In most recent years, we have seen a spike in the cost of living, haven’t we? I love the little books you buy about the year you were born and how much things were back then compared to today.
One aspect of an increase is what the value of the dollar was in 1970.
$565 in 1970 is equivalent to about $4,314.33 today. The average price increase of 663.60%. Just think how values of things spike and change, yet our daily lives in comparison remain practically the same. Even back then, people had to plan ahead. People still struggled to pay the bills and maintain food on their tables. Healthcare was still headline news, tax codes was still in place. Crime still existed, poverty was still rampant, and even our economy, in general, was somewhat hard up in ways we hoped would never repeat. Even during the times of Jesus and beyond, everyone had to count their money and plan their meals and time accordingly, to not only plan to succeed but to ensure they had enough to survive. Just think how the jobs, the career paths we took and how it cost us something.
It is this very thing Jesus is telling us in the Gospel of Luke about how to be a disciple of Christ comes at a cost, but it comes with a tremendous reward.
But one fact remains steadfast, even when we know there is a cost to serving God, we can rest assured that no matter what, God shall always be our anchor, hope, and faith in all things yesterday, today, and forever—we have an eternal hope in life everlasting, with God in heaven. While on this earth, God is NOT setting us up for failure but giving us certainty for the future with Him. We know the life of a Christian is never designed to be easy. Rest assured my friends, no matter the tragedies, God is always in control.
In today's reading in the Gospel of Luke, we find Jesus exclaiming a profound statement that not only made the people of His day cringe but also made us revisit our life’s purpose a little closer to what God expects from us.
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their Cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Without question, verse 26, with the word ‘hate’, definitely turned some heads. Jesus is telling us we have a two-fold construct into becoming a disciple; we must ‘hate’ and carry our Cross. So let's look at this further.
The English word ‘hate’ is translated from Greek miséō – to love someone or something less, which centers on moral choice, elevating one value over another. Clearly, Jesus proclaims that no one, not even our family, is above God. In the days of Jesus, family was paramount. Most every business was a family business. Crops to carpenters, nearly everything was handed down from generation to generation. And to even think to love your family less was something society never taught. Think about how the first 12 men Jesus called was asked to leave their whole family to do God's work. They gave up their commitments and responsibilities and hit the road running per-say. Peter appeared to have been the only disciple married, as you may remember when Peter asked Jesus if he could bury his in-law, Jesus replied “Let the dead bury the dead.” He made a clear statement; God comes first.
When we was younger, ready to leave home to make our way into the world, we left the protection of the nest, our home life, our family, friends, letting go of any securities we had established to then trusting chance, hope, and even divine intervention to guide our way into the unknown abyss called life! When we do this as Christians, we place our uncertain futures into the hands of the God who holds all uncertainties while guiding and protecting us along the way. What a wonderful thought! Here is piece from Isaiah which gives God a more intimate sense in our lives. “Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. Your builders hurry; Your destroyers and devastators Will leave you..
Let this sink in a little bit. When serving a living and trusting God, whom will never leave us for forsake us, makes good of all His promises while giving us eternal life, where could we go wrong? In a way, Jesus gives us a stern command to leave everything and follow him. However that does NOT mean God didn’t plan for you to do His work while keeping what you got! Case in point! Think about how Jesus mentions marriage in the Gospel of Matthew, “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Jesus gave no command to Peter to leave his wife, as God has blessed the union of a man and a woman in such a way that no one can separate it. Luke 14 does not give direction to leave our lives in shambles, destroy our relationships, or separate ourselves with turmoil and disgust. While we are in His will, God will bless and maintain us accordingly. Nothing replaces God is the soul point. We are to give God first, and everything else becomes second. Then we will learn more and more what it means to have God in us, even in our most minuscule tasks.
In huntington California, there is an amazing garden there that is well known for its roses. A particular rose called wild rose was originally found in Europe and came in many different colors, but it is known to only bloom once a year. So in the 18th century, botanists started to experiment and graft the Chinese wild rose, which bloomed all summer, with this rose, and the end result was what modern roses we see in stores today. In a way, Jesus is describing to us that we each are our own rose, grafted with Christ, and our lives should look different than they used to, but still resemble Christ, the rose.
Jesus tells us, “suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. “
Basically we are to evaluate, plan, and execute with full assurance and guidance from God, knowing all things work together for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose! We need to have a plan in place and God MUST be at the helm of it all.
Then there is the matter of bearing ones Cross. This is a term where many people get wrapped up in a reflection, thinking that if we suffer, then God favors us. That is NOT what its saying here. The Greek word to carry or bear is (bas-tad'-zo) which means to carry, bear and endure. Notice endure! This means not only when it may be a burden, but to endure it with all perseverance, which Christ alone can help us with. Romans 5 tells us “And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;”
We have the abilities found only in Christ to endure and conquer the world as Christ has already conquered it, for we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Death, Hell and the Grave have been defeated by the Cross, which Christ bore for every single person.
The Cross we bear is what we carry with us in serving God, including persecution, strife, separation from loved ones, our time, money, possessions, and anything and everything that will try and separate us from Him. It could be mental or physical. Yes it can be painful or depressing at times. Even the prophet Elisha got depressed in serving God, yet God sustained him. Following Christ is designed for all who believe and His desire for all of us to become His disciples—and most importantly, for each of us to call Him their Lord and Savior, having our names written in the lamb's book of life.
In closing, please remember this. “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?” (Rom. 8:35). Most assuredly NOT! For “despite all these things,” Paul declared, “overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us”.
What takes precedence in our lives over God? Is it our money, our family, our time. You can fill in the blank. No matter how bad things seem to be, God never loses his bearings. He always has a plan that is BEST for us. He will see his people safely through even the worst storms. Yet, He asks us to surrender, to acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior of our lives. Can we honestly say that? Yes we go to church, we tithe, we pray, but what Christ is saying clearly here friends, does he reign as sovereign Lord of our life? We each have to decide.
Now, if you ever thought God could not or will not handle the circumstances we have in this life to serve Him, I want to close with these words from Paul. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.