Today’s Gospel reading opens with the large crowds that are following Jesus. It’s likely that they had heard about his teaching and healing, likely that whispers about who he was and what he was doing traveled more quickly than he did from place to place. You have to wonder, though, what they were hoping would happen - was it entertainment? Being carried along with the crowd? A hope that Jesus would see them, or heal them? Something else?
If the crowds of people are simply following Jesus to see something amazing, I wonder how many of them packed up and went home after this particular sermon. Jesus rattles off a list of “disciple qualifications” that sounds pretty stringent and harsh: unless you are willing to choose me over your family and even your life, unless you carry the cross and follow me, unless you give up all your possessions, you cannot be my disciple.
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty matter-of-fact about things, not much of a risk taker. And I have to say that if I numbered among the large crowds and heard this message, my response would probably be “Well, it was a good run, there, but I guess I can’t be your disciple. Good luck with things!” It’s too hard. Not very entertaining. In fact, it sounds impossible. Unattainable.
The truth is, for us, these demands are impossible. There’s no way we can, time and again, choose discomfort, risk, and danger over security and familiarity. For as much as we strive to care for and serve others, our default is always self-preservation, and choosing what’s best for us and the people closest to us. When it comes down to it, we’re pretty comfortable with how things are, and have no desire to make sacrifices that might threaten that comfort. We count the cost, check our wallets, and run in the other direction. In other, more familiar words, we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves.
But before we all pack it up and trudge home, we are reminded of something amazing. Yes, there are plenty of things that are impossible for us. But nothing is impossible for God. Not one of us can choose to follow, make sacrifices, give up comfort and security. And yet, God still calls us. How?! Why?!
Because this: before any invitation to discipleship, foundational to any invitation to follow Jesus, is the truth that when it came to saving us, God counted the cost, found it to be so very costly, and did it anyway. God became human, lived among us, taught and healed, called disciples who failed at the most crucial moments, was ridiculed, and tortured, died and was raised. Any and every invitation to discipleship starts there.
Discipleship, following Jesus - none of it is about earning our place or proving our relationship with God. Instead, discipleship is a response to what God has done for us, made possible by the Holy Spirit.
I’m going to make a bold claim and say that the best part of Luther’s Small Catechism is the explanation of the third article of the Apostles’ Creed. You may not yet have a favorite part of the Small Catechism, but it’s never too late! If you have a smartphone or tablet, you can download a free Small Catechism app and have this wisdom at your fingertips at any time! Anyway, this is the third article of the creed: “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic (or universal) church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”
And this is what Luther writes: “I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him…” I believe that I cannot believe. It is impossible! It is not something I can do on my own. As Jesus put it, “None of you can become my disciple.”
But! Luther continues: “but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy, and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith. Daily in this Christian church the Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins - mine and those of all believers. On the last day the Holy Spirit will raise me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.”
What is impossible for us is not impossible for God. In baptism we receive the gift of God the Holy Spirit, who calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes us holy. When we cannot follow Jesus, when discipleship is too hard, God does something amazing - God comes to us, bringing about transformation and new life.
It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to do the work of discipleship – to follow the example of Jesus as we love and serve our neighbors; to tend to our relationships with God and one another through prayer and worship and fellowship; to seek not our own desires or comfort but to open ourselves to God’s call; to forgive and be forgiven.
Through our own understanding and strength we cannot be disciples of Jesus – but thanks be to God that it is not our own strength, but the power of the Holy Spirit that calls and equips us to follow.
If the crowds of people are simply following Jesus to see something amazing, I wonder how many of them packed up and went home after this particular sermon. Jesus rattles off a list of “disciple qualifications” that sounds pretty stringent and harsh: unless you are willing to choose me over your family and even your life, unless you carry the cross and follow me, unless you give up all your possessions, you cannot be my disciple.
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| Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash |
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty matter-of-fact about things, not much of a risk taker. And I have to say that if I numbered among the large crowds and heard this message, my response would probably be “Well, it was a good run, there, but I guess I can’t be your disciple. Good luck with things!” It’s too hard. Not very entertaining. In fact, it sounds impossible. Unattainable.
The truth is, for us, these demands are impossible. There’s no way we can, time and again, choose discomfort, risk, and danger over security and familiarity. For as much as we strive to care for and serve others, our default is always self-preservation, and choosing what’s best for us and the people closest to us. When it comes down to it, we’re pretty comfortable with how things are, and have no desire to make sacrifices that might threaten that comfort. We count the cost, check our wallets, and run in the other direction. In other, more familiar words, we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves.
But before we all pack it up and trudge home, we are reminded of something amazing. Yes, there are plenty of things that are impossible for us. But nothing is impossible for God. Not one of us can choose to follow, make sacrifices, give up comfort and security. And yet, God still calls us. How?! Why?!
Because this: before any invitation to discipleship, foundational to any invitation to follow Jesus, is the truth that when it came to saving us, God counted the cost, found it to be so very costly, and did it anyway. God became human, lived among us, taught and healed, called disciples who failed at the most crucial moments, was ridiculed, and tortured, died and was raised. Any and every invitation to discipleship starts there.
Discipleship, following Jesus - none of it is about earning our place or proving our relationship with God. Instead, discipleship is a response to what God has done for us, made possible by the Holy Spirit.
I’m going to make a bold claim and say that the best part of Luther’s Small Catechism is the explanation of the third article of the Apostles’ Creed. You may not yet have a favorite part of the Small Catechism, but it’s never too late! If you have a smartphone or tablet, you can download a free Small Catechism app and have this wisdom at your fingertips at any time! Anyway, this is the third article of the creed: “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic (or universal) church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”
And this is what Luther writes: “I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him…” I believe that I cannot believe. It is impossible! It is not something I can do on my own. As Jesus put it, “None of you can become my disciple.”
But! Luther continues: “but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy, and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith. Daily in this Christian church the Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins - mine and those of all believers. On the last day the Holy Spirit will raise me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.”
What is impossible for us is not impossible for God. In baptism we receive the gift of God the Holy Spirit, who calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes us holy. When we cannot follow Jesus, when discipleship is too hard, God does something amazing - God comes to us, bringing about transformation and new life.
It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to do the work of discipleship – to follow the example of Jesus as we love and serve our neighbors; to tend to our relationships with God and one another through prayer and worship and fellowship; to seek not our own desires or comfort but to open ourselves to God’s call; to forgive and be forgiven.
Through our own understanding and strength we cannot be disciples of Jesus – but thanks be to God that it is not our own strength, but the power of the Holy Spirit that calls and equips us to follow.
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