Dear Christian friends:

Several years ago someone wrote a popular song which is still heard on the radio today. It was entitled: "I Never Promised You A Rose Garden." Well, Jesus doesn't promise his followers "a rose garden" either, at least not in this sinful world. In fact, Jesus promises us just the opposite, saying, "In the world you will have tribulation." (John 16:33) Paul concurs when he warns: "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22)

In our text, which is the Gospel Lesson for this Sunday, Jesus plainly, yes, even shockingly states that we could suffer a lot of adversity as his followers. He furthermore admonishes us to


Jesus warns about being an impulsive, rash disciple, one who fails to count the cost. Jesus talks about the embarrassment of a person who decides to build a high rise tower without carefully figuring the cost and his resources and then consequently he is unable to complete the project.

In a similar way we could be embarrassed if we rashly begin to follow Jesus and then are unable to continue.

Jesus also talks about a king who is about to go to war with another king. If he does not carefully consider his man power and his weaponry compared to his enemy he could be terribly embarrassed when he has to retreat in battle and sue for peace, accepting unfavorable, humiliating terms. In some cases he could be worse than embarrassed; he could be dead.

So Jesus would have us carefully consider the cost of following him. Joining a Christian Church, declaring yourself a follower of Jesus Christ, should not be done lightly, rashly or impulsively. It is not like joining a social club or the Kiwanis. It should not be done for ulterior reasons such as social ability or for economic gain. One saleslady once told me that she belonged to three different churches so she could make business contacts.

Count the cost of discipleship, so that later on when you must pay the cost, you will not be surprised or discouraged or tempted to quit following Jesus exposing your hypocrisy. Jesus wants us to be whole-heart, committed, steadfast disciples.

St. Paul exhorts: "Be on guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love. Count the cost and gather the resources to pay them! (In love for God and your neighbor.) Therefore consider the high costs of discipleship.

In our text Jesus shocks us, saying, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:25-26)

How would Jesus say such a thing? Doesn't this contradict what he himself taught and what God teaches us in the Bible? For example, St. Paul says, "Husbands love your wives." (Ephesians 5:25) How do we reconcile this seeming contradiction?

Well, the Bible plainly teaches that a family is a gift of God, a place where love should rule and prevail. What Jesus is saying by these shocking words is that sometimes a Christian must make a choice between family and Christ. Acceptance of Christ at times causes hostility and conflict in a family when some members of the family do not accept Jesus for their Savior. I preached on this subject September 6, 1992, when the topic was: "The Prince Of Peace Brings Conflict."

So what Jesus is really saying when he says we must hate our own family or we can't be his disciple is this: the call to discipleship demands a higher loyalty than that to family. Jesus says, "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." (Matthew 10:37) He doesn't mean that we are to hate in the normal sense of the word.

Have you ever thought that the devil can use your love for your spouse or children to separate you from God? It is true! How do you really love your spouse and children? You love them with a natural love and affection. You give them food, clothes and whatever else they need: But do you give them spiritual food and protection? Have you loved them in Jesus?

Do you warn the members of your family when they begin to stray away? Or are you afraid of losing them? This is one way the devil might use to separate you yourself from the heart of God.

Choose Christ over family, because if you don't, you are in danger of falling away from Christ. And, as a consolation, he gives you a better and larger family. He gives you this dear family here at First Lutheran! He makes you a member and heir of the family of God, the Holy Christian Church, the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant and glorious.

St. Paul says in Romans 8:17, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

We are to cling to Christ even over family.

Another demand of discipleship is that we forsake all we have for Jesus' sake. In our text Jesus says, "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." (verse 33)

Our possessions are gifts from God, just as our family is. James says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17) God gives our material wealth for our necessities and happiness and we are not to despise them, but to receive them as good stewards according to his will.

However, as you know, our possessions can be a stumbling block to discipleship, just as family can. St. Paul warns: "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Timothy 9-10) And Jesus warns: “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:23) Satan can use material possessions to replace God in your heart. Be on guard!

Choose Christ over riches because God gives you the true riches, which abide forever.

Forgiveness of sins and all the blessings that flow from it are the true riches! Jesus once said that many prophets and righteous men longed to hear the Gospel of forgiveness and they did not hear it. He implied that they would have given all their wealth and greatness to have heard it. (Matthew 13:17)

The Psalmist eloquently expressed this love, saying, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:25-26)

Along with the forgiveness of sins we also have the hope of heaven. When it was time for St. Paul to die he wrote young Timothy of this glorious hope, saying, "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

Therefore, forsake all, like Paul and the other disciples. Paul gives us his inspiring example, saying, "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith." (Philippians 3:7-9)

The last demand of discipleship is that we hate even our own life. Jesus says, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate even his own life-life he cannot be my disciple." (verse 26)

Life is a gift from God that we seek to preserve and enjoy. We do not carelessly and lightly risk it or sacrifice it.

However, the time may come when we must decide between our life and Christ. Christ predicts that persecutions will come. He said to his disciples: "All men will hate you because of me." (Matthew 10:22) Many Christians in the past have given up their lives rather than to disown Jesus Christ.

There is danger in choosing life instead of Christ. Jesus warns, "Whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. (Matthew 10:33)

Jesus encourages us to take up the cross, saying, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)

Choose Christ over life because Christ gives you real life. Pastor Alton Wedel has said, "When Christ is your firm possession then there really is no life to lose."

In Jesus Christ we have new life even now on our pilgrimage through this world. St. Paul tells of this new life when he writes: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

This is really living St. Paul says: "Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

In Jesus we have eternal life. He promises: "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life." (John 5:24)

Again Jesus promises: “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. (John 5:28-29)

Garibaldi said, "He who loves liberty more than life, let him follow me." Jesus says, "He who loves me more than family, possessions, and life itself, let him follow me." May God give us grace to follow Jesus in spite of the cost.

Amen.