Pentecost 13, 2022
Luke 14:25-35
“At what cost?”
Worship service may be viewed by clicking here.
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
This past week I came across a news article whose headline was “Aspiring Navy SEALs are using Viagra to self-medicate when they start coughing up blood during qualifying drills. They say it works—but at what cost?” Young men at the top of charts for mental and physical strength go through what is known as “Hell Week.” These training exercises take these men to the limits. Recently there has been critiques about the harshness and severity of the challenges these men face. Some recruits died while others face serious health issues. Others have found different ways of self-medicating to help get them through the physically daunting struggles they face…but they do it at the cost of possible addiction and added stress to the heart and liver. These drugs might help them make it through training…but at what cost for their long-term health?
Our lives are faced with our own struggles…physical, spiritual, and emotional. We often are forced to make decisions and then deal with the consequences. We often look at our own options and are faced with the question…at what cost?
When you’ve had a bad day at work… when you’ve been pulled over and given a ticket… when you have a fight with your husband or wife or boyfriend or girlfriend… when you’re facing hard decisions because of financial issues… when your struggling with all kinds of disappointments in life…. And you hold your feelings in… at least momentarily as not to blow up… you do so…at what cost? Is the cost of holding those emotions in blowing up at those you love? Is the cost of holding things in turning to drugs and alcohol? Is the cost of holding things in doing unseen physical harm to your body? Or emotional harm? Or Spiritual harm? Intentionally or not…we make many decisions that affect us and others…but at what cost?
There are other decisions we face as well. How involved do we get in our children’s activities… sports teams that travel and have commitments every weekend? Theater, robotics, choirs, and other extracurricular activities that take much of our time outside of school and work…and church. We decide to accept the demands they bring…but at what cost? Added stress. Less time to recharge. Missing out on the place where Christ calls all of us who are weary and heavy laden to receive His rest namely Church, Bible Class, and Sunday School.
I love sports. I get it. I love recalling the days I played baseball, soccer, and pickup games of football and basketball. My boys have played baseball this past summer and are currently playing soccer through the Y…with games on Sunday afternoon. Getting done with church, rushing to get boys into uniforms and maybe a bite to eat while grabbing water bottles and chairs and then rushing across town to Wright fields to hopefully find a parking space and quickly get to the field on time…and then leave one child at his game…rush the other to another field for another game…run back to collect the first child and again go to the other field… it can be done…it is stressful…it has much to enjoy and be excited about…but at what cost? The cost of stress for us? The cost of stress on our children? The cost of time to recharge? Sometimes the cost of going to church to make up for sleep, recharging, relaxing, and having more time to get to the games… Sports are great for our kids. Extracurricular opportunities are blessings for our children. But sometimes we need to ask… at what cost? At what cost to our own sanity and health? At what cost to our and our children’s faith?
On the other hand we often look at the cost of having faith. We look at the cost of being disciples. We look at the cost of church…and we don’t always see its value. The cost of discipleship is high. Christ warns us that believing in Him and following His ways is not easy. In fact there will be suffering. You may be mocked. You may be persecuted. Many have been. We risk alienating others, offending others, and being accused of many things: that we are hateful, homophobic, anti-women, hypocritical bigots. Many of us will have relationships that crumble. Opportunities may be lost. We might start to question… I could be a Christian but at what cost?
I’d have more time to do other things on the weekends without church. I’d be able to do other things that I like without being told it’s a sin. Life would be easier. I could still believe…still have faith…still be a Christian on my own terms…doing it my own way.
You could try to be that kind of a Christian…but at what cost? The cost of fellowship? The cost of receiving Jesus’ very gifts of forgiveness and strength? The gift of God’s pronouncement of forgiveness in the Absolution? The gift of God’s Word?
Thanks be to God that He did not question the cost of His love for you and me. Make no mistake God paid a steep price for you. Our heavenly Father loved you so much that He was willing to give up His own Son to die for you that you would have life eternal. Jesus willingly went to the cross, received the full wrath of hell in our place, so that we would be spared of damnation and receive the rights of sons and daughters of God. You have been forgiven. You have been saved. Heaven is already yours in Jesus. At what cost? The cost of Jesus’ own life…and God decided you were worth it! That is God’s love for you!
There are many wonderful opportunities for you and your children in this world and life. I’m not saying you cannot be involved in sports or theatre or choir or take wonderful family vacations… but I am saying to look at the cost. Weigh the cost. Remember the gifts God has for you in Church and Sunday School, and Bible class. And remember that in all the opportunities we have…that they are also opportunities to share and witness our faith to the world. We know the cost of being a disciple of Jesus is high…but we also know the reward: salvation and life in Him with all the saints for eternity in paradise.
There is no greater desire that I have than to do all I can to ensure my children hear God’s Word, receive His gifts, have faith…and life eternal. My family is my greatest treasure…and they are the only treasure in this world that I will see in paradise.
Kids…when your parents on constantly reminding you to get up to go to Church and Sunday School…when they’re encouraging you to go to confirmation class…they do so not because they want to annoy you but because they love you and want you to have faith in Christ and be in heaven.
Parents… when your Pastors and DCE are bugging you, sometimes annoying or angering you; reminding you, and encouraging you to be in Church with your families…to make sure your kids are at Sunday School and that you are invited to Sunday School… its not because they are mean or sticklers…they want to be sure that you and your family are saved and go to heaven!
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) Amen.
Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.
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