Counting the Cost
Reflections: Psalm 93 reflects how God reigns with majesty and how his throne was/is established for all eternity. The next two passages describe those who will be a part of God’s reign coming here on earth as it is in heaven. Joshua, like David, was a man whose heart was completely committed to the Lord. Often when we see the word “heart” today and we read, “feeling or sentiment”. But actually the word is more about commitment or the “will to follow”. The word “soul” is actually more connected to feelings than the word “heart” in biblical literature and understanding. Therefore, it says that Joshua followed the Lord “wholeheartedly”. Meaning in all of his words and actions they demonstrated who was his true Lord. That is why when the Israelites came into the Promised Land, the Lord gave him the exact hill country He had promised him.
Then, in the Gospel lesson in Luke, Jesus describes the type of person who will follow him and what the cost of following him will be. When Jesus says, “Whoever does not hate his mother or father, wife and children, brothers or sisters cannot be my follower”, he is not advocating that we literally hate our family. This would be going against the 4th commandment to honor our father and mother. But Jesus is saying that our relationship with Him is of supreme importance and our first allegiance is to Him and the Father, even before family.
Jesus uses the analogies of counting the cost of building a tower, or before one goes off to war to count the cost to show following His should be something we think about/calculate. Why do you think Jesus demands so much? The key lies in the end, when he again uses another analogy of salt. Salt was used to preserve, and a very valuable commodity in 1st century Palestine. Why? Because they didn’t have refrigeration and salts kept the meat from rotting. Also salt helped prevent infection, which could be life threatening. Jesus teaches the disciples that their following him will be like salt preserving the world. But if they lose their saltiness they are no good anymore.
Translation: As we make Jesus our first calling and obey His Word and His Spirit, the effect will be that we are set apart and noticeable to a world that has lost its saltiness. If we are not different than the world, we have lost our saltiness and lose our purpose as believers. This is true of individuals and it is true of the Church. It is only as we hear God’s voice and follow Him in the power of the Spirit that we can be made salty. We do not make ourselves salty, but God does. Yet, like Joshua, it requires our commitment to follow Him wholeheartedly to bring in His Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.
Where is God calling you to be a salty Christian? Remember God has made us salty as we have received His grace and the power of the Holy Spirit. As you count the cost of following Jesus in today’s world, remember that He paid the ultimate cost for you when He chose to go to the cross in obedience to His heavenly Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus doesn’t ask us to do something that He hasn’t already done, and He will be with us as we follow Him!
Psalm 93
1 The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;
indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.
2 Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity.
3 The seas have lifted up, Lord,
the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea—
the Lord on high is mighty.
5 Your statutes, Lord, stand firm;
holiness adorns your house
for endless days.
Joshua 14:6-15:19
Allotment for Caleb
6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” 13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly. 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.) Then the land had rest from war.
Luke 14:25-35
The Cost of Being a Disciple
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ 31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. 34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
You were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:20
Heavenly Parent, help us to remember that a loving spirit, a kind heart and a caring soul demonstrate beauty much more than our physical bodies. May the world see your Spirit through us. Amen.
Then, in the Gospel lesson in Luke, Jesus describes the type of person who will follow him and what the cost of following him will be. When Jesus says, “Whoever does not hate his mother or father, wife and children, brothers or sisters cannot be my follower”, he is not advocating that we literally hate our family. This would be going against the 4th commandment to honor our father and mother. But Jesus is saying that our relationship with Him is of supreme importance and our first allegiance is to Him and the Father, even before family.
Jesus uses the analogies of counting the cost of building a tower, or before one goes off to war to count the cost to show following His should be something we think about/calculate. Why do you think Jesus demands so much? The key lies in the end, when he again uses another analogy of salt. Salt was used to preserve, and a very valuable commodity in 1st century Palestine. Why? Because they didn’t have refrigeration and salts kept the meat from rotting. Also salt helped prevent infection, which could be life threatening. Jesus teaches the disciples that their following him will be like salt preserving the world. But if they lose their saltiness they are no good anymore.
Translation: As we make Jesus our first calling and obey His Word and His Spirit, the effect will be that we are set apart and noticeable to a world that has lost its saltiness. If we are not different than the world, we have lost our saltiness and lose our purpose as believers. This is true of individuals and it is true of the Church. It is only as we hear God’s voice and follow Him in the power of the Spirit that we can be made salty. We do not make ourselves salty, but God does. Yet, like Joshua, it requires our commitment to follow Him wholeheartedly to bring in His Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.
Where is God calling you to be a salty Christian? Remember God has made us salty as we have received His grace and the power of the Holy Spirit. As you count the cost of following Jesus in today’s world, remember that He paid the ultimate cost for you when He chose to go to the cross in obedience to His heavenly Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus doesn’t ask us to do something that He hasn’t already done, and He will be with us as we follow Him!
Psalm 93
1 The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;
indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.
2 Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity.
3 The seas have lifted up, Lord,
the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea—
the Lord on high is mighty.
5 Your statutes, Lord, stand firm;
holiness adorns your house
for endless days.
Joshua 14:6-15:19
Allotment for Caleb
6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” 13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly. 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.) Then the land had rest from war.
Luke 14:25-35
The Cost of Being a Disciple
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ 31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. 34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
You were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:20
Heavenly Parent, help us to remember that a loving spirit, a kind heart and a caring soul demonstrate beauty much more than our physical bodies. May the world see your Spirit through us. Amen.
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