Parable or the Warring King

Parable or the Warring King

Luke 14:31–32

Opening: Two Kings, One Decision, One Deadline
Jesus sets a battlefield before our eyes. A ruler surveys the horizon and sees a stronger army approaching. He sits down, considers his strength, and decides his next move. If he cannot win, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace while the enemy is still far away (Luke 14:31–32). The Lord presses this image into every heart that hears Him. Discipleship calls for sober calculation and timely surrender. Life presents real conflict, real consequence, and a closing window to make the right request.

The Setting: Crowds Listening, Demands Clarified
Luke places this parable beside the tower builder. Large crowds were following Jesus, and He clarified the cost of allegiance—loyalty above every relationship, cross-bearing, and a life placed at His disposal (Luke 14:25–27, 33). The tower urges careful planning; the warring king urges timely submission. Together they form one call: count carefully and commit fully.

The Picture Explained: Power, Prudence, Peace
A king with ten thousand weighs his chances against twenty thousand. He does not charge blindly. He sits, calculates, and acts according to truth. If the numbers condemn his hopes, he pursues peace immediately. Jesus places us in that seat. Every listener measures personal strength against the certainty of accountability. The wise request peace before the first arrow flies.

Why This Matters: The Stakes of Resistance
Human strength cannot overturn the Lord’s rule or avoid His judgment (Psalm 2:1–12; Acts 17:30–31). Delay does not reduce the advance of that day. The Lord connects entrance into His kingdom with doing the Father’s will (Matthew 7:21) and identifies Himself as the author of eternal salvation to all who obey (Hebrews 5:9). The parable warns against casual delay and invites decisive obedience.

Seeking Peace on the Lord’s Terms
The lesser king does not dictate. He seeks terms. In the same way, people who desire reconciliation do not negotiate new conditions for discipleship; they receive the Lord’s conditions and comply. Scripture presents a clear response to the gospel: hear and believe the good news (Romans 10:17; Mark 16:16), repent of sins (Acts 17:30), confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9–10), and be baptized to wash away sins, rising to walk in newness of life (Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3–4; 1 Peter 3:21). Thereafter, live each day under His authority in all you say and do (Colossians 3:17), learning His commands and practicing them.

Obedience and Ongoing Allegiance
The warring king does not ask for a truce that lasts an afternoon. He seeks enduring peace under a greater banner. Discipleship follows the same pattern. Jesus calls for daily cross-bearing (Luke 9:23), integrity of heart, truthfulness, purity, steadfast love, quiet generosity, sincere prayer, and trust in the Father’s care (Matthew 5–7). This way of life answers His words with action. It preserves the pattern He delivered, neither adding human innovations nor removing divine requirements (Deuteronomy 4:2; 1 Corinthians 4:6). The result is stability when trials rise and credibility when the watching world weighs our claims.

What Miscalculation Looks Like
Some delay the decision and hope the marching army will turn aside. Some assume past religion guarantees future safety while daily choices run contrary to the Lord’s teaching. Some invent personal conditions and call them faith. The Lord’s warning stands: “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Words without obedience leave a soul unprepared. Activity without submission leaves a soul unchanged. The storm and the judgment expose every false estimate (Matthew 7:22–27).

Urgency: “While He Is Still Far Off”
Jesus emphasizes timing. The wise king sends his envoys while the opposing force remains distant. This is mercy in motion. Scripture urges the same discernment: “Now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Seek the Lord while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6). The door of opportunity stands open today. Use it.

Congregational Implications
Churches also choose between presumption and prudence. Congregations thrive when they plan their work by Scripture, keep authorized priorities, and move promptly to reconcile with God and with each other (Colossians 3:17; Matthew 5:23–24). Teaching, benevolence, evangelism, and mutual edification all proceed under the Lord’s terms. Delay in peacemaking breeds bitterness; swift submission protects unity.

Conclusion: Send the Delegation Today
The King of kings approaches. His authority does not waver and His word does not fail. He welcomes those who come on His terms. Hear Him. Believe Him. Turn from sin. Confess His name. Be baptized into Christ. Rise to a life arranged under His command (Mark 16:16; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3–4; 1 Peter 3:21; Matthew 28:20). Then continue in obedient allegiance, assured that His terms bring true peace.

Exhaustive Sermon Outline

• Text and Context
  • Read Luke 14:31–32; note surrounding demands (Luke 14:25–27, 33)
  • Twin parables: tower builder and warring king—planning and surrender
• Elements of the Picture
  • A superior force approaches
  • A ruler sits down and calculates
  • A timely request for peace goes out “while… far off”
  • Prudence replaces pride; obedience replaces impulse
• Doctrinal Anchors
  • Lordship and obedience: Matthew 7:21; Hebrews 5:9
  • Universality and certainty of judgment: Acts 17:30–31
  • The appointed response: Mark 16:16; Acts 17:30; Romans 10:9–10; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3–4; 1 Peter 3:21
  • Ongoing authority for life: Colossians 3:17; Matthew 28:20
  • Guarding the pattern: Deuteronomy 4:2; 1 Corinthians 4:6
• Seeking Peace on His Terms
  • Hear and believe (Romans 10:17; Mark 16:16)
  • Repent (Acts 17:30)
  • Confess Christ (Romans 10:9–10)
  • Be baptized for remission, raised to new life (Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3–4; 1 Peter 3:21)
  • Walk in the teachings of Jesus (Matthew 5–7; Luke 9:23)
• Warnings Against Miscalculation
  • Delay and presumption (Isaiah 55:6; 2 Corinthians 6:2)
  • Words without deeds (Luke 6:46; James 1:22–25)
  • Human additions or subtractions (Deuteronomy 4:2; 1 Corinthians 4:6)
• Applications
  • Personal: list areas of resistance; submit them to Christ’s command
  • Family: establish practices that honor His terms (prayer, Scripture, reconciliation)
  • Congregational: keep authorized works in focus; pursue prompt peacemaking
• Appeal
  • Send the delegation today; accept the Lord’s terms; continue in loyal obedience

Call to Action
Today, sit down with Luke 14 open.

1. Name one area where you have resisted the Lord’s terms; write the concrete step that aligns you with His word.
2. If you have not obeyed the gospel, arrange today to be baptized into Christ (Acts 22:16).
3. Tell a trusted Christian your plan and ask for accountability this week.

Scripture Reference List (with notes)

• Luke 14:31–32 — Parable of the warring king; prudence and timely peace
• Luke 14:25–27, 33 — Cost of discipleship stated plainly
• Matthew 7:21 — Doing the Father’s will and entrance into the kingdom
• Hebrews 5:9 — Eternal salvation connected to obedience
• Acts 17:30–31 — Universal call to repent and certainty of judgment
• Mark 16:16 — Belief and baptism in the Lord’s commission
• Romans 10:9–10 — Confession with the mouth, belief with the heart
• Acts 22:16 — Arise, be baptized, wash away sins
• Romans 6:3–4 — Buried with Christ in baptism, raised to walk in new life
• 1 Peter 3:21 — Baptism as appeal to God for a good conscience
• Colossians 3:17 — Do all by the authority of the Lord
• Deuteronomy 4:2; 1 Corinthians 4:6 — Guard the pattern without additions or omissions
• Luke 9:23 — Daily cross-bearing as the ongoing path
• Matthew 5–7 — The Lord’s pattern for daily life
• Isaiah 55:6; 2 Corinthians 6:2 — Urgency: seek the Lord now

Prepared by David Hersey of the church of Christ at Granby, MO