John 8:2-12 Sermon

Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost

Shepherd of the Hills Ev. Lutheran Church (WELS)

“I Am… the Light of the World”

John 8:2-12

2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” 12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (NIV)

I’ve done it before, without even realizing it.  You probably have, too.  I’ve driven at night without my headlights on.  Now to be fair, it wasn’t on purpose, but because I happened to start up the car in a brightly lit parking lot where not having my headlights on was not even noticeable.  If you’ve found yourself in that situation, you know it doesn’t take long before you realize you’re driving without your lights on.  Either someone else will flash his headlights at you to let you know, or you’ll quickly become aware of a lack of visibility as you leave the well-lit area and find yourself increasingly surrounded by darkness.

Now driving in a well-lit parking lot at night without your headlights on probably won’t do you much harm; there’s enough other light to see clearly what is going on all around you.  But once you leave the well-lit area and the absence of light makes visibility challenging, that’s when you run the risk of a serious accident that could harm you or someone else.

And spiritually speaking, far too many in this world right now are driving around at night without their lights on.  The inevitable result of such a reality will be much worse than just a spiritual fender-bender; it will be a massive pile-up of carnage and crushed metal that will leave staggering numbers of eternal fatalities in its wake.  It is undeniable.  It is unavoidable.  Those trying to maneuver around in the dark without any light will be lost forever in the most terrifying way imaginable – separated from the grace of God in a state of timeless torment.

But, as Jesus’ words this morning assure us, it doesn’t have to be that way.  No, not for anyone does it have to be that way, for Jesus tells us, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (v.12).  Jesus’ words to us and to all people this morning give us supreme comfort and confidence that no one needs to remain in the darkness and damnation of unbelief, for he is the light.  And no, his is not some promise that he is the light of success, or the light of perpetual happiness, or the light of loving tolerance, but the light of life – life to the fullest here on earth, but more than that, life eternally in his presence.

One of the things a light provides is an awareness of our surroundings.  It shows us where we are.  Without light, we would not know where we are standing.  The importance of light was impressed on me repeatedly while growing up and going on camping trips.  Depending on how late in the day we’d arrive at our campsite, one of the first things we’d do is get the fire started.  Not only would it provide the heat to cook with, but it also provided light in the event that we ran out of daylight and still needed to set things up in camp.  The light from the fire would show us where we were and where everything else was as well. 

As the light of the world, one of Jesus’ roles is to show people where they stand.  That was what brought him to the temple courts.  As he taught, the light of his law was intended to show people where they stood, including people like the teachers of the law and the Pharisees.

Granted, the teachers of the law and Pharisees didn’t show up that morning because they were all that interested in having someone else – certainly not Jesus – point out where they stood.  They had their own purposes in mind, sinister purposes of trying to trap Jesus – the very kind of plans we’d expect from those walking in darkness.  Right before them, front and center for all to see, they placed a women who had been caught in adultery.  What course of action would Jesus recommend?  Would he agree with the Old Testament law and demand that she be stoned, ignoring that only the Roman government had the authority to put to death?  Or, would he disregard the Old Testament law and defer her case to the civil authority, siding with the Roman government?  How does the Light of the world respond to their efforts at trapping him?     

He sheds the light of his law on the Pharisees and the teachers of the law to show them where they stand.  The real issue at hand, as Jesus’ words pointed out, was not whether or not what the woman did was wrong; the real issue was the attitude with which the teachers and Pharisees approached her situation.  Jesus told them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (v.7).  Now Jesus’ point was not that there was no place for pointing out sin, as so many today like to misquote this verse as saying, but his issue was the judgmental heart with which they did so.  The number one concern of the Pharisees was not seeing that justice was carried out; but rather that as others are torn down in sin, the Pharisees’ reputations might be elevated all the more in the eyes of others.  Whenever others were accused and found guilty of wrongdoing, the Pharisees by default were elevated in their righteousness, at least in their own minds.  Jesus shined the light of his law by showing that the problem wasn’t only with the adulterous woman, but with their pride-filled, pietistic hearts.

You’ll notice that wasn’t the only place the light of his law shone.  The adulterous woman saw it, too.  It would be difficult to imagine that the law wasn’t working remorse and guilt through her conscience as she stood shamefully in front of everyone, unable to deny that she had been caught in the act.  Jesus also acknowledged her sin later on with the words, “Go now and leave your life of sin” (v.11).  The Light of the world made it clear where she stood.  She had sinned, and to live in and remain in that sin wouldn’t cut it.

In that regard, we are no different than the religious leaders or the woman herself – we too need to see where we stand.  If the law’s light doesn’t shine to show us where we stand, then we’re unaware of the danger we’re in.  We’re driving around with our headlights off, unable to see the road in front of us or the dangers that lurk in the darkness all around us.  It means nothing to speak of Jesus as the light of the world until we know the darkness in which we dwell without him.

And that is what the law does for us.  It shows us the scary reality of where we stand.  It shows us that we stand side-by-side with the pride-filled, pietistic Pharisees, the adulterous woman, and all sinners. 

Then, listen to what Jesus says to that shameful bunch of sinners, the bunch that includes you and me.  He says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (v.12).  Jesus is not interested in showing us where we stand so that we remain lost in the dark, but so that he can shine his saving light for all to see.  And look what assurance he gives to those in his light: never again will you be in the dark with me, but instead will have the light of life to rescue you, to redeem you, to guide you, to direct you, to show you the only way to heaven through Jesus.

What have you done, what could you do, that would hide you from that light?  Jesus’ answer to you is, “nothing.”  Whether caught in the act, like the adulterer, or carrying the hidden guilt of some sin in your heart, Jesus says that those who are in him do not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.  The light of life that Jesus beams into the hearts of his people is not a faint light.  It isn’t dim.  It isn’t flickering.  It is a floodlight of grace, shining with a brightness that leaves no sin to hide and fester in the dark, for in Christ all sin has been exposed, forgiven, and paid for. 

Can we help but think of the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection as we consider the theme of darkness and light?  The pitch black darkness of sin had left its mark on Good Friday when it dealt its crushing blow upon our Savior at his death.  Sin had unrelentingly done its worst.  It didn’t hold back.  The damage was done.  But our Savior wasn’t.

Fast forward to the Sunday morning sunrise.  The darkness could not help but give way to the stripes of light that rose with the sun.  And sin could not help but give way to the Light of the world that rose from the tomb.  Death was doomed.  Sin’s stain was removed.  The devil was stripped of what he thought was a sure victory.  So common was the theme of light that even the angels at Jesus’ resurrection dazzled with brilliant light! 

Because of Jesus’ triumphant resurrection, he was able to speak what we can only imagine must have been the single most comforting phrase the woman would hear in her lifetime: “Then neither do I condemn you” (v.11).  When Jesus promises that those who follow him “will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life,” what he means is embodied in those words, “neither do I condemn you.”  The light of Jesus’ forgiveness shines over the darkness of our sin, allowing him to promise us the peace that comes from those words, “neither do I condemn you.” 

Throughout our lives, the devil will continue to play the same role as those teachers of the law and Pharisees, accusing us and threatening punishment for the sins of which each of us are all too well aware.  When he does, hear the words your Savior spoke to the adulterous woman, only picture him facing you as he speaks them.  “I didn’t come into the world to condemn you, but to redeem you; to buy you back and rescue you from the darkness of sin and unbelief.”  “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (v.12).  Amen.

                                                              

“For the freer confidence is from one’s own works, and the more exclusively it is directed toward Christ alone, so much better is the Christian it makes.” (Luther)

John 6:24-35 Sermon

Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost

Shepherd of the Hills Ev. Lutheran Church (WELS)

“I Am… the Bread of Life”

John 6:24-35

24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.  25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”  30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”  32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (NIV)

Apparently Da Vinci’s image wouldn’t grab as much attention.  Neither would William Shakespeare’s.  And, even as despised as he was, a picture of Hitler would not garner as much interest.  In fact, the second-most popular historical figure – Mohammed – had only about half as many searches as Jesus did in a recent list of most popular historical figures searched for on Google.  So, the chances are as good as any that if you happened to leave one of these business card invites with Jesus’ image on it on a table in a restaurant or coffee shop over the last couple of weeks, more than likely, the person who picked it up next probably at least took the time to flip it over and check out the other side.  Love him or hate him, people always have been, and always will be curious about Jesus.  No other individual will ever reach the same level of popularity. 

The sad irony, of course, is that while Jesus may get a lot of hits on Google, people in our society at least are not beating down the doors of churches to learn more about him.  The reality of our society today is a clear disconnect between Jesus and organized religion that we haven’t seen before in our lifetimes.  In other words, there’s interest in Jesus, sure enough; just not in the religious institutions that used to be closely associated with him and even respected because of it.

That leaves us in relatively unfamiliar territory.  It means that the days of the church, believers like you and me, being able to sit back and wait to welcome the curious visitors on a Sunday morning are fading fast.  It means that if we truly believe that Jesus has something to say, not only to us, but to all people, then we want to shift our game plan to a more offense-minded strategy.  Why?  Because I think we can all agree that Jesus has more than enough to say about the things that really matter.

The series we’re beginning this morning is a perfect example of that.  Today we begin a series in which Jesus will reveal himself to us each week as he builds on the foundation of the simple, yet powerful words, “I Am.”  What does Jesus mean when he says, “I Am?”  In a nutshell, everything.  Think about it.  I Am doesn’t demand further description.  I Am doesn’t have a beginning or an end.  I Am cannot be explained.  Most profound of all, perhaps, is the connection Jesus is making with the name for God given in the Old Testament: Yahweh.  I’ll give you one guess what Yahweh means.  Did you by any chance guess, “I Am?”  Then you’ve connected the dots in an eye-opening way to see that with his “I Am” statements, Jesus was claiming nothing short of the identity of God himself.  Each week, Jesus, the great I Am, God in the flesh, will reveal to us the unique characteristics and qualities of that name as he sheds light on his person and work.  This week let us listen to Jesus as he tells us, “I am the Bread of Life.”

Google is one thing, but the lengths to which the crowds of his day went in search of Jesus is another story.  John told us in the Gospel this morning, “Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus” (v.24).  A Google search takes seconds, and then a few minutes longer if you find anything worth reading.  But how long does it take to secure enough boats to enable a crowd to chase after Jesus by traversing a lake?  These were people who were committed to seeking out Jesus, which sounds very flattering… 

…until we see the true intent of their hearts revealed to us by Jesus.  After they finally stumbled upon Jesus, he pointed out to them, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill” (v.26).  Ah, the truth comes out.  Why was the crowd so passionately pursuing Jesus?  He had just shown that he was capable of miraculously feeding thousands upon thousands of people; he had just shown that he could provide food for their stomachs.  Yes, they had big things in mind for Jesus, as John informed earlier in his Gospel, right after Jesus had fed the 5,000+.  “After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, ‘Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.’ Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself” (Jn. 6:14-15).

So Jesus was not taking issue with their chasing after him; rather, he was taking issue with their reason for chasing after them, which was, as Jesus put it, “work[ing] for food that spoils” (v.27).  He was trying to straighten them out and help them to see that focusing on the temporal blessings Jesus could provide meant missing out on the spiritual blessings he came to bring.

Instead of “work[ing] for food that spoils,” Jesus encouraged them to focus on working for “food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (v.27), but all they heard was the word “work.” So they asked, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” (v.28), presuming there was something they could do to receive the gift Jesus was trying give.  It wasn’t about what they did or didn’t do, but about what Jesus came to give, which was something far and away more valuable than any temporal provision.  They, like all mankind by nature, were stuck on this ridiculous notion that compiling a sticker chart of enough good works and good intentions would merit something from God.  Inevitably, when man takes that approach, he ends up seeking God for all the wrong reasons.

That is important for us to remember too, isn’t it?  It wasn’t only those crowds at that time who looked for Jesus for the wrong reason; we’ve fallen into that habit as well from time to time.  Hasn’t each of us shown our self-serving pursuit of Jesus when our primary concern has been the moldy bread that we know Jesus can provide?  Jesus becomes my Wealth-builder, my Job-finder, my Spouse-fixer, my Addiction-breaker.  Yes, Jesus is certainly able to be all of those things, but if spiritual tunnel vision leads us to see only those things, then we, along with the crowd, are merely working for food that spoils.  What’s more, even though Jesus is certainly able to be all of those things, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll choose to be in our lives.  And, if we’re content with Jesus being in our lives only to provide the moldy bread of food that spoils, then we run the risk of eternally forfeiting the greatest of gifts he came to bring.

And what is that gift?  Jesus spelled it out as clear as day when he told them, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (v.29).  Did you notice something?  Remember how the crowd thought there was something required of them?  Look at how Jesus carefully pointed out how wrong their point of view was.  With his response Jesus squashed any semblance of work or effort required on their part.  Instead, Jesus pointed out that what is required is “to believe in the one he has sent.”  And he wasn’t done!  Notice whose work that is: God’s!  “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”  It was such a foreign concept to the churchgoers of Jesus’ day.  The examples set by the religious leaders of the day were all about work – do this work, not that work; work on this day, not that one.  Religion was not about something that was given, but about working for something that could be earned.  So Jesus’ words, that religion and belief were God’s work, didn’t sit well with them.

That’s why they wanted proof that Jesus actually had the authority to speak such unconventional truths.  “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?” (v. 30).  What sign will you give?  What will you do?  If only they knew then what Jesus would do to carry out the work of God.  What he would do was continue to walk blamelessly through life for them.  What he would do was knowingly allow a close friend to betray him and another to deny him.  What he would do was patiently endure a sham trial with a predetermined guilty verdict.  What he would do was put up with verbal, emotional, and physical abuse.  What he would do was be deserted by his Father to die on a cross.  What he would do was smash the shackles of sin and death by his glorious resurrection from the dead.  All of those things – they are what Jesus would do.

With that work on his mind, with that “doing,” Jesus made a claim with a significance that far-surpassed anything the crowd was looking for. When we give consideration to all the work of salvation which Jesus did, it gives the right understanding to his claim: “Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’” (v.35).  Stomachs were just the start; Jesus came to fill souls with the bread of life, with a meal of forgiveness and salvation that always satisfies.  He came to bring something of substance, something that wouldn’t run out, but would last.  He came to give us a gift that we cannot find anywhere else in the world, but through him, the “I am.”

Come to Jesus, as the crowds did, looking to him for whatever it is you think he should be doing in your life.  But be willing to listen when he tells you that he came for something more.  When Jesus says “I am the bread of life,” know that his work was and is more important than granting us temporary physical blessings – spoiled moldy bread.  His work was carried out to give you something that would last beyond this life for eternity, yet would also touch you in such a way that it completely alters your life here on earth for the better as well.  If you don’t know Jesus, get to know him.  If you’ve known him for the wrong reasons, get to know him for the right one – get to know him as the bread of life, who alone sustains you through his work and his Word with all that you need for this life and the next. Amen.

                                                          

“For the freer confidence is from one’s own works, and the more exclusively it is directed toward Christ alone, so much better is the Christian it makes.” (Luther)

Luke 14:25-33 Sermon

Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost

Shepherd of the Hills Ev. Lutheran Church (WELS)

Warnings from the Word Series: “Discipleship Is Expensive”

Luke 14:25-33

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

²⁸"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? ²⁹For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, ³⁰saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'  ³¹"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³²If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

For many of us there are a number of variables that come into play while shopping that will determine whether or not we’ll end up walking out of the store with any given item.  It may start off with which store we’re even willing to shop at; we may not even be willing to buy an item at certain stores or retailers.  And, when it comes to shopping, some may also give a lot of consideration to the color or model options available; if it doesn’t come in a certain color, or with certain features, then it may be out of the question.  Others will make a purchase based on name brands, because they have found certain brands have a better reputation or tend to last longer than others.  Yet even with all these variables, there may be one consideration that will be a bigger factor than all the others in determining whether an item will be purchased or not: price.  Quite simply, no matter what color or brand, no matter what store is selling it, if the item is more expensive than we are willing to pay for it, then it won’t ever make the jump from the shelf to our cart.  More often than not, it simply comes down to cost.

Cost is precisely what Jesus warns about in our final Warning from the Word: Discipleship Is Expensive.  The dropsy-healing dinner party had come to a close and Jesus was now traveling about, but as was often the case, he wasn’t alone.  And, as Luke informs us, it wasn’t as if he had only a few fans following him around, but “large crowds were traveling with Jesus” (v.25).  Knowing that there were always a variety of reasons for which people expressed interest in Jesus, he made use of the opportunity with such large crowds to clarify the cost of being his follower.

Stop there for a moment and notice how Jesus used this opportunity, and what it reflects about him.  If Jesus’ life and ministry were to be about a popularity contest or merely how many followers he could rack up, having large crowds accompany him would have been a great chance to butter up the masses by saying whatever itching ears wanted to hear.  Surely Jesus could have smooth-talked his way into their hearts if he so desired.  But Jesus shows us that he is always interested only in speaking what needs to be heard, even if it may not be what the crowds want to hear.  His warning, Discipleship Is Expensive, was a blunt teaching that was not easy to accept.  Nevertheless, in full disclosure, Jesus was telling the crowds to count the cost before they committed to clinging to him as their Savior.

So just what is the cost of following Jesus?  How expensive is discipleship?  The quick and easy answer is that it could cost everything that one has, and that the follower of Jesus must be willing and ready to part with anything if it compromises his relationship with Jesus.  Jesus’ warning could be broken down this way: his disciples must be willing to reconsider relationships, carry their crosses, and part with possessions. 

To reconsider relationships is simply to prioritize earthly relationships and one’s relationship with Jesus.  On the one hand, it’s really quite simple: the relationship with Jesus is most important, and every other relationship imaginable comes after that.  In fact Jesus stated it more strongly, using the word “hate” to depict how strongly the follower of Jesus feels about keeping Jesus first in life.  If anyone – even family members – threaten the believer’s relationship with Jesus, then the believer is not simply indifferent toward them, but must fully guard against that relationship and the threat it poses.  Moreover, it isn’t just the love of others that potentially threatens one’s connection to Jesus, but even love of self.  To reconsider relationships is to accept the harsh truth that no earthly relationship must ever be allowed to drive a wedge between one’s relationship with Jesus.

In addition to reconsidering relationships, the followers of Jesus must be willing to carry their crosses.  “And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (v.27).  A cross can be any struggle the Christian has that comes in one manner or another because of his faith.  Those with children about to be in high school bear the cross of agonizing over whether to send a child to CLHS – or even further away to one of our preparatory schools like LPS or MLS – versus sending them to public high school.  Such a struggle is unique to the Christian.  The unbeliever doesn’t agonize over a child continuing to receive a Christian education at the high school level, but it is a cross that many Christian parents bear.  The challenge and tension of living in a way that reflects God’s will versus living in a way that is acceptable to the world may be another cross the Christian bears.  Whatever the cross, Jesus says that it is something that his followers will lift up and carry, not hide away and bury.

Finally, the follower of Jesus will also be willing to part with possessions.  Admittedly, this would be a lot easier if not for one thing: God is so abundantly gracious to us.  God’s giving to us is not a “good-enough-to-get-by” type of giving, but a “here, take what you need… and then double it” type of giving.  Most of us, if left with even a fraction of what we now receive from the Lord, would still be wealthier than the vast majority of the world.  But such material blessings can potentially provide a snare, one that perhaps God allows in our lives to test our faith and see how willing we are to part with possessions for his sake. 

Discipleship Is Expensive, isn’t it?  That’s why Jesus continued with two stories to illustrate the importance of counting the cost before going “all in” with Christianity.  No one would embark on a building project without first figuring out how much it would cost and determining if he could afford it.  No one goes to war severely outnumbered, but makes sure he has a large enough army to give him a winning chance.  In the same way, how foolish one looks who is one day the most zealous Christian on earth, only to be ashamed a short time later because of an inability to part with someone or something in this world that seeks to trump Jesus in priority and importance!  Only a fool jumps into something without first considering what all it involves, and if any sacrifice is required, then he must be willing to make it.

Really what Jesus is illustrating in our verses today he also illustrated through the parable of the Sower and the seed (cf. Luke 8).  Remember that some of that seed fell on soil and immediately shot up out of the ground.  However, shortly thereafter, either because of a weak root system due to rocky soil, or being choked out by weeds that grew up right alongside, what sprouted quickly wilted and died.  The presence of worldly cares and concerns and a lack of a deeply established root system did not allow that faith to take off and bear an abundant crop.  That, Jesus said, is what happens when one fails to count the cost: there is a real danger that all might be lost.

Yes, Discipleship Is Expensive.  But you know what?  We haven’t even gotten to the real cost yet.  Yes, Jesus asks us to give up much, indeed everything, for his sake.  But even everything we have is nothing but a drop in the bucket compared to the real cost of discipleship.  Suppose we reconsidered our relationships and perfectly prioritized them so that God has top billing in our lives as he deserves.  Imagine if we readily carried our cross each and every time it presented itself, and willingly parted with all possessions that threatened to stake a claim on our hearts.  If we could do all of those things, and do them just as Jesus here warns us to, would we then have the security of heaven?  We wouldn’t, because our security doesn’t rest with us, but with Jesus.  You see, Discipleship Is Expensive, but not merely because of what God asks of us; rather, it is expensive because of what God gives to us. 

Discipleship Is Expensive because the price God paid to make us his was the life of his only Son.  It is estimated that on average, a pint of blood today goes for around $230.  Now if a person in an accident required several pints of blood, that could get pretty expensive.  The cost of a pint of blood though, is nothing when comparing it to Jesus’ blood.  His blood is priceless, so precious because it is pure and untainted by sin.  When he bled for you and me, the blood he shed was more valuable than the largest diamond, the purest gold, the most refined silver, indeed more precious than anything else in the world. 

And, making it even more valuable was the fact that it was one-of-a-kind.  Why are people willing to fork over millions of dollars for original works of art, when there are more than enough replicas, fakes, and forgeries that look nearly identical?  Because the original is a one-of-a-kind.  There may be replicas, there may be fakes, but there is only one original.  So also, there is only one Savior: Jesus.  That makes him even more precious to us, even though what he accomplished and achieved for us – forgiveness and salvation – doesn’t cost us a thing!  It cost a Father his Son.  It cost a Father his dearly-beloved Son.  How can we forget the Father’s expression of that love, full of pride as he voiced his love and approval from heaven at Jesus’ baptism and again at the Transfiguration?  Do not think of God as some cold, unfeeling, emotionless divine being who was indifferent to the plight of his Son – far from it!  We witness God’s compassion and love for others as he expresses them throughout the life of Jesus.  Jesus wept at the death of his friend Lazarus.  His heart went out to the diseased and the downtrodden.  God’s heart beats with care and concern for others, and if for others, then surely also for his own and only Son.

Discipleship Is Expensive.  Yes, Jesus wants us to count the cost as we follow him so that we don’t have any unrealistic expectations about how challenging it will be.  But even more than that, Jesus wants us to know it’s expensive because the price for being called his disciples was his own death.  He paid that price.  He made us his.  Let that be enough to work in our hearts a willingness to give up everything for him who gave up everything for us first.  Amen.

                                                              

“For the freer confidence is from one’s own works, and the more exclusively it is directed toward Christ alone, so much better is the Christian it makes.” (Luther)