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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion January 26, 2009 Consider the Cost |
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Frontline Devotion for Monday, January 26, 2009 by Fritz Foltz
Luke 14:26-33 '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. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 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? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, "This fellow began to build and was not able to finish." 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? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.
Whoa! Jesus sets very difficult conditions and then urges us not to waste his or our time, if we are not willing to pay the cost. The challenge is especially clear, as Luke has brought together in one place three difficult demands that appear separately in the other gospels: hate your biological family, give up all your possessions, and carry your own cross.
When we understand the context, the demands make sense. In some ways that makes them even more difficult. We can no longer dismiss them as an idealist's unreasonable demands.
Jesus' band and the first church lived as family. Primary loyalty was moved from the family to the band or church, which operated just as our families operate. Each gives according to ability and takes according to need. Any reading of Acts 2: 43-47 and Acts 4: 32- 5:11 reveals this was very important.
So "hate family" is hyperbole about leaving family and joining Jesus' group. "Give up all your possessions" entails handing them over to the group, which operates as a voluntary communism. "Carrying the Cross and following Jesus" implies that getting involved with Jesus' people means suffering. Remember they were all scorned, many persecuted, and some martyred.
Obviously, we can not take the demands literally in our time. Our Church has become more of an institution than a community. Nobody with any sense would counsel giving all your money to the Church. Sad, but true. Hardly any of us are persecuted, and none martyred around here.
Still the passage reminds us giving according to ability and taking according to need goes beyond the biological family. Still Jesus calls us to follow him, Still self denial means suffering. Paul translate the demands for his congregations. He proclaims the freedom given by Christ and then quickly calls them to use that freedom as Jesus used his, to serve the common good and serve the needs of the neighbor. Faith is always active in love, which does not insist on our way when it comes to insiders and returns good for evil when it comes to outsiders. Self denial still involves suffering for others.
Make sure you do not pass over the passage, dismissing it as too far fetched. It is actually very practical. In fact, it is expected of us all.
Let us pray: Give me the courage, Father, to follow Jesus today. Give me the courage in the everyday situations in which I find myself. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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