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PART IV: THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
CHAPTER 20
THE WARRING KING
Introduction
Whereas the Parable of The Tower Builder represents
Christians on the DEFENSE, the Parable of the Warring King
represents Christians on the OFFENSE. The Warring King
immediately follows The Tower Builder. It is found only in
Luke 14:31-33.
The Story
"Or suppose a king is about to go to
war against another king. Will he not
first sit down and consider whether he is
able with ten thousand men to oppose the
one coming against him with twenty
thousand? 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. In the same way, any of
you who does not give up everything he
has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:31-
33, New International Version).
[Jesus then concludes his teaching on the
cost of being a disciple in the next two
verses]:
"Salt is good, but if it loses its
saltiness, how can it be made salty
again? It is fit neither for the soil nor
for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
"He who has ears to hear, let him
hear." (Luke 14:34-35, New International
Version)
Jesus tells another illustrative story about a king who
is about to go to war against another king. After the king
finds out the strength of the other king's army, he must
determine the odds of his defeating the other king. If the
other king has twice the number of soldiers (20,000 to
10,000), he must assume that he will be defeated in battle.
So, rather than be defeated, he will send a negotiating team
to the other king, hopefully to gain peace at some settled
cost. Just as the king carefully analyzed his situation, so
must the one who would become Jesus' disciple. Unless
everything is surrendered to God, one cannot become Jesus'
disciple.
The Interpretation
Jesus fully knew the terrible battles that his disciples
would face in the future. He knew that they would fall in
battle if they had not made a total commitment to God. The
battles that his disciples faced, and still do, are not
physical battles. Paul tells us plainly the nature of these
battles:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and
in his mighty power. Put on the full
armor of God so that you can take your
stand against the devil's schemes. For
our struggle is not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against
the authorities, against the powers of
this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
(Ephesians 6:10-12, New International
Version).
Clarke comments,
He that will be a true disciple of Jesus Christ
shall require no less than the mighty power of God
to support him, as both hell and earth will unite
to destroy him. (Clarke, COMMENTARY ON THE HOLY
BIBLE, p. 878).
Less than total commitment to God indicates a lack of
faith in God. We must trust God:
And without faith it is impossible to
please God, because anyone who comes to
him must believe that he exists and that
he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
(Hebrews 11:6, New International Version).
Unbelief hinders God from working in our behalf and through
us for others. Unbelief also gives Satan a legal hold in our
lives.
Disobedience to God will hinder our prayers from being
answered, and may give Satan a legal hold in our lives.
God requires that we give up everything for him. This
means that we must be WILLING to give up everything that he
asks us to give up. He may require that we give up some
things now that he may give back to us when we are more
mature.
Solomon said that "... the way of the unfaithful is
hard." (Proverb 13:15, New International Version).
On the other hand, Jesus said that the way of the
faithful is not hard:
"Come to me, all you who are weary
and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls. For
my yoke is easy and my burden light."
(Matthew 11:28-30, New International
Version).
Jesus has promised never to leave us. He will be with
us in both the good and bad times:
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All
authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them
to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, to the
very end of the age." [Italics mine]
(Matthew 28:18-20, New International
Version).
The cost of discipleship is high, but the cost of
rejecting Christ is extremely high. Satan is a deceiver and
a manipulator. He will bait his hook with the desires of the
flesh, material gain, the desires of the mind, etc. He will
use and abuse people and when he is finished, he will cast
them aside like a child would a broken toy. Then, they must
spend an eternity with evil people. Here are some scriptures
describing Satan and his schemes:
As for you, you were dead in your
transgressions and sins, in which you
used to live when you followed the ways
of this world and of the ruler of the
kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now
at work in those who are disobedient.
All of us also lived among them at one
time, gratifying the cravings of our
sinful nature and following its desires
and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by
nature objects of wrath. (Ephesians
2:1-3, New International Version).
And the Lord's servant must not quarrel;
instead, he must be kind to everyone,
able to teach, not resentful. Those who
oppose him he must gently instruct, in
the hope that God will grant them
repentance leading them to a knowledge of
the truth, and that they will come to
their senses and escape from the trap of
the devil, who has taken them captive to
do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26, New
International Version).
The great dragon was hurled down--that
ancient serpent called the devil, or
Satan, who leads the whole world astray.
He was hurled to the earth, and his
angels with him. (Revelation 12:9, New
International Version).
Central Truth
GOD REQUIRES THAT WE PLACE HIM FIRST IN OUR HEARTS.
Conclusion
After we have made the decision to trust God and
surrender all to him, we look back. What did we give up? We
gave up (1) the lordship of Satan, for the lordship of
Christ; (2) we gave up false friends and gained true friends;
(3) we gave up hatredand were given love; ( 4) we gave up
bondage to sinful habits, for freedom; ( 5) we gave up
poverty, for true wealth; (6) we gave up guilt, and God gave
us peace of mind; (7) we gave up sickness, for health; (8) we
gave up despair, for priceless hope; (9) we gave up
self-destruction, for self-preservation; we gave up eternal
separation from God, for eternal joy with our Maker.
END