The Cost, and Benefit, of Following Jesus

In any "sale," there comes the moment of truth. After the never ending list of benefits comes the moment of decision. Will we pay the cost of all those benefits? Is the cost worth the promise of those benefits? Do we trust the salesman enough to let go of our hard-earned wealth in exchange for a promise? Are we ready to join this person on the journey toward the fulfilment of those promised benefits?

And so we are told that "large crowds" were going with Jesus. Where did they think Jesus was taking them? Where do we hope that Jesus is taking us? To a Promised Land of milk and honey? What does that look like? Is your Promised Land a place in your past that you wish to recover? Is it a destination that you know you can't avoid and are hoping it's ok? Is your Promised Land a place a new place you're looking forward to, a better place than where you've been or where you are now, but which you still hope isn't too different, too unfamiliar?

So how do they feel, how do we feel, when Jesus wheels around and declares, "They who come to me and do not hate their families aren't worthy to be my disciples."? Excuse me, Jesus, but where are the benefits? I doubt that any of us have ever been taught that this how you close the sale. Does this make you want to beat down the doors to get into Jesus's clubhouse? But these are the Words of Jesus that have been given to us today. And we, who aspire to be Jesus's followers, or disciples, had better understand the dues of getting into this club, the cost of membership in His Kingdom toward which we are heading.

The cost of membership in Jesus's kingdom of God is alienation. That alienation may be from family. It may be from whatever tribal community where you have felt comfortable included. Those who joined the community of disciples of the risen Christ eventually became alienated from their synagogue. So don't assume that to follow Jesus won't possibly alienate you from the church. To follow Jesus Christ may alienate you from all support systems – jobs, stocks, savings -- maybe even the support system of faith, if it is faith for the sake of security.

And they who do not take up their cross and willingly suffer wrongful accusation are unworthy of what Jesus suffered on the cross to gain for us. What is there to gain? Brothers and sisters we cannot imagine, coming from places where we would least look for them. So, given all that's at stake, you can bet that Jesus wants his disciples to consider very carefully what it could cost to follow Him into His Kingdom.

The smart person does not rush into a major building project, which will take a long time to complete, without first estimating the cost, and doing their best to guess if they can complete the building. Do not rush to follow Jesus. There is time for you to estimate the cost of discipleship. But is it not also the case that whenever we undertake a long-term project we find ourselves blindsided by events and the actions of others that we could not have anticipated?

And don't we do our best to foresee what conflicts will ensue when we make certain choices or declarations? And if you can't win the fight, based on your limited resources; or if you decide it just isn't worth it, don't you choose peace over conflict? But what about those times when objections arise from left field? And aren't some fights too important to walk away from, regardless of the outcome?

Jesus knows all of this. Jesus knows that we can't forsee all the potential costs and obstacles on our paths of discipleship. Jesus knows that we cannot possibly carry our particular cross on our particular journey by our own limited strength and limited resources. But Jesus says we must give up our possessions. We cannot rely on our own limited resources if we want to follow Jesus as His disciples. We rely on Him who carried all the crosses of all humanity, for all time, and who promises every one beside Him on the cross, "This day you shall be with me in Paradise."

To follow Jesus is to knowingly be alienated from the supports of family, tribe, wealth and power, that only now have we realized were never enough to support whatever we building for a secure future. To follow Jesus is to accept the conflicts that come with becoming the enemies of Jesus's enemies. But with our new-found friends, in life and in death, we will never be alone.