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Have You Counted The Cost? Text: Lk. 14:25-33 Scripture Reading: I Pet. 4:1-5

Have You Counted The Cost? Text: Lk. 14:25-33 Scripture Reading: I Pet. 4:1-5. Intro . Lk. 14:25-33 25 . Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them,

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Have You Counted The Cost? Text: Lk. 14:25-33 Scripture Reading: I Pet. 4:1-5

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  1. Have You Counted The Cost?Text: Lk. 14:25-33Scripture Reading: I Pet. 4:1-5

  2. Intro Lk. 14:25-33 25. Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26. "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27. "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28. "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29. "Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, 30. saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' 31. "Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32. "Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33. "So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. Have You Counted The Cost?

  3. Intro Architect (Builder) embarrassed by unfinished project – 14:28-30 NJ Gov. Chris Christie has famously called this unfinished project, “The ugliest building in New Jersey, and maybe America” Have You Counted The Cost?

  4. Intro King (Ruler) embarrassed by defeat – 14:31-32 Soviet Invasion: Adolf Hitler (September 1941) – 800k deaths out of 3.8M Invading Russia: Napoleon Bonaparte (June 1812) – 380k deaths out of 685k “Operation Barbarossa was, without a doubt, the worst case of someone who failed to learn from history and being doomed to repeat it!” (Jamie Frater) Have You Counted The Cost?

  5. Intro Lk. 14:25-33 25. Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26. "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27. "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28. "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29. "Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, 30. saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' 31. "Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32. "Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33. "So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. One needs to know what is expected of a Christian – Have you counted the cost? Have You Counted The Cost?

  6. Christians Suffer • Job 14:1-2: All people suffer: • Suffering is part of life (Various ways: death, personal loss, sickness, pain) • I Pet. 4:1-2: Sometimes saints suffer for no other reason • but that they are Christians • I Pet.1:6-9: Put to grief through trials. (II Tim. 3:12) • I Pet. 1:10-11: The hope of victory is in the example of Jesus’ suffering. Christ suffered for us! • I Pet. 3:17: Suffer for doing what is right. (II Tim. 3:12: “Godly;” I Pet. 4:16: If suffer as a Christian, “glorify God in this name”) I Pet. 4:1-2 1. Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2. so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. Have You Counted The Cost?

  7. Christians Suffer Counting the Cost: Temporal vs. Eternal • Choose to not suffer temporarily in this life – your right to • choose • Rom. 8:18: Suffering here does not compare to the glory to come • You will suffer for eternity – consequence for your • “choice” • Mt. 25:41, 46: Company with those who also chose to not be a Christian! Those who choose to not suffer for Christ have only counted the physical cost! Have You Counted The Cost?

  8. Christians Live for the Will of God • The world says • “Do as you please.” (“Christians are prisoners of their own minds”) • “It’s OK to do whatever you want to as long as no one gets hurt.” • “Enjoy yourself. You only come around once.” • “Live it up.” • “Treat yourself.” • “Do what everybody else is doing.” (Peer pressure) I Pet. 4:2-4 2. so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3. For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. 4. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; Have You Counted The Cost?

  9. Christians Live for the Will of God • Gal. 5:17: “You may not do the things that you please” • I Peter 3:15: Christians recognize Jesus as Lord. • II Cor. 5:9: It is to be our ambition (our goal) to be pleasing to Him. • II Tim. 2:4: As soldiers of Christ, we are to please Him who enlisted us! Gal. 5:17 17. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. Have You Counted The Cost?

  10. Christians Live for the Will of God Counting the Cost: Temporal vs. Eternal • Choosing to live according to God’s standard in this life is • rewarded • I Jn. 2:15: Doing His will, not our own, leads to eternal life! • Choosing to do as we please in this life leads to an • eternity not getting our way • Lk. 16:23-29; I Pet. 4:5; II Cor. 5:10; II Thess. 1:7-9 Those who do not want to give up their way of life have only counted the physical cost! Have You Counted The Cost?

  11. Christians Constantly Battle Satan • I Pet. 5:8-9: He is always there trying to deceive saints • A new Christian faces: temptations and discouragements. • Mature Christians: can get tired of fighting and surrender I Pet. 5:8-9 8. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. Heb. 12:3: One can get weary in this battles • There is hope of victory • I Jn. 2:14; Eph. 6:10-18 Have You Counted The Cost?

  12. Christians Constantly Battle Satan Counting the Cost: Temporal vs. Eternal • Fight Satan now in this life, live eternally Satan-free • Js. 4:7; Rev. 20:10; 21:6-7: The Devil’s defeat and the Saints’ victory! • Don’t fight him (already belong to him), you will spend • eternity with him • Mt. 25:41: Hell is reserved for Satan & his angels. (II Thess. 1:9) Those who don’t battle Satan over right and wrong have only counted the physical cost! Have You Counted The Cost?

  13. Conclusion Life is about making decisions (even difficult ones) & being ready to accept the consequences! In choosing to not become a child of God, you choose the eternal consequences for not counting the eternal cost! (Mt. 25:41, 46; II Thess. 1:7-9: Eternity of suffering!) Have You Counted The Cost?

  14. Conclusion Those who count the eternal cost and see it outweighs any temporal cost will obey the gospel! Mt. 13:45-46 (Lk. 14:29-30: Contrast) 45. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46. and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. The reward for sticking it out and enduring through life’s trials is worth the cost! (I Pet. 1:9; Rom. 1:16) Have you counted the cost: Temporal vs. Eternal? Have You Counted The Cost?

  15. “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” Hear The Gospel (Jn. 5:24; Rom. 10:17) Believe In Christ (Jn. 3:16-18; Jn. 8:24) Repent Of Sins (Lk. 13:35; Acts 2:38) Confess Christ (Mt. 10:32; Rom. 10:10) Be Baptized (Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16) Remain Faithful (Jn. 8:31; Rev. 2:10) For The Erring Child of God: Repent (Acts 8:22), Confess (I Jn. 1:9), Pray (Acts 8:22)

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