28 For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down first and compute the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish the tower, all who see it will begin to make fun of him. 30 They will say, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish!’ 31 Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down first and determine whether he is able with 10,000 to oppose the one coming against him with 20,000? 32 If he cannot succeed, he will send a representative while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way therefore not one of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his own possessions.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Amelia Lin

In this passage, Jesus urges the crowds to estimate and consider the cost of following him and becoming one of his disciples. It is a serious business. Jesus compares it to budgeting for building a house and ensuring that you have enough to lay the foundations and finish the rest of the house, otherwise you will be ridiculed. To raise the stakes even higher, he compares this decision to a king considering whether his 10,000 men are able to oppose an army of 20,000, and wisely asking for peace while the army is still far away. Jesus asks his disciples to give up everything they have.

When I read this passage, my first thought was: Why does Jesus say this? Imagine being in the large crowds following Jesus around and hearing him talk about counting the huge cost of following him. It doesn’t seem like a good argument for convincing people to start or continue following him.

I had a couple of reflections from this. First, I’m thankful that Jesus does not hide the realities of following him from us. Jesus is not trying to lure people into following him by sharing about the amazing blessings we can receive, and then watch on coldly as we get hit by the hidden consequences. He tells us the truth. Jesus tells us exactly what to expect, that there is a real cost – to give up everything we have.

Secondly, why would anyone follow Jesus considering it is such a high cost? Because knowing God is so great that he is worth giving up everything for! It reminds me of Paul’s words in Philippians 3:8 – “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.”

Jesus is worth giving up everything for.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amelia is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.