Discipleship 101
Proper 18, Year C; Luke 14:25-35
Jesus is on the road again. Luke tells us that He is “going along” with the crowds, still journeying toward Jerusalem, a road He has been traveling since Luke 9:51. We know what awaits Him there—His cross, His resurrection, His glory. But the crowd traveling with Him does not. They see miracles, wonders, and hope, and they want to join in. It is precisely because the crowd is so large, so eager, that Jesus stops to teach them what it truly means to be His disciple (Luke 14:25).
He begins with a word that cuts against our instincts: discipleship comes with qualifications. These are not standards we set for ourselves. Jesus alone declares who are His disciples (Luke 14:32). If we meet His qualifications, then He will confess us before His Father (Matthew 10:32), and that means forgiveness, resurrection, adoption into God’s family, and life everlasting in His Kingdom. There is no such thing as a self-made Christian. A disciple is not self-proclaimed but Christ-declared, confirmed by His Word and Spirit.
The first qualification Jesus gives is total allegiance. No relationship—family, friend, or even our own desires—takes priority over Him (Luke 14:26). All allegiance belongs to Him. As He once said when His mother and brothers sought Him, His true family are those who hear the Word of God and do it (Luke 8:19–21). Following Him also requires a life exchange. To be a disciple is to love the life of Jesus more than your own (John 12:25; Philippians 1:21). It is to put your life to death so that His may live in you (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3–4). You count your life lost to gain Christ (Mark 8:35; Matthew 16:25). You take up your cross daily (Luke 9:23–24), offering yourself as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). You are not your own, for you were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).
But Jesus doesn’t want half-finished projects or abandoned towers. He warns His followers to cover the cost. True Disciples finish what they start and aren’t derailed by the surprised costs (Luke 14:28–30). Let your “Yes” be yes (James 5:12), and trust that the One who began a good work in you will see it to completion (Philippians 1:6). Discipleship is not a momentary excitement; it is a lifelong commitment.
Jesus also speaks of peace. To follow Him is to surrender your own little kingdom and make peace with His (Luke 14:31–32). Many live with a sense of peace in this life but remain at war with God. Yet He is the stronger King who comes to judge the world (Revelation 19:11–16). Don’t let Him be among your enemies. Make peace with Him through Christ, who is our peace (Ephesians 2:14–16), while there is still time.
And then there is influence. Jesus tells us that His disciples are salt (Luke 14:34–35). Salt flavors, preserves, and fertilizes. It makes things better, passes on what is good, and causes growth. Jesus Himself was salt in His ministry, bringing hope to the broken and life to the dead. Those who follow Him must do the same. A disciple who does not influence the world around them has lost their saltiness and is no disciple at all (Matthew 5:13).
The question is, are you ready, willing, and able? Are you ready to follow Jesus? Willing to drop everything to gain Him? Able to endure the cost? The good news is that Jesus Himself confirms His disciples. If you hear His Word and obey it, if you believe in Him by faith, He gives you the Spirit as proof that you belong to Him (Romans 8:16; Ephesians 1:13–14). And the Spirit supplies everything you need to finish the journey.
Do not be discouraged if you are just starting out or still learning how to walk this path. Discipleship matures over time. But where do you begin? Start where Jesus begins—with His Church. The Church is the first and forever place where disciples follow Jesus. It is here, in worship, in Word and Sacrament, in fellowship with other disciples, that you are formed into His image. What you learn in the Church then flows outward into your personal life—how you love your family, how you work, how you live in the world. To follow Jesus at home and in daily life, you must first learn how to follow Him in His body, the Church (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:24–25).
Keep company with other disciples who share this calling. Worship together, grow together, and let the rhythm of Word and Sacrament shape your life. This is your true family, the household of God (Ephesians 2:19). Here, you learn what it means to be salt and light, so that when you step back into the world, you carry Christ’s influence into every corner of life.
But do not forget the cost. Some have let their payments lapse, so to speak. They wear the label of Christian but have not borne the burden of discipleship. Jesus makes it clear: there are no fake disciples in His Kingdom (Matthew 7:21–23). Either you follow Him with your life, or you do not follow Him at all.
Discipleship isn’t casual. It isn’t a hobby. It is costly. But Jesus is worth it. To follow Him is to gain everything. To lose Him is to lose all. And so Jesus concludes, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:35).
Peace be with you,
Pastor Bruce
