Luke 14:28-30 which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, “For does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, man began to ‘This build and was not able to finish.’” The point of these verses is simple: The expression Count the cost! “count the in English probably comes from this verse. It costs you everything cost” to be a disciple of Christ. into a discipleship relationship with Don’t enter Jesus unless you have first counted the cost. Recap: So what is the cost of discipleship? It will cost you everything—so better count the cost if you really want to be a disciple. you’d Marks of a Disciple How can you recognize a disciple of Jesus? What characterizes one of Jesus’ disciples? The short answer is that you recognize disciples by the fruit that they the way that they live. Illustration: I recently was introduced to Korean pears. They are kind of a cross between the mushy pears to and an apple. They are really good! But I I’m used could never recognize a Korean pear tree by looking at the tree. I would have to see, feel, and especially taste the fruit. In the same way, a disciple can be recognized as a disciple by what he or she does. Matthew 7:15-20 of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's “Beware clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.” Note: In the passage, all five times that it says or the “bear fruit” “produces fruit” word for or is the same common verb for in the rest of the doing “bear” “produce” Bible. Here, literally, you fruit.” “do
Luke 14:28-30 “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? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’” The point of these verses is simple: Count the cost! The expression “count the cost” in English probably comes from this verse. It costs you everything to be a disciple of Christ. Don’t enter into a discipleship relationship with Jesus unless you have first counted the cost. Recap: So what is the cost of discipleship? It will cost you everything—so you’d better count the cost if you really want to be a disciple. Marks of a Disciple How can you recognize a disciple of Jesus? What characterizes one of Jesus’ disciples? The short answer is that you recognize disciples by the fruit that they the way that they live. Illustration: I recently was introduced to Korean pears. They are kind of a cross between the mushy pears I’m used to and an apple. They are really good! But I could never recognize a Korean pear tree by looking at the tree. I would have to see, feel, and especially taste the fruit. In the same way, a disciple can be recognized as a disciple by what he or she does. Matthew 7:15-20 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.” Note: In the passage, all five times that it says “bear fruit” or “produces fruit” the word for “bear” or “produce” is the same common verb for doing in the rest of the Bible. Here, literally, you “do fruit.”