9-7-25                       Luke14:25-33

25 Now large crowds were traveling with [Jesus], and he turned and said to them, 26 “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. 27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he cannot, then while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. 33 So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.”

Grace, mercy, and peace will come to you from He who kept his priorities in line, giving up everything for your sake.

Let’s read this text from the end and move back toward the beginning. It isn’t going to change the meaning, nor will it make the words any less harsh, but perhaps it will make more sense. This is a tough lesson, which never gets easier to hear. But you need to reorganize a little to recognize where Jesus is going with his words and find out why what he says is important and essential. It takes close attention not only to this explanation but what Jesus has said all along.  He has given the crowds many teachings, lots of directions on how to live life as a true child of God. He was also living out those very same directions himself, for he knew that was the road which had to be taken. 

Have you ever taken a trip? Of course you have! Some of you are world travelers, others have not gone far beyond the Wisconsin state lines. But you have all taken a trip; be it across an ocean, over to the state park, or through the woods & over the hills to grandma’s house. No matter the distance or the length of time you will be gone there is always the need for planning. Decisions need to be made: about the transportation you will use, what you need to pack, will you eat out or take food with you and what will that be? While you are gone, what will be on your agenda. How much money will you need, how much time will be allotted, and which activities will get fit into the schedule? You need to have a focus or goal to direct the choices you make. If the trip is for outdoor activities your preparation will be must different than if you are touring museums and restaurants. If you are staying at a luxury resort you make choices that fit that environment and they would be not the same, if your trip is a mission endeavor to build a home for someone in need. You get the picture.

Like Jesus told the crowds, you have to prepare well or that goal you have set will not be achieved. He told them about the builder. If his tower is going to become a reality the costs have to be figured out and be covered or it will end up not being much of a tower.  Or with the example of the king who sets out to overtake his opposition, Jesus says he better evaluate his own resources and the abilities of his army first. If he concludes he cannot expect a victory, he better negotiate for peace before they even begin. You need to know what you will require for your project to be a success before you start, so you can be assured to reach your goal.

Jesus himself was going on a trip. He was bound for Jerusalem. His goal was to save the people, to restore their relationship with God. So Jesus needed to determine the plans and figure what that cost would entail from him so the outcome would be as desired. His preparations involved gathering disciples who would be asked to make a similar sacrifice. Their focus would have to be like his, a mission to save, to cleanse, to restore relationships.  To have success there would need to be a determined commitment to the that goal. A removal of distractions and competing loyalties would be necessary, otherwise other activities would side- track one from that which was to be the focus. 

Jesus had large crowds traveling along with him. He could tell that many of these were not well-prepared for their journey. They had come to follow Jesus, yes. But they did not yet understand exactly what that would mean. They had not accepted the same priorities for that journey as Jesus had. If they didn’t have that clear, they would not end up at the same destination, getting deflected by concerns that were not a part of this journey. As we look at the rest of this text, we will hear what Jesus’ priorities were. He makes it known what distractions existed that could interfere with the outcome. 

Many in the crowd had accepted Jesus’ teachings, they wanted to be a part of the ministry of which Jesus was the leader and inspiration and Lord. They intended to be his disciples, and there were more than those 12 that we have names for. Jesus wanted it very clear that tagging along on the journey was not nearly enough to qualify as His disciple. In the last chapters of Luke we have had explanations of discipleship. A disciple is to love the Lord with all one’s heart and soul and your neighbor as yourself. Mary gave a demonstration, as she sat at Jesus’ feet listening attentively, not distracted by the tasks of hospitality that burdened Martha. Jesus had challenged those followers to ask, search, and knock as they made requests to God, trusting that they would receive what they asked, would find what they sought, and would have the door opened. He had instructed his listeners not to worry about food or clothes, for the Father knows what his children need. We have also been reminded that disciples are always to be ready for action, with the lights on in preparation for the master’s return. Then recently we read that Jesus would bring division, and not peace, because not everyone, even within families would come to the same conclusion about Jesus, some would reject his word. Now, in this day of instruction, Jesus speaks in the strongest language yet.  “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. 27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Those words get our attention, as they did his audience that day. Which was the point! Hate is a word that grates, and there is already too much of it in this world, so I would rather not bring it up. Remember that Jesus is also the one who teaches us to love our enemies.  So, does Jesus expect us to feel animosity toward our family and dislike our own life? No Jesus continues to expect us to uphold our responsibilities and caring concern for our own life and that of our close family members. His directive here is directed to that which we have been speaking about – a disciple’s focus and the loyalty they have for the mission undertaken. Jesus marks those examples of what becomes the greatest distractions from the work laid out for the disciple. Family, our own life ambitions, and our possessions; it is these which can so easily interfere with the course set before us. Jesus wants us to know that discipleship is not done at our convenience or on our own terms. It is a total commitment, all or nothing. It is not designed for our own expediency, nor is it made to order; there is only one size and it does not fit all. It is a total obligation to Christ; as that very first commandment has always asserted; You shall have no other gods before me. 

Jesus knew very well the price of discipleship was high. This journey of his, given from the Father, had its destination in Jerusalem. At the place of the skull, he would give up his life on the cross, so His people might live. He needed his would-be disciples to realize that cross was also their future. Jesus was not the leader of a club, the organizer of a movement for a good cause. Jesus came as the Savior of humanity. He came to bring glory to God and demonstrate the power of God’s grace. As we follow in His footsteps that cross is our own, sacrificing our personal claims of importance. We no longer have our own agenda for what our life is to be. We are not working for fame, fortune or power. All that is destroyed on the cross. God’s glory alone is to be seen in a disciple. 

Jesus knew the anguish, the cost, of giving up everything. He did it for your sake. Is that something we can do? Can we follow Jesus that closely, being the kind of disciple, he demands here? No, we are sinners. We are like those in the crowds, who praised him on Palm Sunday and by Thursday cried for his crucifixion. We are like the 12 following faithfully one day and then fleeing and hiding in a locked room while Jesus met his death. Yet we can take up the journey, relying on Jesus as we go, accepting the forgiveness, and starting each new day offered us in the cleansing waters of our Baptism.

Look to the words from Romans 8 for the hope which is ours. These are the promise often read at a funeral, as they were this past week. “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?  It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the righthand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or swords?”  (vs. 31-)

We could add here – Will love of possessions, family, and our achievements, distract us, and take us beyond Christ’s reach? No is the answer St. Paul gives. “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. … not anything in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (vs. 37-) 

Our security comes by the living Lord. In His strength we live out our calling as disciples. In the means of grace Christ unites us and keeps re-uniting us with Himself in spite of the forces which seek to separate us through fear, faithlessness, and distractions. It is the love of God in Jesus that keeps you on the journey. That love keeps you from giving up your call to serve rather than heeding the voice of the world. Only the love of God can restore you to the path you are to travel. In faith we go with Jesus and the final destination will indeed bring us to a home in which we will be welcomed forever.