As Jesus journeys toward Jerusalem and the cross, large crowds follow him—but he turns and makes the cost unmistakably clear. Discipleship means supreme allegiance to Christ above family, possessions, and even one’s own life, and it requires counting the cost before committing to follow him. In Luke 14:25–33, Jesus calls us beyond casual admiration to wholehearted surrender, reminding us that the path to life runs through the cross.