With Christ it is all or nothing
Deut. 30:15-20 Psalm 1 Philemon 1-21 Luke 14:25-33
Philip Van Dam

In Roger and Hammerstein's musical "Oklahoma" there is a song that goes : "For me it's all or nothing. Is it all or nothing for you? It can't be in between. It can't be now or then. No half and half romance will do." This is what Luke is talking about in this passage. Luke is talking about discipleship, and its cost. Let me first make clear that Luke is not talking about works righteousness. He is not talking about earning salvation. Salvation is free. But the next step, discipleship is expensive. In verse 25 it says that large crowds were journeying with Jesus.

Often today we talk about large crowds at church, we talk about "turn out" for worship, we talk about church growth, in fact there is something called the church growth movement. Some of the congregations that have bought into this philosophy have paid a high price in a different way. In exchange for numbers they have sacrificed real discipleship. They water down the gospel by making it inoffensive. They remove the crosses from their churches so no one will be offended. The gospel is offensive. In fact one of my professors used to say that in any scripture passage, the gospel is the part that offends. The gospel is not what sounds good to us. Speaking of offensive look at this next verse: "whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes and even life itself cannot be my disciple."

What does this mean? Does it mean that we should wish our family dead, or that we should be suicidal? No, that would be insane. But we must be willing to lose all these things for Christ. We have to detach some from all of these. Jesus must be the center of our lives. Secondly, because of our commitment to Christ we will sometimes act as if we hate all of them. Sometimes we will make decisions that are necessary for our service to Christ such as moving away from family, because we are needed somewhere else. This may seem hateful to those left behind. A third way this can apply is when the gospel starts to change a person, but the family is still the same.

If a person starts to get a little sanity in their life, they often have to distance themselves from family and friends who have not changed. In twelve step programs, they tell you that as you change, who your friends are will change. Recovery, sanity, the gospel, bring internal peace, and external conflict. The problem is that the world is fallen, the world is insane. To be well adjusted to an insane world is not good. Sometimes our commitment to the gospel may endanger our lives. Our actions may be viewed as reckless or suicidal. "Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."

We often interpret this verse metaphorically. Being a disciple of Jesus is not going to endanger our lives. Persecution of Christians happens in other countries, not here. And, indeed, Christians are not persecuted here just for being Christians. But if you are committed to the gospel, and to the values it includes, such as justice, you will be opposed. I remember one person at seminary talking about how they had led a campaign to raise the levy for the local schools. They were motivated by the gospel. They received death threats. In the United States of America, they received death threats. Another person was pursuing justice by trying to keep a waste incinerator out of a poor neighborhood. They received death threats.

A Lutheran pastor out in Montana, speaking the gospel in the area where the Freeman militia is strong has received death threats. To be a disciple of Jesus is dangerous. Again, we usually don't see this because it is easy to be a Christian. It is easy to go to church, and to live a relatively good life here. But let me illustrate the difference. In Sweden over 90% of the people are members of the Lutheran Church, but only 2% attend regularly. In Egypt, where just being Christian can get you killed, 10% of the people belong to the Coptic Church. Sweden is more Christian, but Egypt is more discipled. The purpose of the church is not just to save souls. It is not just for getting a ticket into heaven. The purpose of the church is to make disciples of all nations, to bring in the kingdom of God, to make a difference.

The purpose of baptism is not fire insurance. It is an initiation into the struggle. It is an entrance into the battle. Read vs. 28-30 I have a friend who started seminary without counting the cost. He was not able to do what he needed to do and dropped out after two years. I was talking to another person who was trying to transfer in to the ELCA. He had been ordained in another tradition, and was frustrated at what he saw as bureaucratic hoops. I said to him "Do you feel called to ministry in the ELCA, and if you do, what are you willing to do to fulfill that call?" What are we called to do in Christ's service? Are we willing to do what is necessary to fulfill that call? If the church is called to be a voice for a just society, are we willing to bear the cost? If we are called to protect God's creation, are we willing to bear the cost? If we are called to the ministry, if we are called to be married, if we are called to start a campus ministry, or build a family life center.

What are we called to do? Are we willing to pay the price? 33 "so therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions." There is a congregation that I read about where they will financially support members who quit jobs that they think contradict the gospel. How many people do you know that have quit jobs because of their commitment to the gospel?

To be a Christian means to be baptized and have faith. To be a disciple means to act. A disciple may not have to live in poverty, but they have to be willing to give up what they have. A disciple must emotionally give up their possessions. Some people may in fact give them up. This is part of monasticism. If you feel that this is your call, there is a Lutheran monastery ion Michigan, but lets not get too sidetracked. Certainly we are called to detach from things. If something is an obstacle to discipleship we need to get rid of it. It may be extra clothes, and household items.

It may be emotional baggage from the past that we drag around. If something is an obstacle to our serving Christ, then it becomes like a weight attached to one leg. We cannot get around to do what we must. We have already been saved in the waters of baptism. We do not have to do anything to be saved. What do we need to do because we are already saved, because we are grateful? Are we going to be Christ's disciples? Because with Christ it is all or nothing, no half and half discipleship will do.