Consider Your Cost Luke 14:25-33

 Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father,
We gather this morning as a group of disciples, hearts full of gratitude for this precious time to meet together again. We are grateful for the love and grace You have lavished upon us at no cost, yet aware that following You costs us everything. As we reflect on thy words in Luke 14, we ask for thy Spirit to be present with us.
We also want to thank You for Sis Christina Ong and her touching sermon last Sunday. May the seeds of truth she planted continue to grow in our hearts as we discuss them now.
Quiet our hearts from the distractions of the day. Help us to set aside, for this time, the attachments and comforts that so easily compete for our devotion. Give us the courage to be honest with You, with ourselves, and with one another.
Grant us wisdom as we consider the cost of discipleship, not with fear, but with faith. May our conversation be gracious, our listening attentive, and our hearts open to the recalibration You invite.
We commit this time to You. In Jesus' name, Amen

*Sermon Summary: Consider Your Cost**
**Speaker:** Sis Christina Ong
**Date:** 21 September 2025
**Scripture Passage:** Luke 14:25-33
**Title:** Consider Your Cost

**Introduction**
Sis Christina Ong began her sermon by acknowledging a common tendency in the Christian life: the desire for the blessings and promises of God without a full appreciation of the commitment required. She introduced Luke 14:25-33 as a "sobering and clarifying" passage where Jesus, surrounded by large, enthusiastic crowds, turns to deliver a message that is intentionally provocative. He was not interested in superficial followers; He was calling for genuine disciples. The central theme of the sermon was that authentic discipleship requires a conscious, premeditated consideration of the cost, leading to a life of total devotion to Christ.

**I. The Radical Demand of Discipleship (Luke 14:25-27)**
Sis Christina focused first on the startling hyperbole Jesus uses in verses 25-27. The command to "hate" one's father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters is not a call to literal animosity. Instead, drawing from the Hebraic understanding of "hate" as meaning "to love less by comparison" (cf. Genesis 29:30-31, Matthew 10:37), she explained that Jesus is demanding supreme, absolute loyalty.

*   **Challenging Our Attachments:**
The first reflection question was addressed here. She asked the congregation to consider which relationships and possessions are most difficult to place under Christ's lordship. These are not inherently evil—family, career, personal ambitions, financial security—but they become idols when they compete for the ultimate allegiance that belongs to God alone. Discipleship requires a reordering of our loves, where Christ is preeminent in everything.

*   **Taking Up the Cross:**
The call to "carry his cross" (v. 27) was explained not as bearing life's general hardships, but as a specific call to embrace the path of self-denial, rejection, and sacrificial obedience. It is a daily decision to die to self-will and to live for God's purposes.

**II. The Prudent Calculation of the Cost (Luke 14:28-32)**
The core of the sermon centered on the two parables Jesus tells: the builder of a tower and the king going to war. Sis Christina emphasized that these stories highlight *wisdom*, not discouragement.

*   **The Parable of the Tower (v. 28-30):**
A person who begins a project without calculating the cost faces public ridicule for their failure to finish. Similarly, discipleship is a project of a lifetime. To embark without counting the cost leads to a shallow faith that abandons Christ when challenges arise.

*   **The Parable of the King (v. 31-32):**
A king must realistically assess his strength against a powerful enemy. This, Sis Christina explained, illustrates the spiritual battle of discipleship. We must recognize that the forces opposed to God are formidable, and our own strength is insufficient. True discipleship relies not on self-power but on surrendering to Christ's strength and sufficiency.

The key takeaway from this section was that Jesus *invites* us to calculate. He is not hiding the demands; He is laying them out plainly so that our decision to follow Him is informed, deliberate, and resilient.

**III. The Call to Total Surrender (Luke 14:33)**
Sis Christina identified verse 33 as the culminating, non-negotiable conclusion of Jesus' teaching: "In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."

*   **Costly Obedience vs. Comfort:**
This directly addressed the second reflection question. She clarified that "giving up everything" is not necessarily a call to literal poverty for all, but to a fundamental attitude of surrender. It means relinquishing ownership of our possessions, our plans, and our very lives. Discipleship is a call to "costly obedience," and she challenged the congregation to identify areas where they have chosen personal comfort—be it financial security, relational harmony, or cultural acceptability—over obediently following Christ's leading.

**IV. The Grace-Filled Recalibration (A Balanced Application)**
In her application, Sis Christina wisely addressed a potential misunderstanding. The call to total devotion can lead to burnout and legalism if not balanced with the rest of Jesus' example.

*   **Model of Rest and Boundaries:**
She pointed out that Jesus Himself, while utterly devoted to the Father's will, regularly withdrew to desolate places to pray (Luke 5:16) and demonstrated healthy boundaries. This led to the third reflection question: sensing where the Spirit is inviting "recalibration."

*   **A Spirit-Led Life:**
For some, recalibration means *letting go* of attachments that hinder discipleship. For others, particularly those weary from striving, it might mean *taking up* the practice of Sabbath rest, trusting that God is in control. True discipleship is not a frantic self-effort but a responsive, Spirit-led journey of walking with Christ.

**Conclusion**
Sis Christina Ong concluded by bringing the congregation back to the cross. The ultimate cost of our discipleship was first paid by Christ Himself. He is not a king who demands what He Himself has not given. The call to "consider your cost" is an invitation to a life of profound purpose, freedom from idolatry, and deep, joyful fellowship with the One who gave everything for us. The response is not one of fearful obligation, but of grateful surrender, leading to a faith that is thoughtfully chosen and powerfully finished.
**Key Scriptures Referenced:** Luke 14:25-33, Genesis 29:30-31, Matthew 10:37, Luke 5:16, Romans 12:1-2.

 **Takeaway Message**

**True discipleship is a costly, all-in commitment, but it is a cost we are invited to wisely consider and a commitment we are empowered to make because Christ paid the ultimate price first.**

**The Call is Radical:**
Following Jesus requires giving Him absolute first place, above every other relationship and possession. It is a call to daily self-denial, not comfort.

**The Calculation is Wise:**
God invites us to thoughtfully count the cost of discipleship. This leads to a resilient, genuine faith, not a superficial one that fades when challenges come.

**The Commitment is Total:**
We are called to surrender ownership of our entire lives to Christ's lordship.

**The Grace is the Foundation:**
This demanding call is grounded in the grace of the cross. We can give everything to Jesus because He already gave everything for us. Our journey is not about striving in our own strength, but about following Him in surrendered obedience.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for the honesty and fellowship we've shared. Thy word has challenged and comforted us. As we leave this place, we ask for strength to live out the truths we have discussed.

We confess that we cannot carry our cross in our own power. So, we surrender to You now the areas where we have chosen comfort over obedience. We relinquish the relationships, possessions, and dreams we struggle to place under Thy Lordship. Take them, Lord, and use them for Thy glory.

Help us to be wise builders and prudent kings, counting the cost daily but also resting in the finished work of Thy cross. May our lives be a testimony of total devotion, fueled not by obligation, but by grateful love for the ultimate price You paid for us.

Send us out now, empowered by Thy Spirit, to be Thy true disciples in a world that needs Your grace. We asked all these in Jesus's name, Amen.