When Christianity Becomes Uncomfortable
In the book of Luke, Jesus challenges us look at the cost of discipleship.
The
Cost of Being a Disciple
25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said
to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate
everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers
and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And
if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would
begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if
there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might
complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone
would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who
started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’
31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without
first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000
could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And
if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the
enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple
without giving up everything you own.
(Luke 14:25-33)
The
King James translation sounds a little “harsher”: “26 If
any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and
children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my
disciple.”
As an American Christian, most of us have never had to fully weigh the impact of Jesus' words here. We've lived in a bubble of acceptance, especially those, like most of us, who've mostly been “raised” in church. Sure, there is the occasional derogatory remark by an unbelieving family member or neighbor. Yet even among those who don't profess faith, Christianity has been something considered worth commending. For much of the church's history, this was not the norm. Christianity has been uncomfortable. It has involved cross-bearing.
Jesus wanted his followers to know this. We notice he said these very hard things when the crowds followed him. It's as if he's saying to them, "If you are following me for the benefits, for the goodies, for the anticipated health and wellness, well, you've got the wrong Messiah." It's not that Jesus was sadistic. But the spiritual battle between light and darkness involves hardship, suffering, and a willingness to be considered on the "wrong side of history."
Maybe this is where we often get Jesus wrong. It is also possible that this is where we often get Christianity wrong. The New Testament shows nothing about, really, of the Jesus-as-“mascot” example. To claim to follow Jesus, but reject the radical new way of life He calls to us to, is to reject Jesus altogether. Look what Paul writes about following Jesus “17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) To begin a new life is pretty radical, don’t you think? But the way of Jesus is better. But many don't see that. Many of us don't see that.
For American Christians, there is very real possibility that the coming years will force us to make difficult choices. We will have to choose between cultural acceptance (maybe political correctness) and the way of Jesus. In other words, Christianity, truly bearing the name of Christ, will involve a cross. It will be rough and uncomfortable. Sometimes this discomfort is in the form of cultural rejection. Sometimes it's the discomfort of forgiving someone we want desperately to despise. Sometimes it's the self-sacrifice to give ourselves for those we are called to love and nurture: our spouses, our children, our neighbors. Sometimes it's the discipline to speak the truth in a type of love that others don't exhibit. Sometimes it involves making reasoned arguments in favor of truth that are unfairly dismissed as bigotry.
Are we ready for this? Let’s now look at the words of Peter to the first-century church. In the Old Testament the Bible says “So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:19) Jesus referred to this scripture when He reminded the Church that they were to remember their status as “foreigners in the land.” (1 Peter 1:17b) But, we should remember the part about showing love to foreigners”. To me this means that we will and should be out among the non-Believers but not to become as them or “as the world”. Christians follow another King and live out the values of another Kingdom. There would be, for them and is for the American Christian, cultural pressure to abandon Jesus or to synch up Jesus with whatever is popular. Just as if Jesus is the clay and we are the potters. Just opposite of the story of in Jeremiah 18:1-10: “Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand….” (Jeremiah 18:6) Peter urged the first century church to stand strong, to have courage, but also to do this with a kind of joyful anticipation of the world to come.
Peter goes on to say:“13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 17 Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!” (1 Peter 3:14-17)
Since
Peter had “warmed” himself by the fires of cultural acceptance (“67 and noticed Peter warming himself at the fire.
She looked at him closely and said, “You were one of those with Jesus of
Nazareth.” 68 But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re
talking about,”… (Mark 14:67-68) and having also been a fiery zealot, Peter argued for a
third way. Followers of Jesus must be should not “worry
or be afraid”, but give a calm, rational, joyful defense of
Christian faith, shaped by gentleness and respect if “someone
asks about your Christian hope”. Being misunderstood, slandered,
and disparaged by the culture and even fellow evangelicals is no fun. But our
response should not only be courageously truthful, it should be “of another
world” in terms of kindness. We not only communicate the values of another world. We speak with tools from another world. So
we shouldn't add to our suffering with worldly responses.
As we anticipate life in a post-Christian world, and we seem to be getting there rapidly, we need to not only reacquaint ourselves with Christian, but by faith live out the Gospel of Jesus fully before a world that is watching our every move!.
