"When Jesus says, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…soul…mind…and strength,’ He is speaking of the whole of who you are—all of the way you think, all of the way you look at everything."

–DA Carson

Shout out to our volunteer Food Pantry Garden Team!

Last year, the garden team harvested over 8000 pounds of fresh produce that were distributed to families through local Madison food pantries, wow!

Don't be fooled by the snow, Spring will be here before you know it and it will be time to prepare for another bountiful season!

If you...

✅ Like being outside

✅ Want to serve in a meaningful way

✅ Want to get some excercise

Email Tammy to learn more about joining the garden team. No experience or long-term commitment required.

LUKE: Cost of Discipleship

Luke 14:25-35

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We’re diving back into the Gospel of Luke. After nine chapters introducing us to Jesus and His call, Luke now takes us with Him on the road to Jerusalem (Luke 9-19). Along the way, we’ll hear some of Jesus’ most famous teachings and stories, as He shows us what it truly costs to follow Him and why following Him is worth everything.

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The Big Idea

(What is the author's point?)

To be a disciple of Jesus requires Him to be the number one in our lives! 

Why It Matters

(Why is this relevant to us?)

Can you remember a time you embarked on a major project or task? To see the project to completion, you lay out a plan. There is the starting point and the dream of what we hope it will be like when it is finished. Along the way, things may not go according to plan, and there are hardships and unexpected difficulties. But if this project is near and dear to our hearts, we do not abandon hope but preserve. 

My wife and I recently bought our first home in DeForest, which required a lot of planning! We had to count the cost. There were times when we questioned if this was even possible. We wrestled with doubts, but we were reminded of God’s faithfulness. We reminded ourselves of the dream. This was no small commitment.

Similarly, Jesus invites us to consider wisely the commitment we make to Him. He is after our whole being. There is no such thing as half-hearted Christianity in Jesus' eyes. We are to love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. To the very point that our love for Him is so great that all other loves in our life seem like hate! What a paradoxical love that He has shown us, so let us show that same love to Him and as a result to our neighbors.

Good to Know

(What are some helpful insights into this passage?)

V25: Here we see a change in scene from the confines of a home to “large crowds” accompanying Jesus on His way to Jerusalem. 

V26: Jesus uses the startling word “hate” to cause His hearers to think. This “hate” is a paradox that our love for God would be so great that all other loves pale in comparison. When we order our loves rightly by putting God first, it will allow us to love others even greater!  

V27: We see a pattern with the previous verse. If one does not hate/bear…they cannot be His disciple, someone who follows the way of Jesus. To follow Christ is to die to oneself so that Christ may live abundantly in everything we do and say. 

V28: Jesus uses two illustrations of building a tower and a king going to war, further urging us to consider the cost of being a disciple. “Sit down,” take time to consider what it means to be a follower of Christ. Are we willing to trust Him with every aspect of our lives? Surrender and submit every corner of our hearts to Jesus!

V29-30: To build a foundation and then give up invites mockery. Jesus insists on whole-hearted devotion to Him. 

V31-32: The second of these twin parables adds a different notion. The builder was free to choose but the king was being invaded and had to make a choice. A. M. Hunter, a Scottish theologian, highlighted the subtle difference through two statements, "In the first parable Jesus says, 'Sit down and reckon whether you can afford to follow me.' In the second He says, 'Sit down and reckon whether you can afford to refuse my demands.'"

V33: Jesus summarizes this section by urging all those who are considering being disciples not to rush but to pause, realizing that it may cost everything. Are we willing to trust Him? When we count everything as loss in comparison to Christ, we gain the greatest treasure of all, a relationship with Him! 

V34-35: Jesus concludes this teaching with a parable of salt. If salt does not fulfill its purpose, it is worthless. We must give the totality of our lives to God. To be a “salty” disciple of Jesus is to be one that loves the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength first. And as a result, we are able to truly love those around us! 

Group Guide

Following the series with your group? 

• Start with some icebreaker questions.
• Read the passage together before you dive in. 
• Share any insights from the message. Use the questions below to get your conversation started.

Conversation Starters

1. What is the cost of discipleship in Luke 14?

2. What does Jesus mean by “hate” in verse 26?

3. What does my “love” for God look like right now?

4. Has there been a time you have experienced the “cost” of following Jesus?

5. Is there an area in my life that I need to surrender/trust to God?

Prayer

Loving Father, we come before you thankful for the gift of love manifested through your son Jesus. We confess the times that we have fallen short in loving you chiefly above all else. Help us to pause and consider the great responsibility of being a disciple. Reorder the loves in our life so that you are first and foremost. May we love you with all our being so that we may rightly love those around us. Amen.

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