The words Jesus gives us in this Sunday’s Gospel are hard for us to hear. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26, 27). Jesus is rejecting lukewarm Christianity. According to Jesus, there is no middle ground. You either are or you aren’t. You’re in or you’re out. You are his disciple or you’re not.
The words the hymnwriter gives us in this Sunday’s Hymn of the Day are hard for us to sing. Verse one: Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow you; destitute, despised, forsaken, you on earth once suffered, too. Perish ev’ry fond ambition, all I’ve ever hoped or known; yet how rich is my condition, God and heav’n are still my own!
How often don’t we find ourselves lazy and lukewarm in our Christianity? We are mushy in the middle Christians, bored Christians, neutered Christians, quiet Christians, timid Christians, unsalty Christians. None of that is true Christianity. Not the kind of Christianity Jesus calls for. That’s why we sing and pray that God help us perish our mushiness, boredom, and laziness. We ask him to help us be bold, strong, firm, loud, fearless, and salty Christians who carry our crosses as Jesus’ faithful disciples.
Verse two: Let the world despise and leave me; they have left my Savior, too. Human hearts and looks deceive me; you are not, like them, untrue. And, since you have smiled upon me, God of wisdom, love, and might, foes may hate and friends may shun me; show your face, and all is bright.
God’s Law exposes what abject failures we are as Christ’s followers. The Law reveals that the Enemy and his army are too strong for us. The Law points out we will always prefer convenience over the cross. The Law establishes that we are bound for hell because of our many and varied sins. But then the Gospel exposes God’s grace in Christ Jesus. The Gospel tells us that Jesus, the Son of God, counted the cost of your salvation, and considered you worth the price of his blood. He went into battle outnumbered by the forces of Satan, the world, and our sinful flesh against him alone. The world despised and left him. But Jesus knew that would happen. Still, he renounced his life, laying it down for sinful humanity who wanted nothing to do with him. All so that he would do everything for them.
Verse three: Go, then, earthly fame and treasure! Come, disaster, scorn, and pain! In your service pain is pleasure, with your favor loss is gain. I have called you Abba, Father; you my all in all shall be. Storms may howl, and clouds may gather, all must work for good to me.
Though storms may howl and clouds may gather, your Abba, Father works everything out for your eternal benefit. Jesus knows you have a heart that wanders where it ought not; a love that is fickle and fades. And he dies for it. He forgives it with his own life-giving blood and innocent suffering and death. Where we are faithless, he is faithful – to make us faithful. We, who have hearts that wander, have a Lord, whose heart is steadfast and resolute – so that we never wander away from him. He gave up divine treasure and heavenly glory to come to earth for you. Now you are ready to give up earthly fame and treasure as you follow your Lord and Savior. Jesus became like you, so that you, through faith in him, might become like him.
Verse four: Haste, my soul, from grace to glory, armed by faith and winged by prayer; all but heav’n is transitory, God’s own hand shall guide you there. Soon shall end this earthly story, swift shall pass the pilgrim days, hope soon change to heav’nly glory, faith to sight and prayer to praise.
We are pilgrims and strangers here on earth, heaven is our real home. Everything we have, everything we own in this life, everything we work for, strive for, and hold onto is only temporary. We have a greater and permanent inheritance waiting for us in eternal life. Our earthly story will soon come to an end. As we carry our crosses as Christ’s faithful followers, Jesus will lead us to a heavenly glory that will never end. There Christ will turn our faith to sight and our prayer to praise.