Luke 14:25–33
“Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even life itself—cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
It is so good to finally be here with you as your new Pastor and Teacher. This has been a long road for all of you, and what seems like a long road for me, but we are finally here, together. I say that together because it is not just me in this boat; we are all in it together, and whether we sink or float depends on each one of us.
I make this promise to you that I will strive to lead you with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I will push you, when necessary, out of your comfort zone because I see it as my job to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. There will be times when we disagree, and that is fine if we disagree with love and mutual respect.
I ask one simple thing: if we do disagree or if you have questions, come to me first. If I say something you disagree with, if I do something you don’t think I should be doing, come and talk to me, don’t let it fester, and please, don’t let it keep you away. I am somewhat reasonable, and I am sure we can come to an understanding.
My theology is quite simple, and you will often hear me say this: just love everyone. Our job as Church is not to build walls or barriers. Our job as the Church is to break down those things and challenge systems, whether they be in the Church or outside of the Church, that separate people. And whatever we do, we must do it out of love. Every action Jesus took, he did with love. And when Jesus commanded us to love everyone, he meant everyone, without exception.
There is an old saying in the United Church of Christ, “Whoever you are, wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” We have to mean that and practice it.
Printed at the top of the bulletin is the vision statement of the Church. Please pick up your bulletin and hear these words:
“Our vision is to be a beacon of light in our community. One that welcomes both the stranger and friend, creating a safe harbor for all; while we work and grow together to offer our love and service to God through our love and service to others.”
This is who we have chosen to be. Now, we have to live it.
The other promise I make is not to shy away from the difficult passages of Scripture. I believe we must face these passages head-on with an open and clear mind. As a teacher, I will take you past the surface of what we read. We will look at the passage from tradition and what the Church has to say about this. Reason, how do we understand it, and what does it mean to us today? And, experience, how do we experience this passage in our lives as individuals and as the Church?
Scripture is a living and breathing thing. Another one of the sayings in the United Church of Christ is “God is still speaking.” For a while, the symbol of the Church was the semicolon. The semicolon is used when the thought is not finished, when there is still more to come. God is not finished revealing themselves. There is still more to come. God’s revelation is fresh and new with each generation.
God did not stop revealing oneself after the resurrection and assumption; that was just the beginning of the story, and the end is not written yet. We must allow Scripture to permeate our lives. We need to sit with it, struggle with it, wrestle with it. We need to push past the surface and allow God to challenge some of the things we hold dear, because that is where growth happens and, dare I say, where change takes place.
So today, Jesus comes out swinging. Jesus challenges us right from the start. “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.”
Yikes
Hold on, Jesus, hate, what is that all about? Can we go back to the touchy-feely Jesus, the love everyone Jesus? These are some harsh words, and I am sure many turned and walked away. Why would Jesus demand such an extreme commitment?
Sometimes, Jesus uses provocative language to get your attention. How many times have you seen a headline that grabs your attention, and after reading the story, you wonder what it had to do with what you just read? The headline grabs your attention and draws you in to read what comes next.
Movie previews are another great example. Sometimes the best part of the movie is the preview. All the best parts are right there, and after watching the film, you are less than satisfied, but you watched.
Jesus is not literally commanding us to despise our families. He’s using this language to make a point: following him must come before everything else. Even the most sacred bonds—family, security, possessions—must take second place to the call of Christ.
Jesus provides a couple of examples.
How many of you have either built a new house or renovated an old one? My wife, Nicky, and I bought an older home, which was built in 1635, and it needed a little work. Before we started ripping down walls and whatnot, we sat with the contractor and came up with a plan. The contractor needed to know what the end goal was and how far we were taking this renovation. Sure, there will be uncalculated things along the way, but we need a plan.
In the same way, Jesus says, discipleship requires sober reckoning. We can’t follow him casually. We must know the cost.
Jesus says plainly: “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
We often think of the cross as jewelry or decoration. I wear a cross around my neck, but in Jesus’ day, it meant death. To carry a cross was to walk toward execution.
So, what does it mean for us? It means that discipleship is not about comfort, but about surrender. It means laying down our pride, our self-centeredness, our security, and following Christ, even when it costs us.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German theologian and pastor who lived during the rise of the Nazis in Germany. Bonhoeffer lived and studied in the US for a while, and when things started to get bad in Germany, some urged him to come and live in the US. But Bonhoeffer chose to stay and minister as best he could to the people God had given him.
Among other things, Bonhoeffer believed that ministry was a sacred responsibility and not just a job. And ultimately, that responsibility cost him his life.
Bonhoeffer wrote about the difference between cheap and costly grace.
“Cheap grace,” says Bonhoeffer, is the “preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”
On the other hand, Bonhoeffer says that costly grace “is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy, for which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.
Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.”
Bonhoeffer knew what Jesus meant: discipleship is costly. But he also knew it is life-giving. For when we lose ourselves for Christ’s sake, we find true life.
So, what does this mean for us?
It may mean choosing integrity over advancement at work.
It may mean generosity when the world says, “Hold on tight.”
It may mean forgiving when revenge feels easier.
It may mean standing with the marginalized, even when it costs us reputation.
I may mean not supporting a policy or a politician who does not love everyone.
Every day, the cross shows up in small, ordinary choices. And every day, Jesus asks: Will you follow me here, too?
I believe I mentioned this during our first time together. I no longer consider myself a Christian. I say that because the term “Christian” has been co-opted by the wrong people, and it has come to mean something completely different from what it should. I call myself a follower of Jesus Christ.
But that has to mean something. Jesus came to show us a new way, a new way of life, and a new way of being in relationship with each other and creation. Jesus came to break down the barriers that separate people, be they religious, class, or economic barriers. Jesus came with a preferential option for the poor, and although he did not look upon rich people as bad, he did call on all of us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and welcome the stranger.
But for me, being a follower of Jesus Christ means that I have no other option but to love others. I do not have to like them or what they stand for; I can work for justice and oppose everything they believe in, but I have to love them. Every human has been created in the image and likeness of God. You will never look into the eyes of another human being that God does not love.
Being a follower of Jesus Christ is not easy. Being a follower of Jesus Christ means we have to turn our backs on what the world wants and how the world defines success. Being a flower of Jesus Christ means we have to love those the world wants us to hate. Being a follower of Jesus Christ requires us to be the voice of the voiceless and to be of support to those on the margins. Being a follower of Jesus Christ requires us to stand up when everyone else is sitting down.
Following Jesus requires sacrifice, surrender, and courage.
In other words, it has to cost something.
So may we hear Christ’s call with open hearts. May we shoulder the cross with trust. And may we discover, in giving our all, that God gives us more than we could ever imagine.
Amen.
