their witness is weakened.
📖 Proverbs 22:1 (KJV) A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Hebrews 10:38-39 – God takes no pleasure in those who draw back.
💬 Application: Are you still salty? Or have you lost your effectiveness in the world for Christ?
Are you willing to forsake all and follow Him?
Don't just be part of the crowd (v.25); be a committed disciple.
🙏 Closing Verse for Reflection
Luke 9:62 – “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
