09042022 – Luke 14. 25-33
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German LUTHERAN pastor, theologian, an anti-Nazi DISSIDENT, and key founding member of the “CONFESSING Church.”
His writings on Christianity’s role in the “secular world” have become “WIDELY INFLUENTIAL,” and his book “The COST of DISCIPLESHIP” is described as being “a modern classic.”
Apart from his “theological writings,” Bonhoeffer was known for his “staunch RESISTANCE” to the Nazi dictatorship, including “vocal OPPOSITION” to Hitler’s EUTHANASIA program and GENOCIDAL persecution of the JEWS.
He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo, and imprisoned for one and a half years.
Bonhoeffer was ACCUSED of being ASSOCIATED with the 20 July plot to ASSASINATE Adolf Hitler.
He was HANGED on 9 April 1945 just as the Nazi regime itself was collapsing.
He died at the young age of 39.
For him, GRACE was never CHEAP! It always came with a COST.
“CHEAP grace” is the deadly ENEMY of our Church, he wrote. We are fighting today for “COSTLY grace.”
“CHEAP grace means” the sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and “the consolations of religion” are thrown away at “CUT PRICES.”
Grace without PRICE; grace without COST!
“CHEAP grace” is the preaching of FORGIVENESS without requiring repentance, BAPTISM without church discipline, COMMUNION without confession, ABSOLUTION without personal confession.
“COSTLY grace” is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it – a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy – which the merchant – will sell ALL HIS GOODS…
“COSTLY grace” is the Gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.
Such grace is COSTLY because it calls us to follow, Jesus Christ. It is costly because it COSTS-a-man-his-life. It is COSTLY because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner.
Above all, it is COSTLY because it COSTS God the life of His Son: “you were bought at a PRICE,” and what has COST God “MUCH” — cannot be cheap for US.
And the CROWDS that followed Jesus were looking for “CHEAP grace.”
They were seeking WATER turned into wine, multitudes being FED from a few loaves and fishes or MANNA from heaven…
The wanted the lame to WALK, the blind to SEE, the leper-CLEANSED, the sinner FORGIVEN and God’s great reversal between the RICH and POOR to take place.
They ANTICIPATED and EXPECTED Jesus would HEAL and provide for ALL their NEEDS. ALL. EVERYTHING.
THEY needed to do NOTHING more than to follow him and jump on his “messanic bandwagon.”
It was a FREE RIDE to the KINGDOM OF GOD.
It will be FUN. It will be EXCITING. You will see angels DESCENDING and ASCENDING.
The heavens will OPEN UP and the VOICE of God will be heard by ALL who believe.
And as for you, there is NOTHING you need do. God will provide ALL. It is a gravy train to be ridden. ‘HOP on board!
SEEK and ye shall find, KNOCK and the door will be opened, ASK and it will be given. Easy peasy. Come, and join us.
And Jesus “knew their hearts and their minds.” He was aware of THAT which they were thinking.
And TURNING to them, Jesus paused and said: “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, CANNOT be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me CANNOT be my disciple.”
And looking again at them, he said, “NONE of you can become my disciple if you do not give up ALL your possessions.”
But people laughed and smiled and carried on, thinking surely he must be joking…certainly he does not MEAN what he is saying.
His words are HARD. If his words are TRUE, he will have NO ONE to follow him. EVERYONE WILL ABANDON HIM – with each going their own way.
WHO can possibly give him, WHAT HE IS SEEKING, what he ASKS for? It is impossible.
No one in his or her right mind would follow this man from Galilee. Are there not hundreds of rabbis all over Israel which one can follow?
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Not EVERYONE who FOLLOWS believes that GRACE is COSTLY!
Amen.