Sermon Preached by (soon-to-be) Pastor Eric Hullstrom

Salem Lutheran Church on Sunday, June 27, 2004

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Text:  Luke 9: 51-62

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from Jesus Christ, the giver of peace and life eternal, Amen.

Cost, price, amount, value, worth, and return are all terms that dominate our market driven and reward seeking society.  Everything we do, buy, invest in, engage in, and enter into has a cost.  Every decision has a cost attached to it.  Every path in life we take has costs that need attention.  We have to weigh the pros and cons to everything we do whether it is a conscience effort or whether we do it without really thinking.  We determine the cost to everything we do and then ask ourselves, “Is it worth it?”  I like to think that Jesus did the same thing, but for him there was never a question.  When Jesus asked “Is it worth it”, he said an emphatic “YES!” without even batting an eyelash.  What a reward that turned out to be for us.

Last weekend, Connie and I were running around Sioux Falls looking at various pieces of furniture.  We were and still are looking for a coffee table with end tables and an entertainment center.  Something we are not going to buy right now, but we still wanted to get an idea what is out there and it was fun.  We went to five different furniture stores in Sioux Falls.  Prices varied along with quality, style, amenities, and aesthetics.  There are so many factors to consider that weighing the costs got a little overwhelming.  But we decided that we were willing to pay a little more and make sure that it was of good quality and that it looked nice with what we already have in the house.

Everything we do has a cost and Jesus knew that better than anyone.  In our Gospel text, Jesus is teaching us the cost attached to discipleship, because discipleship is not an easy thing.  But our first mission before we continue too far is to ask, “What is discipleship?”

Well, allow me to help you out a little bit.  Here are a couple definitions of discipleship that I got from a class I took on discipleship written by a number of classmates.  Let’s see what you think:

Number one:  Discipleship is following Christ, proclaiming the life found through Christ’s love and forgiveness, and ministering to the needs of others.

And number two: Discipleship encompasses one’s entire life through love and service to God and the neighbor.  Discipleship is living through the hardships, struggles, the good and the bad, the ups and downs of life while loving and serving God and the neighbor.  Discipleship calls you into the world to love and service in Christ’s name.

What is the cost of discipleship here?  Is it worth it?  What are the rewards?

In order to answer these questions we have to take another step further.  What does discipleship look like for today?  What are the practicalities of discipleship? 

Within the walls of this church building, it is easy to be a disciple.  To a certain extent we are expected to be “good” people.  There is no shame in praying in front of others.  People will not point and stare if you go out of your way to help someone.  And generally people are kind and loving to one another.  It is easy here, but out there it is a whole new ball game. 

If you and your family are sitting in the middle of a busy Pizza Ranch, do you hold hands and say or sing a table prayer or to you just say a silent prayer to yourself?  If you are driving along the road and see someone having car troubles, do you stop or do you just keep going so you won’t be late? 

Discipleship in today’s world is not always easy because the cost is sometimes so high.  Sometimes it requires a large sacrifice, requiring us to give up something we really enjoy.  Maybe it means giving up your favorite TV show to volunteer for a church function.  Maybe it means giving up a round of golf each week to work with the youth at church.  Discipleship can be difficult, but it can also be fairly simple. 

Taking to time to listen to someone pour out their feelings.  Giving a smile to someone when they are down.  Giving a couple children’s books to the church library for children to enjoy.  Giving someone a ride to church who normally can’t get here.  Laughing with someone.  Being a friend.  Loving someone.  Discipleship takes on many forms.

Is discipleship worth it?

The opening of the Gospel text for today has Jesus setting face toward Jerusalem.  Now, Jesus knew what he was getting himself into.  Jesus knew that he was going to be received like a king only to have the people turn against him a few days later when they shouted “Crucify Him!”  Jesus knew that he was going to be tried unfairly and beaten like a vicious, dangerous, despised criminal.  Jesus knew he was going to have a gigantic wooden cross, too heavy for him to carry strapped to his back to carry to his own death.  Jesus knew that he was going to have large metal spikes driven in his wrists and feet to that instrument of death and hoisted up to suffer.  Jesus knew that he was going to die.

But Jesus also knew that he was going to rise from the grave.

Do you think that Jesus considered the cost of discipleship and asked if it was worth it?  Sure he did.  But for Jesus there was never a question about what must done.  He had to head to Jerusalem to meet this certain fate.  A certain fate that would bring all of us life.

Discipleship has its costs.  The cost is not like what Jesus paid for us, but there are costs.  So what are they?  Jesus says, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head”.  Discipleship is not a glorious lifestyle.  It is not about us, it is about others.

So is discipleship really worth it?

If you want a concrete example of this, we don’t have to look very far.  This past Tuesday we celebrated the life of Shirley Egeland.  Those of you who knew her, know the impact she made on your life.  I didn’t even know her and she still made an impact on my life through the stories I heard about her.  We are the ones who reaped the rewards of her discipleship.  We are the ones that benefited from her sacrifice and we are the ones who are better people for just knowing her.  Discipleship is not about us, but rather it is about others. 

Is discipleship worth it?

Well, don’t ask me, ask the person along the roadside in the middle of nowhere with a broken down car.  Ask the young homeless couple traveling through who had to sleep outside last night because they have fallen on hard times.  Ask the person who is having a bad day who only needs someone to listen to their story.  Ask the child who needs a Sunday school teacher.  Ask the mom who can’t afford daycare.

Is discipleship worth it?  This can be an easy question to answer if it is only about us, but when we throw in our neighbor the ballgame is different.

Jesus did not live, suffer and die to receive praise and glory.  He did not do it to become everyone’s best friend.  He did not do it to become Mr. Popular.  Jesus lived, suffered and died because he loves you and me.

Is discipleship worth it?  I think we know that answer to that question.  Amen!