Luke 14:25-33
Jesus said to the disciples:
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. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Well, that’s right to the point, isn’t it?
What did Jesus mean?
Doesn’t the Bible tell us to honor our father and our mother?
Indeed, it does!
So what is Jesus getting at?
Jesus is preparing his disciples for the work of the kingdom.
Jesus knew that the times were perilous.
Rome was in charge, and the religious leaders of Jerusalem had god all figured out.
It was a dangerous time.
And Jesus well knew that in such times, hard decisions were required.
Like an expedition leader crossing over a high and dangerous mountain pass to bring relief supplies to a remote village.
The leader says to everyone helping, “If you want to go any further, you’ll have to leave your packs behind. From here on out, the path is steep and dangerous, and it’s too hard to carry all your stuff, so just leave it here, beside the trail. And we’re not likely to pass this way again, so you may not ever see it again. And if you have any postcards to send home, do it now at the next village, because some of us may not make it back home” [from Tom Wright’s commentary on Luke].
Let me offer a few ideas on this passage from Karl Barth, but, first, let me tell you a little bit about Barth himself.
Born in 1886 in a Swiss parsonage, Barth grew up to become one of the greatest theologians of the 20th Century.
Barth was teaching theology in Bonn, Germany, 1932, when Hitler and his Brown Shirts marched into power.
Barth was an early critic of German nationalism sweeping across the nation … the juggernaut of propaganda weaving together god and country, religion an race … Germany first, Germany best of all, Germany uber alles … and God is on our side.
Millions of Christians signed on with Hitler.
They thought that Hitler’s morality was just the ticket to restore a failing nation.
Hitler opposed abortion.
Hitler opposed pornography.
Hitler despised gays.
And he didn’t like aliens.
A message that appealed to millions of Germans.
But it was a confused message.
God and country and faith and flag and morality, all wrapped up into a package that led Germany nation down a darkening way …
All that glitters isn’t gold.
Behind this strange message of god and country, a deeper, darker message of world-conquest and the systematic seizure of Jewish assets and the eventual elimination of the Jewish race.
Hitler’s “morality” was a screen for a darker purpose.
And it worked.
Barth called it for what it all was – false gods, holding a cup of wrath in their hands … a cup filled with hatred … hatred for gypsies, Jews, homosexuals, communists and all non-Aryans … a cup poured out upon Germany and the entire world.
Barth saw it coming!
And made his decision.
All university professors were ordered to begin their lectures with Heil Hitler … Barth refused.
All university professors were required to sign a loyalty oath of absolute allegiance to the Fuhrer … Barth refused.
As a result, Barth was removed from his teaching position and ordered to have no further public appearances.
Thankfully, Barth was able to return home to Switzerland and in Basle, resume teaching and writing.
Others had no such recourse.
Some of Barth’s friends paid with their lives for their allegiance to Jesus Christ …
When Barth speaks about decision-making, we can pay attention.
Barth says of this passage:
The biblical word for hate is not “emotional aversion.”
It’s not hostility, contempt or repugnance.
It does not apply personally to a mother or a father, but to the ties they embody and represent.
The disciple must be free of all such ties … because the way ahead may be very difficult.
And profound decisions may be necessary.
Not that a disciple would ever neglect the biological or social obligations of family … not at all, but a readiness to set the heart upon God [Church Dogmatics, 3.4.262].
Barth says this decision might even be reached agreeably by the whole family …
I can only think of Barth and his family - the heart-wrenching discussions they had in threatening times of Nazi Germany … and many families like them, in desperate times, as they thought about Christ, and what it means to follow him.
Jesus tells us the truth about discipleship.
We wouldn’t want it any other way, would we?
And we shouldn’t tone it down.
Nor sugarcoat it.
Jesus wants us to be clear.
He’s not recruiting us for a committee …
We’ve all been asked to serve on a committee a time or two.
We know the drill.
We ask about the responsibilities, and we’re told: “Oh, it won’t be much at all … a monthly meeting … maybe some paperwork now and then … but don’t worry about it.”
So we sign on.
And then, “Surprise!”
The monthly meeting turns into three or four.
The paperwork turns into a mountain of correspondence.
When it comes to Jesus,
We’re not buying a pig in a poke.
Jesus is upfront and honest.
There may be times when push comes to shove …
When the chips are down …
No more wiggle room …
You have to decide …
You have to choose …
Jesus tells us the truth:
It may be a costly business, following me.
Sacrifice may be required.
So pay attention.
Think about it.
Don’t start out on this course until you’re ready to go the distance.
Count the cost of the tower you want to build before you lay the first stone.
The price of the fight you want to fight.
As Barth wrote about this passage, I can only imagine him thinking back to the fateful days of the Thirties … the decisions he made … the decisions others made, too …
Decisions that separated loved ones and families.
Decisions of faith that ended in death for many.
Few of us will ever have to make such momentous decisions.
A friend of mine, an sporting-goods executive, was ordered by his boss to fire 300 employees of a company recently taken over. My friend refused … and resigned his job because of it. He talked with me about it – he was married, but no children. But a home, a career …
Sometimes the road with Christ gets difficult.
Most of our decisions for Christ are on a smaller scale.
But even small-scale decisions are difficult sometimes.
I think small decisions for Christ can be difficult, as well.
We’ve all made decisions for Christ.
And sometimes they’ve been costly!
What e’er the cost we might pay.
It is far less than the price Jesus paid.
However heavy our cross may be,
It is far lighter than the burdens Jesus carried.
To redeem our souls and set us free.
To become who we are best of all: daughters and sons of God.
For that is who we are, and that is who we are becoming!
Amen and Amen.
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