He Is No Fool Who Gives What He Cannot Keep

In one paragraph

Pastor Ray preached from Luke 14:25-35 on the cost of following Jesus. He walked through three conditions Jesus sets out for discipleship, and closed with the brief but pointed image of salt that has lost what made it salt. Large crowds were following Jesus as he made his way toward Jerusalem, and he turned and addressed them directly. Pastor Ray noted that Jesus had said something similar to the...

Read together

1. Hebrews 12:28 opening encouragement to worship God with reverence and awe as receivers of an unshakable kingdom
2. Luke 14:25-35 the main sermon text on the cost of discipleship
3. Luke 9 parallel passage where Jesus gave a similar message to his disciples
4. Matthew 10 the one who loves father or mother more than Jesus is not worthy of him
5. Matthew 16 if anyone wants to come after Jesus he must deny himself take up his cross and follow
6. Ephesians 1 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and made him head over all things for the benefit of the church
7. Philippians 3 Paul counting all things as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus
8. Proverbs 20:18 prepare plans by consultation and make war by wise guidance
9. Hebrews 11 Moses choosing to endure ill treatment with God's people rather than enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, considering Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt
10. 1 Peter 2:20-21 if you suffer for doing good and endure it this is commendable before God, for Christ suffered leaving an example to follow in his steps

Talk about it

1. Pastor Ray spent extra time wrestling with Jesus saying to 'hate' your father, mother, and family before preaching this passage. What is your honest first reaction when you read those words, and how does understanding it as a Semitic idiom change or not change how it sits with you?
2. Jesus uses the illustration of a builder who counts the cost before laying a foundation, and warns that not doing so leads to public mockery. When you first came to faith, or as you have grown in it, how honestly did you count what following Jesus would cost you?
3. Pastor Ray pointed out that the second illustration is different from the first because the king coming against you is not optional. You cannot simply decide not to engage. How does that distinction land for someone who is still weighing whether to fully commit to following Jesus?
4. The book title Joni gave Pastor Ray and Carl was 'Stop Agreeing with Jesus and Start Obeying Him', with their names placed over the word 'Stop' so it just read 'Start Obeying Him.' Where in your own life are you most tempted to agree with Jesus without actually obeying Him?
5. Jim Elliott wrote, 'He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.' What is something in your life right now that feels hard to hold loosely, and what would it look like practically to renounce it in the sense Pastor Ray described?