September 5, 2004; The 14th Sunday after Pentecost Readings: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Philemon 1:1-20; Luke 14:25-33; Psalm 1.   The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith Counting the Cost There are many ways to live. There are many people one can follow. There are many philosophies that one can choose to base one’s decisions upon. Jesus did not want people to follow him unaware of the path they were choosing. I remember being in a D.C. bookstore, and noticing that the books about Christianity were in the philosophy section! Christianity is not a philosophy. Christianity is based on the living God who constantly encounters us in the events of life. As such, the faith is dynamic and hard to pin down. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus reminds us to count the cost of our choices. Sometimes it is clear which are the poor choices. Those are the ones that lead us to walk in the counsel of the wicked and to linger in the way of sinners, as described in our psalm. Choices to follow a negative path are not always clear in the beginning. It can seem less of a choice when one is going along with the group’s direction. Then there are choices we make that are not bad—they can be good—but are they the greatest good that we could have chosen? It has been said that the point at which your deepest desire and the world’s greatest need converge is the key to one’s vocation, one’s calling—or what one is called to do in the moment. What is the greatest good in your life? Are we willing to pay the price of following the greatest good? For the decision to follow the positive path, the way of truth and love, the way of God, has a cost. As Christians, the greatest good in our life is connected to our walk with Christ. Jesus explained to his disciples that following him would require commitment to a relationship with him—not a set of ideals but a living, challenging, and changing relationship. Such a commitment should be made with an awareness of the cost involved. To emphasize the import of being united with him, Jesus says that one must "hate" one’s family. As shocking as that sounds to us, it had an even harsher impact in Jesus’ culture. Why would he say that? He wanted to make sure that the disciples knew what they were getting into. The cost of discipleship should not be ignored. When we begin a great new adventure, we are normally enthusiastic and have a lot of energy for it—like learning to play an instrument or starting a project of some sort. Once we get into the project, we realized what finishing it will take. We start to realize that there is a journey involved in reaching our goal. For many new Christians, or for people new to a congregation, there is a time of joy and excitement about one’s new commitment. The first followers of Jesus had that glow of new commitment. They were more than willing to give up their work and homes to follow him. As we hear, Jesus turns to the large crowds following him and says, be aware of the cost of being with me. I wonder how many turned to go home at these words? At this point in Luke’s gospel, Jesus is trying to prepare his followers for the trails that will come. As they move closer to Jerusalem and closer to Jesus’ death, to cost of being with him will raise. The disciples are going to have to give up more than they ever imagined. They are going to give up their vision of Jesus for a new reality. The new reality will take them to the depths of despair, but it will also bring them deep into the life of God where peace and joy are found. Will they be able to face the cost? Jesus likens following him to building a tower, "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ Jesus is unlike most people with something offer. Most people will tell you all the great things about their offer. Any downside will be ignored or minimized. Once they have you hooked, you find out what that there is a hidden cost. Jesus is clear there will be a cost. What that cost is for you is known to God and you alone. Jesus wants us to be able to finish what we have started with him. We are called to a commitment that does actually change the world for the better. We know that. As Jesus proclaim at the start of his ministry, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." After he said this, many people tried to through him off a cliff. There is a cost. But the cost of not following is higher. The cost of not following your heart, when it is God leading, is too high. There is a story about a group of Christians who gathered in the Soviet Union. In those days, it was against the law to meet for worship. So they met in secret, and still it was a dangerous business. One night, government soldiers stormed in on the prayer group. Guns pointed at the frightened group, one soldier said, "We only want the committed Christians, the rest of you can leave." Most of the group left. When they had gone, the soldier put his gun away and said to the few remaining Christians, "Sorry to have scared you. We needed to know who was really committed to Christ. We would like to join you." May God grant us the grace to face the cost of discipleship and the grace to finish what God has begun to build in us. Amen.