costly discipleship

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Costly discipleship according to Luke’s gospel. (Luke 14:25-35, NSRV)
Costly discipleship mandate we must forfeiture all and place God as a priority. In this passage Jesus taught that to follow him truly, people must consider the cost. He condemns following him blindly only to turn back when things get tough. In verse 25 it says “Great multitudes were going along with him” (Luke 14:25, New Revised Standard Version). But Jesus knew they were following him for selfish reasons. It prompts him to lay out the cost of discipleship (Luke 14: 26-33, NSRV). (1). We must hate our families and ourselves, this generally means our allegiance to him should be great that in comparison, our love for our families should look like hatred. (2). We must carry our cross. It implies the sacrifice of selfish desires and willingness to go a step further in his name. (3). We should give-up all earthly possessions. The scripture explains to follow Christ; we must relinquish cheap grace (Bonhoeffer, 44) The gospel implores us to “sit down and estimate the cost”(Luke 14: 28, NVRV), of following him before embarking on the discipleship journey.
Luke’s context as a historian shapes the message and the meaning of discipleship. Missionaries suggest Luke was an impeccable historian who conducted credible investigations throughout the course of composing his books. The book of Acts gives an account of Jesus and all he “began to do and teach until the day he was taken up heaven” (Acts 1: 1-2, NSRV).

The Biblical stories depict God’s autonomous existence in all history (Bartholomew,27). His gospel has several parables and includes most healing stories. In this case point, Jesus uses two parables to drive the message of costly discipleship. He compares a cheap grace with a builder who “does not sit down and estimate the cost” only to fall short at the foundation. He also compares a king who doesn’t strategize before going to war. Luke’s attention to detail and countless eyewitnesses depict him as a trustworthy chronicler for the life, the demise, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The phenomenon shapes and brings credibility to the gospel of discipleship.
Works Cited
Bartholomew, Craig G, AND Michael W. Goheen. The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Placein the Biblical Story. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic,2004.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. “Discipleship. Translated by Barbara Green and Reinhard Kraus. DietrichBonhoeffer Works. Minneapolis.” (2001).
New International Bible. BibleGateway.com. www.biblegateway.com/versions/NewInternational-Version-NIV-Bible/#booklist.