Conditions of Discipleship
Luke 14:25-35
Introduction: The Call to Discipleship (Luke 14:25-35)
- Scripture Reading
- Jesus’ radical call to discipleship
- The cost of following Christ
- Key Themes Introduced: o Unrivaled commitment o Unceasing cross-bearing o Unreserved cost
The State of Modern Christianity (George Gallup Poll)
- Observations from George Gallup's study on American Christianity
- Key Findings:
- Growth in religious participation and beliefs
- Lack of transformative impact on daily living
- Scathing Conclusion: Christianity appears "500 miles wide and a sixteenth of an inch deep"
Theological Tension: Salvation vs. Discipleship
- Salvation: By grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- Discipleship: Conditions exist for true discipleship
- Failure to confront believers with the Lordship of Christ after conversion
Contextual Insight into Luke 14
- Jesus’ approach contrasts with political demagogues
- Jesus seeks to thin the crowd, not swell it
- Three repetitions of the statement: "He cannot be my disciple"
Three Conditions of Discipleship
A. Unrivaled Commitment (v. 26)
- Christ must come before everyone else
- The term "hate" explained as exaggerated contrast, not literal hatred
- Relationships must not rival devotion to Christ
- Illustration: Family can become an obstacle to discipleship
B. Unceasing Cross-Bearing (v. 27)
- Christ must come before self
- The cross symbolizes complete surrender to God's will
- Contrast: Chastisement (God's action) vs. Cross-Bearing (voluntary choice)
- True surrender means aligning one’s will with God’s will
C. Unreserved Cost (v. 33)
- Christ must come before things
- The grip of material possessions can hinder discipleship
- Key Concept: Everything is either a tool or an idol
- True discipleship means surrendering ownership of possessions to Christ
Illustrative Parables: The Tower Builder and the King Going to War
Parable of the Unfinished Tower: Count the cost before building • Parable of the Defeated Army: Assess the strength before going to war • Key Message: Jesus seeks disciples who won’t quit or fade under pressure
Reflection and Application • Many start strong but fail to finish (John 6:66)
- Three critical questions:
- Does Jesus come before everyone?
- Does Jesus come before yourself?
- Does Jesus come before your possessions?
- Call to Action: Surrender ownership and embrace full discipleship
Conclusion and Prayer
- Acknowledgment of the difficulty of the call
- Gratitude for God’s work
*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.
About the Contributors
Howard G. Hendricks
Dr. Howard G. Hendricks, known simply as “Prof,” directly or indirectly touched millions of lives in the evangelical community and beyond. For more than sixty years Prof served on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), where he taught more than ten thousand students. He served as the chairman of the Center for Christian Leadership for over twenty years. He also ministered in person in more than eighty countries. Through speaking engagements, radio, tapes, films, the sixteen books he authored and coauthored, countless journal and popular-market articles, his service on numerous boards, and his work as a chaplain to the Dallas Cowboys (1976–1984), his reach was and is worldwide.
His legacy, in partnership with Jeanne, his wife of more than sixty-five years, includes four children and six grandchildren. Holding large audiences enthralled at venues such as Billy Graham’s conference center or Promise Keepers’ stadium rallies, Prof would confide, “It’s wonderful to be here with you, but I have a group of delicious students waiting for me back at the seminary.”
Contributors
