Last time we saw that the call of Christ is comprehensive and conditional. Today, let us see that it is also costly and continual. First, let us see the Costly Nature of the Call. The conditions are so great for one to follow Christ and answer the call that one must consider carefully the cost of this call. You put much more thought into buying a house, than you do into buying a pack of gum. The ramifications are much greater concerning the house than they are for the gum. Well, the gulf is that wide between the ramifications of buying a house and the ramifications of what you do with the call of Christ. Jesus does not solicit a hasty, emotional decision. Instead, he urges those who would follow him to think seriously about their decision and to count the cost. Do not promise to follow Jesus unless you understand the cost and are willing to pay it. Jesus never encouraged an unthinking, impulsive leap of faith into discipleship in hopes that later on they would be willing to pay the price. The ramifications are great.
Jesus used 2 illustrations to drive home the importance of serious deliberation over this call. First of all, he used Buildings. Jesus said in verses 28-30, "For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish." It might have been a watchtower because in ancient days enemies attacked by burning fields, sowing tares in the fields and so towers were often built in these great estates from which the people could protect their land. Jesus says, Don't start building unless you can finish. It is better for you and the KOG not to even start if you aren't going to finish.
John Stott writes in Basic Christianity, "The Christian landscape is strewn with the wreckage of derelict, half-built towers, the ruins of those who began to build and were unable to finish. For thousands of people, still ignore Christ's warning and undertake to follow Him without first pausing to reflect on the cost of doing so. Large numbers of people have covered themselves with a thin veneer of Christianity."
He also used the illustration of battles. In verses 31-32 he said, "Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace." This king realizes his enemy is coming with 20,000. What man, what king, what leader is going to put his 10,000 in danger before he sits down and assesses his chances of winning the battle. And if he comes up with the conclusion that he can't win, verse 32 says, he's going to send a delegation and ask terms of peace. There's no sense in spilling all this blood to get to the same end that we could get to by negotiating.
Concerning the building, the man decided to build. Concerning the battle, the enemy is on the way to attack him. This is a dilemma over which he has really no control. The builder of the tower is free to build or not as he chooses, but the king is being invaded. The other comes against him. He doesn't have a lot of choice. In the first parable Jesus says, "Sit down and decide whether you can afford to follow me." In the second parable he says, "Sit down and decide whether you can afford not to follow me." Talk about being between a rock and a hard place! You can't really afford to come to Christ, but you surely cannot afford to NOT come to Jesus.
Jesus does not want disciples who do not realize what they have let themselves in for. Counting the cost is important. You do all the important things in life by calculating carefully. This is the most important thing you'll ever do. This is more important than any tower you'll ever build and more important than any enemy you'll ever meet. When you come to Me, Jesus says, you're not just adding Me to your life. I become your life. I'm not offering you a makeover. I am calling for a takeover. The call is costly.
We not only see the comprehensive, conditional, costly nature of the call, but we see the Continual Nature of the Call in verses 34-35. Jesus said, "Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear." This is not a call that you answer on June 11, 2009, never to be concerned about again. This is a call that demands persistence. This is a call that demands a present tense faith. This is a call that is continual in nature. If the salt ever loses its saltiness, what good is it. Most salt came from the dead sea and contained impurities. If it was not processed properly, it would lose its taste and become not only useless, but it would create a disposal problem. If the conditions of discipleship are not kept, the disciple likewise will become less than worthless. Not only will he do no good for the kingdom, he will damage the kingdom. Half hearted disciples do more damage than good. If the salt loses its saltiness, it will be thrown out. If we lose our temperature, we will be spewed out. Jesus himself says in Rev 3:15-16, "I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." The apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. Jesus said in Luke 9:62, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
This is not a past tense decision that you make and take care of never to be concerned with again. This is a present tense, daily walk with Christ. True saints persevere. It is an ongoing faith walk. The Gospel call is continual in nature.
The question is, have you truly considered and answered the Gospel call. It is a comprehensive call. There is no way that you can get around it. It is extended to you and it applies to you. It is not only a comprehensive call, but it is a conditional call. You must put Christ before your relationships, your life, and your possessions. The call is not only comprehensive and conditional, but it also costly. Salvation is all of grace and free of charge, but it will cost you everything. And it is not a one time decision you make that you never have to be concerned with again. It is a continual, ongoing walk with Christ. So, have you truly considered and answered the Gospel call. Have you met His conditions?
If not, I want to invite you to repent of your sin and believe the Gospel. Turn from your sin and place your faith and trust in Christ alone. Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Christ from this day forward. Today is the day of salvation.
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