Jesus continues his teaching on the cost of following him in Luke 14. In this passage he uses two analogies that seem to be saying the same thing but are actually saying the opposite.
In the first, Jesus says, essentially, “A developer wouldn’t endeavor to put up a condo tower if he hadn’t first calculated whether he had the funds to see the project through.” In the same way, Jesus says, “Do you have what it takes to go the distance with me?”
Jesus goes on to say, “A president wouldn’t initiate a war with an opponent he had no chance of overcoming. He would assess his military force, and that of his opponent. And if he was outmatched, he would pursue a peace treaty.”
Here Jesus is talking about the alternative to following him. Jesus presents himself as the only way to peace with God. Choosing not to ally with Jesus means, de facto, becoming God’s opponent. In a veiled way Jesus is really asking, “Do you have what it takes to go to war against God? Can you go the distance without me?”
If you’ve done the calculations, and concluded you can’t stand up to God, then for God’s sake, sign the peace treaty. What peace treaty? The one inscribed in Jesus’ flesh and sealed with his blood. God’s terms are beyond reasonable; beyond merciful. You may not like what it'll cost you, but it's far less costly than the alternative. Choose his peace.
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