Sermon
Trinity 14 (Pentecost 15)
Year C
Luke. (14.25-33)
In a sense, there are times I believe that this reading is just for ‘me’, even though I know that my struggles are neither unique nor for Anglican Priests in general. The struggles of faith and discipleship are, in fact, for us all. There can be one guarantee, and it is that we will all have our crosses to bear.
The cost of discipleship can be great.
The last time this reading appeared, I looked more closely at the translation, it appears that the word we read as ‘hate’ is more closely akin to the word ‘value’, so we are being asked not to value those people and things higher than our calling as disciples.
You might think it’s not as bad then as it first seems, but if we are to even attempt this ‘prioritization’ of values, we will need to constantly question ourselves about the way in which we do things. How we live our lives, spend our time, support the poor and needy, even spend our money.
In all cases, can we say that being a Christian has made a difference in our lives?
That, of course, is the real cost, the understanding that signing up to being a Christian has a cost that can’t be paid up front or in full, but is slowly repaid on a day-to-day basis.
The term, ‘The Cost of Discipleship’ was the title of a book written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and in the first two chapters he deals with the questions the Gospel reading throws up for us today.
The first chapter is entitled “Costly Grace” and considers the difference between “Cheap Grace” and “Costly Grace”, it considers this if the ‘grace’ of God is worth anything, it is something that we need, we seek out and value every day; Bonhoeffer wrote;
"cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ."
"costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus, it comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the contrite heart. It is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."
The second chapter “The Cost of Discipleship” reminds us that this journey will inevitably bring us into conflict with those around us, sometimes even our family and friends.
When Bonhoeffer dared to criticize the ‘cultural Christianity’ in Hitler’s Germany that ignored the plight of those suffering by legalism and formality, he called it ‘religionless Christianity’, together with Martin Niemoller and the other founders of the ‘Confessing Church’ he was arrested for helping Jews escape to Switzerland. When he was released friends got him out of Germany and he travelled to America – he eventually travelled to England, but here he felt that he could not be actively involved in rebuilding the church after the war if he hadn’t been involved with sharing the sufferings of the people during the war, so against the advice of his friends he returned to Germany.
On April the 5th 1943 he was arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned in a series of prisons and concentration camps. In prison he ministered to the sick and the dying, the lost and the anxious. In 1944 there was an attempt to liberate him, but he chose to stay in prison so as not to endanger the lives of others.
Bonhoeffer was concerned that a church led by the demands of the secular state, and without its’ own voice is no church at all. He was convinced that, if necessary, a Christian would even have to offer his life for this.
On 9th April 1945, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was executed in Flossenberg Concentration Camp, shortly before its’ liberation.
Paul says in his letter to the Romans “Do not be conformed to the ways of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”.
As we reflect today on the stark statement from the Gospel about only serving one vision and one God, we can be reassured in some way by the words of the very first Psalm (which is one NOT ascribed to King David) starts the ball rolling on this mammoth religious song. It give us the comfort to believe that if we, like Bonhoeffer, stand up for what is right, then we will be upheld in that by God himself;
I’ll read it to finish the sermon, but before I do, may God bless you all as you continue to discover the cost of your own discipleship, and may you take great strides forward in finding yourself in relation to God.
Psalm 1 KJV
1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
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