Sermon

Counting the Cost

February 24, 2019 Trinity Baptist Church - Sermons

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One row.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a pastor in Germany
Lutheran Church in the 1920s, 30s and 40s
and as his country went through the turmoil
of the rise of National Socialism
Bonhoeffer grew increasingly concerned
about an issue that he saw in his own church
he saw that in the church
while his country was being swept up
in nationalistic fervor
he saw that his church had begun to love something
else more than they loved Christ
he saw a church that was pursuing comfort
and conformity
over courage and faithfulness to Jesus
he saw a church that increasingly went with the flow of the culture
rather than being counter-cultural
and following in the ways of Jesus
so he wrote the book
The Cost of Discipleship
which is a great book
I recommend it
it's not all that needs to be said
but what it does say is so important to be heard
and so
The Cost of Discipleship
calling the church
to consider whether this path that they are on
is actually the path
of following Jesus or not
and before we think
well
that was a different time
a different era
we wouldn't do that
we must stop and consider
how quickly
our hearts
are turned away from Jesus
we must consider
how often we love other things
more than following him
how often we may love comfort
and conformity
over courage
and faithful loyalty
it's easy
to get caught up
in following the crowd
it's actually pretty exciting
this is why we have
believers
and eagle fans
and all sorts of
crazy things
that people get caught up in
because they love
being with the crowd
and being excited
and being supported
in what they do
and we live in a world
where there is
a contest of loyalties
where Christ calls us
to himself
and the world calls us
to itself
how do we navigate this
how do we think about this
how do we recognize
our own
propensities
to fall into the same things
that Dietrich Bonhoeffer
was concerned about
in his own church
this leads us to our passage
this morning
we're in the gospel of Luke

Luke 14 chapter mention
chapter 14
starting in verse 25
and as usual
I forgot to write
the page number
anyone want to
821
alright
821
in your pew bible
hopefully we'll get you
to Luke

Luke 14:25
chapter 14
verse 25
if you're visiting this morning
we are continuing
a sermon series
in the gospel of Luke
this section runs
from Luke 9
to Luke 19
and this section
is dominated by Jesus
at the end of Luke 9
turning his face
towards Jerusalem
turning his face
towards
ultimately
the cross
and his death
and resurrection
and facing
and walking
towards
the greatest suffering
that he would embrace
and as he's doing that
part of what we've seen
is that
though that was his purpose
he was also collecting
a great crowd
there were many people
who were following him
some
amazed by his power
to heal diseases
some
hungry
literally
for food
that he was producing
for those who followed him
in miraculous ways
at times
some
eager to see him
rise up
and lead
the nation of Israel
in rebellion
against the Roman
control
over them
but many of them
this crowd
was caught up
in
in this sort of
crowd mentality
and Jesus
has words
for them
and for us
this morning
and so this is
where we come to
in Luke chapter 14

Luke 14 chapter mention
starting in verse 25
let's read this
together
now
great crowds
accompanied him
that is Jesus
and he turned
and said to them
if anyone
comes to me
and does not hate
his own father
and mother
and wife
and children
and brothers
and sisters
yes and even
his own life
he cannot
be
my disciple
whoever does not
bear his own cross
and come after me
cannot
be
my disciple
for which of you
desiring to build
a tower
does not first
sit down
and count the cost
whether he has
enough to complete it
otherwise
when he has laid
a foundation
and is not able
to finish
all who see it
begin to mock him
saying
this man
began to build
and was not able
to finish
or what king
going out to encounter
another king in war
will not sit down
first
and deliberate
deliberate
whether he is able
with 10,000
to meet him
who comes against him
with 20,000
and if not
while the other
is yet a great way off
he sends a delegation
and asks for terms
of peace
so therefore
anyone of you
who does not
renounce
all that he has
cannot
be
my disciple
salt is good
but if salt
has lost its taste
how shall saltiness
be restored
it is no use
either for the soil
or for the manure pile
it is thrown
away
he who has ears
let him hear
will you pray with me
Lord as we look
at this text
this morning
we pray
that you would
give us ears
to hear
that by your
Holy Spirit
you would
remove the
distractions
that are flitting
through our mind
right now
that you would
take the burdens
and the anxieties
that weigh us
down
Lord that you
would
keep us awake
when our bodies
are weary
and tired
Lord that you
would help us
to have ears
to hear
not only to hear
your word
and your call
upon our lives
but that we
would have hearts
that are ready
to
be not only
hearers
but doers also
that we would
respond
respond to your
call
this morning
by your
spirit
Lord I ask
for your help
this morning
that you would
be with me
Lord and that
you would be
with us
and that your
word would
speak to us
this morning
and we pray
this in Jesus
name
amen
amen
as we
look at this
excuse me
as we look
at this text
this morning
Jesus has a
very simple
and striking
message for us
what he says
is
half-hearted
followers
are not
really followers
at all
half-hearted
followers
followers
of Jesus
are not
really
followers
of Jesus
at all
as he
unpacks
this
he gives
us a
warning
he gives
us an
instruction
and he
gives us
a call
so we're
going to
look through
that
Jesus
warning
Jesus
instruction
and Jesus
call
as we
understand
this
very
sometimes
shocking
message
that
half-hearted
follower
is not
really
a follower
at all
so first
let's look
at Jesus
warning
you heard
it as I
read through
the text
there was
a refrain
was there
not
in verse
26
and in
verse
27
and again
in verse
33
he says
you cannot
be
my
disciple
and this
is such
a striking
thing
isn't it
because we
think
Jesus
is love
and grace
to us
and he
has come
to us
and he
has invited
us
to himself
and how
could it
be possible
that one
who seems
so warm
and some
who has
been so
committed
to pursuing
us
and loving
us
and bringing
us
to himself
would have
words like
this on
his lips
you cannot
be
my
disciple
and yet
he does
he exposes
three different
ways in
which we
turn our
hearts
away
away
from
following
Jesus
with all
that we
have
in verse
26
he talks
about our
relationships
look with me
again
if anyone
comes to me
and does not
hate his own
father and
mother and
wife and
children and
brothers and
sisters
yes and
even his
own life
he cannot
be his
disciple
now listen
friends
let's not
be over
over
literal
on this
okay
this is the
man who
said love
your enemies
let alone
love your
family
honor your
father and
mother
Jesus is not
talking about
us and if
you're a
teenager here
and you're
like yeah I
really do
hate my
parents and
Jesus says
it's okay
that's not
what he
means
what he does
mean though
is that this
is a relative
term
Jesus is
saying I
want your
heart to be
so fully
mine that
it were as
if in
relationship to
your love for
me you hated
even those who
are most dear
and most close
to you
Jesus is
claiming a
primary loyalty
a primary
identity
saying even
the most
most intimate
of our human
connections
mother
father
husband
wife
brother
sister
even
the most
intimate one
of our
very own
lives
he says
this is
these are to
be hated
in relationship
to that is
there to have
no value
in relationship
to the value
and the love
and the devotion
that you give
to me
it is both
external
the network
of relationships
that we live
in and
internal
in our
hearts
we are to
die to
our self
our self
will
our selfish
pleasures
our self
determination
our self
salvation
strategies
whereby we
seek to
justify ourselves
through our
work
through our
play
through our
pleasure
through everything
we do
and Jesus
says you
must hate
these things
in relationship
to me
or again
to restate it
you must love
me so much
that it is as if
you hated
these things
when I was
overseas I had
the privilege of
knowing a
Chinese co-worker
who worked
in campus
ministry
when he
came to
faith in
college
he came
through the
witness of
some friends
and he
went home
and told his
parents about
his new
found faith
his parents
kicked him
out of the
house
said don't
come back
until you
change your
mind
you have
brought
dishonor on
this family
you have
brought
dishonor
on our
culture
by turning
to this
outside
thing
I knew
him
quite a
number of
years
after this
event
he had
still only
been back
to his
hometown
once
he did
not stay
with his
family
he was
not welcome
there
the last
I had
heard from
him
about his
relationship
with his
family
he had
talked to
his father
once on
the phone
and it
did not
go well
my friend
counted the
cost
of knowing
Jesus
many times
during those
years after
his initial
profession of
faith
he could have
said this
isn't worth
it
I love my
parents too
much
I've lost
my family
and I don't
know what to
do
I'm going
back
he could have
gone back
and said
okay
it's not
important to
me
not as
much as
you are
but he
didn't
we don't
tend to
face that
in our
culture
in the
same way
and yet
maybe more
subtly
you feel
the pressure
to be
less than
wholehearted
in your
following of
Jesus
and in
your
loyalty
to him
maybe you
feel like
you'd like
to have
one foot
in Jesus
camp
and one
foot
that's
kind of
skating
along
doing
okay
maybe
that's
in your
career
path
and with
your
colleagues
maybe
that is
with your
family
at home
maybe it's
with your
friends and
peers at
school
Jesus
says
if you
do not
hate
your
relationships
that are
closest
in
relationship
to me
you cannot
be
my
disciple
not only
does it
Jesus
call us
this in
relationship
to our
network
of
relationships
but it
also
calls us
to our
way of
life
to thinking
about this
this is
what I
think
Jesus
is saying
in verse
27
look with
me
again
he says
whoever
does not
bear his
own
cross
and come
after me
cannot
be my
disciple
now remember
Jesus
said this
before his
own
crucifixion
although we
read it
knowing that
he was
speaking
knowing
what was
coming
and he
was
instructing
his
disciples
who would
understand
later
the fullness
of all
that he
was saying
here
but even
they
in that
moment
would have
heard
pick up
your cross
as a
terrifying
call
to pick up
your cross
is to carry
the cross
beam
upon which
you would
be crucified
through the
streets
it signified
great
physical
suffering
crucifixion
was terrifyingly
painful
but it
also was a
mark of
shame
it was not
something that
would be
done
except in
the cases
where they
wanted to
punish
publicly
make a
spectacle
of this
person who
was being
crucified
and executed
it is of
course a
picture of
heading to
death and
dying to
self
but it is a
most humiliating
a most
painful
way of
doing so
and Jesus
says
you must be
willing to
walk this
path
we have
friends
national
Christian
workers
that we
know in
Central Asia
who sent a
report last
fall about a
friend of
theirs
a young man
who was
staying at
his relative's
house
at night
three people
broke into
his house
and attacked
him
they beat
him with
sticks
kicked his
head
broke his
jaw
and injured
his eyes
they demanded
that he deny
Jesus
and make a
Muslim
confession
but he did
not deny
and they left
him to die
when he was
taken to the
hospital
the doctor
said he
would not
survive
praise the
Lord he did
survive
and now
he and his
family continue
to believe in
the Lord
and pray for
his complete
healing
they end
with this
please pray
for this guy
and his
family
who are being
persecuted for
their faith
by the
villagers
this man
wakes up
every morning
bearing a
cross of
physical pain
because he
would not
deny Jesus
he also
carries the
pain of
knowing that
his family
every day
is potentially
in danger
because of
their profession
of faith
Jesus says
following me
is a
disavowal
of a
commitment
to our
life of
comfort
to a
life of
ease
to a
life of
avoiding
suffering
and pain
how can
you
choose
to pursue
Jesus
in this
way
what are
the ways
that you
can step
away from
our cultural
movement
towards
everything
being safe
and everything
being
provided
and everything
being comfortable
and everything
being easy
how can you
step away from
that and pursue
Christ
now look
Jesus doesn't
call us to be
stupid
he doesn't call us
to flagellate
ourselves
to create
suffering on
our own
in order to
feel like we're
walking the walk
of Christ
but maybe
there are ways
today where you
could ask
yourself
have I been
more committed
to being
comfortable
than to
being faithful
to Jesus
are there ways
that I have been
more committed
to going with
the flow
than actually
bearing consequences
for following
Christ
in my own
personal
disciplines
in my own
personal
habits
am I
choosing
faithfulness
or am I
choosing
ease
the third
thing that
Jesus says
is in
verse 33
after he
tells the
two parables
that we'll
get to in
just a minute
he comes
back to
this refrain
again
he says
so therefore
if anyone
if any
one of you
therefore
anyone of you
who does not
renounce
all that he
has
cannot be
in my
disciple
what about
your stuff
your earthly
possessions
your wealth
what about
your reputation
your place
in society
your place
in your
community
Jesus never
says
you can't
have these
things
it is so
clear in
the new
testament
in the
first century
there were
people who
had things
even the
apostle Paul
would claim
his Roman
citizenship
at times
for the
sake of
the gospel
but
fundamentally
he had
disavowed
that as
being the
most important
thing about
him
this is the
question for
us
who live in
an extremely
materialistic
culture
who live in
a culture
where we
are constantly
looking for
the next
Instagram
photo or
Twitter feed
or something
to help us
know where
we fit in
the world
Jesus says
will you
renounce those
things and
follow me
will you
forsake the
shame that you
feel for the
things that you
don't have in
this world
will you
recognize that
that shame
can be
replaced by
the full
acceptance and
glory of
being God's
child
it does not
matter what you
have in this
world when you
have Jesus
are you
willing to
give what you
do have
and recognize
that everything
that you
have has been
given to you
and is ultimately
at Jesus
disposal
this is not a
Marie Kondo
moment where
you're just
decluttering your
life to make it
more comfortable
and a little
cleaner
it is
sacrificially
giving the
things that you
would rather
keep
for the sake
of following
Jesus
friends
Jesus
says
if you're
going to be
a follower
of me
you must
surrender
all
to me
or you
cannot
be my
disciple
so this
is the
thrust of
his teaching
and then in
the middle
he embeds
these two
parables
his instruction
on how we
are to think
about this
and fundamentally
both parables
have one
point
this is in
verse 28
through 32
the parables
of building
a tower
and going
to war
the one
point is
count the
cost
if you're
building a
tower
why would
you begin
not knowing
if you had
the resources
to finish
it
now I know
when I
lived in
China for a
few years
during the
housing boom
and the
economic boom
there were
lots of
people who
built buildings
like this
and they
didn't feel
very ashamed
about it
it didn't
seem like
but it
seems that
in the
first century
when you
look at the
parable
and how
Jesus says
the people
began to
mock him
when he
could not
finish it
what kind
of businessman
are you
when you
start a
project
and you
don't have
a plan
you haven't
counted
what the
cost should
be and
therefore
you cannot
finish it
shame on
you
Jesus
seems to
be pulling
on that
to say
it is
disgraceful
to not
count the
cost
then he
goes on
he talks
about war
if a king
has these
resources
and he goes
to war
against this
guy who
has double
the resources
he's got to
think through
can I win
this war
and if he
sees that he
can't
then he
should be
responsible
and sue
for peace
to avoid
bloodshed
and his own
army being
completely
destroyed
for that
king to
not count
the cost
to not
look ahead
and see
what it
would mean
for them
to go
to war
and to
address it
at its
core
Jesus is
saying
to not
count the
cost
is foolish
is foolish
in the
most
biblically
weighted
way
of not
just
silly
and immature
but foolish
in the
sense of
being
wrong
being
irresponsible
acting
without
regard
to your
responsibility
before God
when Jesus
says these
things he
has I
think two
audiences
in mind
because for
one one
of his
audiences
is this
crowd
remember we
talked about
at the
beginning
Jesus was
collecting a
big crowd
of people
and they
may be
coming for
all sorts
of reasons
and Jesus
doesn't do
what the
church in
the 20th
century has
at least
been tempted
to do
which is to
water down
the gospel
call and
the bar
of what it
means to
follow Jesus
come to
Jesus no
matter what
because he's
going to make
your life
easy and we
don't want you
to think that
there's going
to be anything
asked of you
in this
so it's not
going to cost
you very much
come and be a
part of this
come be
and we
love to
build an
organization
or a
movement
or a
crowd
or a
mob
of people
who get
really excited
about church
but who
haven't necessarily
counted the
cost
of following
Jesus
friends this
is why the
prosperity gospel
is so
dangerous
because it
promises that
Jesus is
calling you
to find in
him your
best life
now
the fulfillment
of all of
your human
materialistic
dreams
and that
God wants
you to be
comfortable
and that God
wants you to
be happy
in your own
definition of
what that
means
and Jesus
says something
very different
Jesus says
if you want
to follow
me
count the
cost of
leaving
everything
behind
in this
world
to get
everything
you ever
really
wanted
in me
Jesus
message
is
the
call
for you
to follow
me
is to
go
through
a
Copernican
revolution
where the
world
before
Copernicus
thought
that the
earth
was the
center
of the
universe
and that
everything
revolved
around the
earth
and that's
what we
do in
our
sinful
selfish
hearts
we think
it's
all about
us
and the
call
for Jesus
and the
call of
the gospel
to believe
in Jesus
is not
Jesus
coming
and aligning
those worlds
a little bit
more fortuitously
for us
but it is
completely
reworking
our understanding
so that
the sun
is in the
middle
of our
solar system
and we
are orbiting
our lives
around him
and he
is the
centerpiece
and as
the centerpiece
he is the
life-giving
power
that brings
all that we
need
to flourish
in the way
that God
created us
to
but only
as we
reorient
ourselves
in that
way
remember
that this
comes right
after the
passage that
Greg preached
on last
week
where Jesus
told a
parable of
inviting
people to
a great
banquet table
and this
is what
Jesus is
doing
is he's
calling us
he's saying
it's going
to cost you
everything
but you're
going to
come and
eat at the
banquet table
of the
savior
and of
the
creator
of the
world
you're
going to
come
and find
in life
in relationship
to me
you're going
to find
a great
joy
and abundance
Jesus
call to
the crowd
was
don't be
a believer
in following
me
don't be
a shallow
excited
follower
of me
but count
the cost
recognize
it will
cost
everything
Jesus
audience
wasn't
just the
crowd
though
it was
also
his
disciples
who
were
with
him
those
who
had
already
begun
to
leave
certain
times
you see
this
through
the
gospels
there's
this
powerful
moment
at the
end
of
John
6
where
Jesus
begins
to teach
about
his
own
death
and
about
the
need
for
them
to be
joined
with
him
in
his
death
using
the
pictures
of
eating
his
flesh
and
drinking
his
blood
as
an
image
of
what
that
means
to be
joined
with
him
and
then
people
are
turned
off
they're
like
that's
gross
I don't
want to
do
that
what
in the
world
this
guy
is
crazy
and
many
people
stop
following
him
and
he
turns
to
his
disciples
say
what
about
you
are
you
going
to
go
to
and
they
look
at
him
and
they
say
where
else
can
we
go
you
alone
have
the
words
of
eternal
life
Matthew
19
similarly
Peter
says
haven't
we
left
everything
to
follow
you
and
they
had
and
yet
they
continued
to
learn
ongoing
in an
ongoing
way
what
that
meant
it's
not
just
the
entrance
I've
renounced
it
all
the
first
time
when
I
walked
in
but
it's
an
ongoing
thing
some
of
you
have
walked
with
the
Lord
for
a
long
time
in
this
congregation
and
you
have
seen
the
temptations
that
rise
up
not
in
the
first
five
years
when
you're
trying
to
forsake
what
you
used
to
have
but
now
that
you've
been
in
life
for
a
long
time
you
see
the
new
ways
in
which
your
heart
begins
to
latch
onto
other
things
my
grandchildren
my
retirement
my
health
and
these
things
become
the
thing
that
we
start
to
live
for
and
Jesus
says
will
you
surrender
them
to
me
now
look
we need
to be
clear
on
this
it
is
not
a
matter
of
perfection
the
apostle
Peter
himself
who
was
one
who
said
we've
left
everything
to
follow
you
was
the
same
apostle
who
on
the
night
when
Jesus
was
arrested
denied
him
said
I
don't
know
him
it
is
not
about
us
being
perfect
in
all
of
our
choices
and
being
perfect
in
our
loyalty
this
is
not
the
true
mark
of
a
disciple
what
it
is
is
when
the
Lord
puts
his
finger
on
something
in
our
lives
and
he
says
will
you
give
me
this
when
the
Lord
reveals
something
and
friends
let's
be
clear
Jesus
isn't
talking
about
sinful
things
he's
already
called
us
to
forsake
sin
so
it's
not
that
we
need
to
give
up
our
porn
addiction
or
we
need
to
give
up
our
embezzlement
or
we
need
to
give
up
our
bitter
spirit
that's
not
what
Jesus
is
calling
us
to
hear
Jesus
is
calling
us
to
give
up
good
things
right
things
that
we
normally
should
be
able
to
enjoy
but
how
easily
our
hearts
latch
onto
them
and
when
Jesus
says
will
you
give
me
this
will
you
give
me
this
will
you
surrender
this
that's
when
we
count
the
cost
you
know
it
it
strikes
me
that
one
of
the
deepest
ways
when
I
see
people
when
I
see
some
of
you
counting
the
cost
has
to
do
in
relationships
some
of
you
are
single
some
of
you
are
single
on
the
earlier
end
hoping
to
be
married
some
of
you
are
single
further
on
in
life
maybe
for
a
second
time
maybe
still
hoping
to
be
married
or
maybe
not
hoping
to
be
married
but
I
have
seen
you
pursue
faithfulness
in
Christ
and
counting
the
cost
I
have
seen
you
swim
against
the
tide
of
the
current
of
our
culture
which
says
you
deserve
to
be
happy
go
and
express
yourself
there's
nothing
wrong
with
that
you
have
chosen
faithfulness
to
Christ
and said
I will
pursue
purity
I will
pursue
healthy
relationships
I will
pursue
serving
others
I will
pursue
a stewardship
of the
freedom
that I have
in this
season of
my life
to be a
blessing
to others
rather than
allowing
yourselves
to
wallow
in self
pity
or run
off
after
fleeting
pleasure
I have
also
seen
some
of
you
who
are
married
count
the
cost
and
follow
Jesus
persevering
through
disappointment
when
your life
hasn't
looked
like
what
you
thought
it
would
when
you
first
entered
into
marriage
when
your
spouse
has
been
a
greater
disappointment
in
ways
that
you
never
saw
coming
and
I've
seen
you
choose
faithfulness
to
Jesus
over
selfishness
over
bitterness
over
recrimination
and
fighting
and
anger
I've
seen
you
stay
in
and
seek
to
love
and
to
serve
your
spouses
for
the
sake
of
Christ
and
it's
humbling
to see
you
do
this
these
are
some
of
the
ways
that
we
count
the
cost
how
can
we
do
it
well
friends
there's
only
one
way
that
we
can
do
this
we
can
only
count
the
cost
because
as
the
parable
that
Jesus
tells
in
Matthew
13
because
there
is
a
treasure
in
a
field
that
is
worth
selling
all
that
we
have
in
order
to
gain
the
reason
why
we
can
count
the
cost
and
lose
it
all
to
follow
Jesus
is
because
he
went
ahead
and
did
this
for
us
Jesus
in
Philippians
2
forsook
the
privilege
and the
prerogatives
of
divinity
to
come
and
take
on
human
form
he
identified
with
us
in
our
humanity
and
he
identified
with
us
in
our
weakness
and
our
frailty
and
he
identified
with
us
by
taking
our
sin
upon
himself
bearing
responsibility
for that
which
was not
his
and
headed
towards
the
cross
dying
in
our
place
for
that
Jesus
gave
up
everything
even
his
very
own
life
to
be
our
savior
and
to
rescue
us
from
our
sin
friends
this
is
the
treasure
is
to
be
loved
by
a
savior
like
that
to
be
in
relationship
to
a
savior
like
that
to
know
that
this
is
the
God
that
we
are
selling
all
that
we
have
in
order
to
gain
this
is
what
the
apostle
Paul
was
writing
about
in
a
passage
that
we
read
earlier
from
Philippians
to
count
all
these
things
as
lost
for
the
sake
of
knowing
Christ
being
found
in
him
because
being
related
to
Christ
is
the
most
glorious
and
most
wonderful
gift
that
God
has
ever
given
us
we
who
don't
deserve
it
we
who
have
rebelled
and
run
away
from
it
he
has
come
so
that
we
might
return
and
yes
there
is
a
cost
he
says
sell
it
all
in
order
to
follow
me
you
cannot
be
half
hearted
in
this
you
must
be
fully
in
or
you
are
not
in
at
all
but
to
be
fully
in
is
to
get
it
all
all
that
God
has
for
us
this
is
what
the
good
news
of
the
gospel
is
and
this
is
what
the
call
of
the
gospel
is
to
believe
in
Jesus
Christ
is
not
to
add
on
a
nice
thing
into
our
existing
life
but
to
believe
in
Jesus
Christ
is
to
go
through
this
revolution
whereby
everything
we have
is given
to
him
and
we
throw
ourselves
then
onto
his
mercy
and
his
grace
and
find
in
him
a
life
of
following
him
that
is
beyond
what
we
could
ever
imagine
and
this
is
what
Jesus
does
in
the
last
two
verses
of
our
passage
this
morning
Jesus
call
is
to
be
true
salt
to
be
a
full
hearted
follower
of
Jesus
so
he
uses
the
image
commentators
have a
fun
conversation
about
salt
and
whether
salt
can
actually
lose
its
saltiness
and
what
kind
of
salt
it
was
some
people
say
salt
never
loses
saltiness
this
is
just
an
image
it
is
kind
of
hypothetical
other
people
say
the
dead
sea
salt
was
salt
that
had
impurities
and
over
time
it
would
actually
decay
and
become
useless
I
don't
think
it
matters
to
be
honest
with
you
it
is
very
clear
what
Jesus
is
saying
salt
is
worthwhile
when
it
is
salty
because
that
saltiness
makes
it
useful
it
gives
flavor
to
our
food
and
it
preserves
the
things
that
we
rub
into
it
this
is
why
salt
is
worthwhile
and
if
it
is
lost
those
properties
it
is
nothing
but
a
useless
rock
and
the
only
thing
to do
with
it
is
to
throw
it
away
in
the
trash
heap
you
can't
even
use
it
in
your
fields
or
in
your
fertilizer
you
have
to
throw
it
in
the
trash
because
it's
useless
and
this
is
what
Jesus
wants
to
bring
home
to
us
if
we
claim
to
be
a
disciple
of
Jesus
that
is
a
follower
one
who
is
identified
with
you
guys
know
right
this
is
what
it
means
to
be
a
Christian
a
Christian
is
someone
who
is
identifying
themselves
with
Christ
this
is
why
Dietrich
Bonhoeffer
was
so
concerned
as
those
who
were
Christians
were
aligning
themselves
with
national
socialism
as
their
highest
loyalty
for
us
if
we
are
called
to
be
Christians
then
we
must
surrender
all
to
Christ
everything
we
have
must
be
his
we
must
make
him
the
priority
over
all
of
our
relationships
over
all
of
our
dreams
and
hopes
over
all
of
our
belongings
and
possessions
he
calls
us
to
have
a
different
orientation
of our
life
where
all
we
do
is
look
to
him
and
follow
him
and
all
these
other
things
that
the
world
will
say
that
our
hearts
will
long
for
and
reach
out
for
all
these
things
fall
fall
to
the
side
so
that
we
can
focus
on
Jesus
and
follow
him
and
walk
after
him
and
then
they
find
themselves
then
they
find
new
places
in
this
life
potentially
sometimes
we forsake
them
and
they're
gone
forever
other
times
God
gives
us
new
places
for
them
to
fit
but
they
fit
within
a
clear
uncompromising
wholehearted
loyalty
and faithfulness
to
Jesus
Christ
himself
one
of my
heroes
of
the
faith
is
a
19th
century
woman
missionary
named
Amy
Carmichael
if
you
haven't
read
A Chance
to Die
it's
my
other
book
recommendation
for you
this
morning
A Chance
to Die
written
by Elizabeth
Elliot
she was
born in
the latter
part of
the 19th
century
to a
wealthy
family
while she
was a
teenager
her
family
business
went
bankrupt
and she
was
broke
her
father
soon
died
tragically
after that
she spent
her late
teens
and early
20s
caring for
her family
working
to provide
for her
widowed
mother
as she
also
then
grew
in her
faith
in Jesus
and her
ministry
to some
of the
working
class
women
in her
neighborhood
she
suffered
from a
form
of
myalgia
experiencing
weakness
and pain
in her
limbs
that
was
a
constant
companion
for her
and yet
one night
at a
meeting
she heard
God speak
to her
in an audible
voice saying
go overseas
as a missionary
and the cost
was great
to all
around her
who would
take care
of her
mother
who would
continue
the
ministry
but she
knew that
the most
important
thing
was to
obey
God's
will
for her
and she
said
nothing
is too
precious
for Jesus
so she
gave up
those
things
she went
to Japan
for a
couple
of years
and had
a very
difficult
ministry
experience
there
she came
home
and then
was
reassigned
she went
to India
found a
place of
ministry
among
women
but even
there
she found
herself
outside of
the normal
missions
patterns
outside of
the normal
missions
strategies
particularly
as young
girls who
were fleeing
from temple
prostitution
in the
Hindu
temples
started to
run to
her house
and say
please help
me
and she
began a
whole ministry
to these
girls
she was one
of the
original
warriors
against sex
trafficking
in the
Christian
church
she wouldn't
have called
it that
but that's
what she
was doing
she did
this for
the rest
of her
life
ten years
into her
ministry
in India
she had
a fall
she broke
her spine
and her
hip
she was
bedridden
for the rest
of her
ministry
literally
and yet
she stayed
for another
15-20
years
she died
where she
ministered
she's buried
there
today
Elizabeth Elliot
writes this
about her
attitude
with all
her heart
she determined
to please
him
who had
chosen
her
to be
his
soldier
she was
awed
by the
privilege
she accepted
the disciplines
loneliness
was one of
those
how the
modern
young person
always wants
to know
did she
handle it
Amy
Carmichael
would not
have had
the slightest
idea
what the
questioner
was talking
about
handle
loneliness
why
it is a part
of the cost
of obedience
of course
everybody is
lonely in some
way
the single
in one way
the married
in another
the missionary
in certain
obvious ways
the school
teacher
the mother
the bank
teller
in others
but as Amy
wrote
when I consider
the cross
of Christ
how can
anything I do
be called
sacrifice
she knew
what God
had made
her in
Christ
and she
gave all
that she
had
to live
for his
glory
some of
you may
be called
to give up
all to go
somewhere else
to serve
him
in a
missions
manner
many of
you will
be called
to stay
where you
are
and to
live for
him
in a
missions
manner
for you
to think
about
the
wholehearted
commitment
sometimes
it's actually
easier
to be a
missionary
because your
whole life
and job
is oriented
towards this
I feel like
this sometimes
as a pastor
it's very easy
for me
and I look
at some of
you and I
know how
challenging
it can be
and yet I
want you
to hear
the clear
call
of Jesus
make him
first
if you
love
anything
more
than
him
you
cannot
be
his
disciple
when I
survey the
wondrous cross
on which
the prince
of glory
died
my richest
gain
I count
but loss
and poor
contempt
on all
my pride
the end
of that
hymn
says
love
so amazing
so divine
demands
my soul
my life
my all
friends
this is what
Jesus calls
he calls
us to
faith
and belief
in him
and to
follow him
wholeheartedly
we're gonna go
to prayer
and as we
go to prayer
the music
team will
come up
but I
want to
invite you
to spend
a minute
is the
Holy Spirit
this morning
putting
his finger
on something
in your
life
today
is he
saying
will you
surrender
this
to me
will you
give
this
to me
maybe
you're
here
this
morning
and
you've
never
actually
said
Jesus
here's
my
whole
life
maybe
you
haven't
ever
surrendered
to him
in faith
maybe
he's
calling
you
to do
that
this
morning
so
we're
just
going
to
spend
a
few
minutes
in
quietness
and
then
I will
pray
and
we'll
transition
to
singing
so
let's
pray
together
Lord
how easy
it is
for
our
hearts
to
already
be
turning
to
other
things
help
us
to
hear
your
voice
now
Lord
Lord
Lord
if
there's
anything
you
are
putting
on
our
hearts
any
things
that
you
are
calling
us
to
surrender
to
you
any
ways
that
you
are
showing
us
the
hardness
of
our
hearts
where
we
have
not
forsaken
all
to
follow
you
Lord
if
you're
calling
some
this
morning
to
put
their
faith
in
you
for
the
first
time
and
to
give
up
the
things
that
they're
afraid
to
lose
help
us
to
hear
your
voice
this
morning
help
us
to
respond
Jesus
all
that
we
have
it's
come
from
you
you're
our
creator
you've
given
it
all
to
us
Lord
will
you
give
us
the
faith
to
give
it
back
to
you
to
surrender
all
to
follow
you
to
set
our
hearts
not
on
our
own
comfort
or
ease
of
life
but
Lord
to
courageously
say
that
we
will
follow
you
and
our
lives
will
be
for
your
glory
that
you
we
would
make
you
our
everything
help
us
Lord
we
pray
in
Jesus
name
amen
as we
continue
to
worship
let me
invite
you
to
stand
and
sing
I
will
glory
in
my
redeemer
whose
priceless
blood
has
ransomed
me
mine
was
the
sin
that
drove
the
bitter
land
prince
d
bring