Called to Sacrifice

March 10, 2019 Background Scripture: Mark 1:16 – 20; Luke 14:25 – 33 Lesson Passage: Mark 1:16 – 20; Luke 14:25 – 33 This can be a very difficult lesson for the times in which we now live. The word sacrifice is rarely applied to one’s life as it relates to a commitment to Christian discipleship today. Today, many would rather find a “convenient” time to participate in or even show up when there is effort being put forth to live out Christian principles through the local church. These principles could involve learning, teaching, serving or some combination of them. Today, time is treated as a premium except when it comes to personal indulgence. Showing up at a Christian group activity is considered a sacrifice of personal time by many even if they had nothing better to do. In the scriptural texts of today’s lesson, Jesus called for sacrificial devotion of one’s self to being his disciple. As we piece together the different narratives of the gospel accounts, it can be noted that Jesus’ disciples were already spending some time with him, but it was on a part-time basis. They kept returning to their previous priorities. Jesus reminded some of them in the first lesson text that he was calling them to a deeper devotion than what they were currently offering. Their reaction seems to indicate they understood what Jesus was saying to them. When they walked away from the family business, it was not the first time Jesus had interacted with them. They were growing in their relationship with Jesus. This growth demanded more personal time than what they were providing. Jesus stated plainly that he was calling them to a totally different daily occupation than what they were accustomed to. They were being called to follow him on a daily basis. In the second passage of scripture, Jesus addressed people in a crowd who were following him but not committed to serving. He did not ask them to commit more fully, but rather, he instructed them as to what true discipleship costs. A true disciple of Jesus would not allow anything or anyone to have priority before devotion to Jesus. This included close relatives and one’s own life. A true disciple must confess that the only reason they have to live is to do the bidding of Jesus. Without Christ, their life is nothing and not worth living. A true disciple must be willing to suffer even to the point of death for Christ’s sake. So, Jesus admonished all who desired to be his disciple to exercise prudence and consider the cost of such a commitment. This kind of commitment is truly sacrificial and cannot be part-time. A call to discipleship is a call to personal sacrifice. This sacrifice is not merely one of inconvenience. Individually, we determine what we consider inconvenient. Jesus determines what is sacrificial. Christians today should embrace the notion that we are not called to different points of inconvenience that we, in turn, label sacrifices. True sacrifice, like true discipleship, takes the conditions out of our hands and accepts what Jesus says about it. If one accepts the call to sacrifice, then one must seek Jesus for the conditions which make one’s life acceptable to him. Robert C. Hudson February 13, 2019