Fully Known Follower

Jesus is traveling once again. And this time, there are a lot of people following along to listen and see what’s going to happen next. Because something was happening. Everyone wanted to be part of it, and the disciples were the ones in on the action. So, Jesus decides it’s time for a reminder about what being a disciple really means. And once again, we get a difficult message from Jesus. You think being my disciple will be simple? Not a chance! Here’s what it means to be a disciple: 1- Hate your entire family: parents, spouse, children, and siblings. Hate even your own life. 2- Carry your own cross and follow Jesus. 3- Be willing to give up all of your possessions.

Everyone think they can handle that?

Now, more than one commentary mentioned that the “hatred” Jesus is talking about is hyperbole- he doesn’t mean that everyone literally needs to despise their own families. Jesus is talking about a totally new way of viewing life, changing our perspective: all of our loyalty goes to God, to being a disciple. 

When we give to God our undivided loyalty, family no longer comes first, which could definitely bring up some issues within family. Christ’s words can be seen as taking care of other elderly with the same love we have for our own parents. Caring about “the stranger, the addict, the lonely, the prisoner” like we care about our own siblings. Caring for “the children in [the] community who need school supplies and clean clothes” like we care for our own children and grandchildren. 

This new way of defining family is tied to Jesus’s call to ‘carry our own cross.’ Typically, we define our cross as a sacrifice, or something that we have to go through like health concerns. But as Rev. Dr. David Lose wrote a few years ago, “What if it's more ordinary? … Alan Culpepper says: ‘…Bearing a cross has nothing to do with chronic illness, painful physical conditions, or trying family relationships. It is instead what we do voluntarily as a consequence of our commitment to Jesus Christ.’” That undivided commitment includes every part of our lives- yes, it’s worship on Sunday mornings, committee work and ushering, counting, and providing for fellowship. It’s community meals and Session meetings, Saturday Stewards and Sunday School.

But it’s also more than what we do specifically in connection with the church.

Taking up our cross means that we “have our life shaped by our commitment to the crucified messiah -- anywhere, anytime, and doing just about anything. Voters and volunteers, [teachers] and temp workers, bus drivers and barbers, students and secretaries, parents and payroll officers -- all of these people, when they offer their time, talent, and labor to God, are bearing their cross by allowing the whole of their lives to be shaped by their commitment to Christ.”

We are disciples when we’re getting coffee with friends. When running errands or at the office, whether that’s a classroom, office building, or out in the elements. Discipleship is volunteering inside and outside of the church- at the park, the ball game, local gardens, the school dance. Discipleship is raising children and grandchildren. It’s voting and hosting dinners.

And this is good news. Life is about choices. And when we choose discipleship, we can stop putting so much time and energy into our possessions, or having the perfect life, or the perfect family, or the perfect body. You know where you’re tempted to focus your time and energy. Is it truly life-giving, or is it life-draining as it takes all of your time and energy? 

I recently started following some doctors and nutrition and fitness experts on Facebook who focus on moderation and scientific research. One person I started following is a fitness trainer who used to be a body builder. And he has shared how he felt at his worst when he had a six pack because a lot of bodybuilding is about looks. For some, what starts as discipline and focus on getting muscular for competition can lead to obsession and eating disorders to keep low bodyfat. The muscular, shredded actors and models aren’t necessarily healthy when they have those visible abs and bulging or toned muscles. Yet that has become what “healthy” looks like for so many people.

Jesus is giving us the opportunity to make a different choice and give our full allegiance to God. And we know God is not some absent, indifferent, all powerful being. As we heard in Psalm 139, God knows us and loves us. Hear part of Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase in the Message: “Lord, you know me. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too— your reassuring presence, coming and going.” God knows where your temptations are. God knows what’s life-giving and what’s draining all of your energy and time. And God loves you. You are a fully known follower of Christ. To remind you of this, we have something for you. Consider transferring some of your keys and using it to remind yourself, every day, that God loves you, more than you can imagine.

Christ’s message is about how we encounter the world. It’s about a choice we make, and that we are called to make daily. A choice to give our entire allegiance to God and to the Kingdom. It’s about knowing how much God loves us and in return loving those whom we aren’t expected to show love. So remember that what you do matters. Because you are a follower of Christ, fully known and fully loved, just as you are.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

*Resources for this sermon include:

Rev. Dr. David Lose, “Dear Working Preacher: Your Most Important Sermon” August 29, 2010. Working Preacher. https://www.workingpreacher.org/dear-working-preacher/your-most-important-sermon 

Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis, “Dear Working Preacher: Carrying The Cross” for August 28, 2016. Working Preacher. https://www.workingpreacher.org/dear-working-preacher/carrying-the-cross

Rev. Eric Fistler and Rev. Robb McCoy, “Proper 18C (OT23)” Pulpit Fiction Podcast. https://www.pulpitfiction.com/notes/proper18c