Fully Committed To Jesus

As humanity, we understand the cost of things. Those of us who own homes know there are both fixed and variable costs associated with homeownership. The fixed costs represent those regular bills such as your mortgage, home insurance, water bill, electricity, cable, telephone, garbage service, lawn care, and so forth.

The variable costs are those expenses that occur unexpectedly, such as repairs that are required from time to time like a leaky roof, broken air conditioner, broken window, leaking toilet, backed-up plumbing, electrical problems, or cracked foundations. These are all part of the cost of owning a home.

When we buy a home, we must be cognizant of its condition. Therefore, we must consider what we will be required to pay beyond the down payment and future fixed costs, because the older the home, the greater the chance that variable costs may exceed our ability to cover the total cost of ownership.

Jesus states in Luke 14:33, “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” You may think that membership in the Kingdom of God is free because you did not have to die, but you will be required to be willing to give up everything to follow Jesus. Jesus is not necessarily asking you to give up everything; rather, He wants to know if you are willing to give up everything to follow Him. Are you fully committed?

In exploring the text found in Luke 14:28–33, we observe that this passage follows Jesus’ statement in Luke 14:26–27, where He says, “[26] If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. [27] And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Here, Jesus is conveying the idea of commitment. Who or what are you committed to? Your commitment to Christ must exceed your commitment to all others; otherwise, you cannot follow Him.

Peter, the chief apostle, expresses a similar thought to Jesus in Matthew 19:27, stating, “Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?”

Jesus’ response to Peter and all His disciples is recorded in Matthew 19:29–30: “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”

The text in Luke 14:28–33 further instructs us. Common sense teaches that a person should not begin any costly work without first determining whether they have the resources to finish it. Anyone who does otherwise exposes himself to ridicule. Likewise, no wise ruler enters into war without first considering whether he is able to withstand the opposing force; if not, he will seek terms of peace.

In the same way, our Lord teaches that in the spiritual warfare we must wage as His disciples, we must not underestimate the strength of the opposition. The odds are against us, and we must ensure that, despite every disadvantage, we have what it takes to endure and overcome. Otherwise, it would be better not to begin at all.

From this parable, two key lessons emerge:

• It is better not to begin (Revelation 3:15) than to begin and not finish.

• Though our struggle for salvation is unequal, the human will empowered by faith that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4) and strengthened by God (Hebrews 11:34; 1 Peter 1:5) becomes victorious and “more than conqueror.” However, without absolute surrender of self, the contest is hopeless (Luke 14:33).

Thus, being fully committed is demonstrated by:

• Being in Christ

• Surrendering to Jesus Christ

• Maintaining our faith in Christ

• Obeying the Word of God