Sermon - 9/4/22

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Religion

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The Cost of Discipleship is the title of a book by German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In it, Bonhoeffer spells out what he believes it means to follow Christ, what discipleship really is all about. Bonhoeffer understood that following Jesus is not always easy. He wanted to honestly communicate the message that, if you live into a life of discipleship, there will be costs to living such a life. And, ultimately, toward the end of World War II, Bonhoeffer was killed because of the choices he made and his commitment to faithfully follow Jesus. In our gospel reading for today, we find Jesus bluntly teaching about discipleship and what it means to follow him. And, I have to say, his words regarding discipleship are daunting and uncomfortable to hear. Today, we find Jesus speaking to a large crowd of people. Among the throng, there were some who were contemplating the possibility of becoming disciples. Jesus’ response to them communicates the seriousness of discipleship and his words make it clear that faithful discipleship is not for the faint of heart. The stakes have been rising throughout this chapter in Luke, and it is becoming ever more clear just what lies ahead as Jesus faces the future. So, Jesus spells out the high cost of discipleship. To better understand the blunt nature of what he is saying, think about this. Just imagine inviting someone to come and be part of our community of faith and saying to them, “Come and check us out this Sunday and we’ll tell you how hard it is to join our church. First, you’ve got to hate your family. Then, you must carry a cross like a condemned criminal. Along with that, we expect you to give up everything you have worked so hard to possess. Do these things and you can call yourself a member of our community of Faith.” Now, that sounds like a sure and certain way to grow a church! Right? Well, I think we need to unpack what Jesus is saying and take a deep

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