Broadway Christian Church
Columbia , Missouri

Morning Worship
September 5, 2004

Prayer of the Day

Holy One, as we gather for prayer and praise, open our ears to hear and our hearts to absorb what it really takes to be true, faithful, and effective followers of Christ.  Amen.

Scripture
Luke 14:25-35

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.  And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?  For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king.  Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?  If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.  In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot by my disciple.

“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is fit neither for the soil nor the manure pile; it is thrown out.

“Let those who have ears, hear.”

Message
Marketing the Master
Rick Frost

One of our elders in the 8:30 worship said, “Getting ready for bed last night, I read the text for the day and tried to prepare for worship.  I almost just stayed in bed this morning.”

We have a challenge today – a real challenge.  Let’s see how we can get into this text.

Let’s just say you’ve been asked to serve on the Church Growth and Evangelism Team at your church, and you’ve been charged with the task of creating a TV ad – a 30-second spot designed to attract people, indeed, large numbers of people to your church.  Budget is not a problem.  Talent in advertising and marketing is abundant. 

The question for today: What would be your themes?  What would you want to communicate to large numbers of people that would attract a large crowd to your community of faith? 

Perhaps you would be in tune with our Methodist brothers and sisters who reportedly are considering a $13-million, nationwide, multimedia blitz called “Igniting Ministry.”  One ad they are considering has rain dribbling down a gray looking window.  There is a voice in the background saying, “Today is my birthday.  I am 40 years old, and I don’t know where I’m going.”  Hopefully people see the tag line that says, “This is a gift to you from the United Methodist Church.  Come visit us.”  But it could be an ad for a new Cadillac with one of those global positioning systems.  You have to watch ads.  Not everyone sees the whole thing.

Another ad I’ve heard on the radio for sometime now (and it’s a good one, I think) is put out by the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints.  In that ad, a brief little radio spot, there’s an interview with a group of children.  They are asked what they want most from their parents.  All of the kids say, in one way or another, they really love it when they get to spend time with their Mom and Dad.  The tag line on the ad says, “Family – isn’t it about time?”

Other themes you might consider:  “Are you looking for a deeper meaning in life?”  “How would you like to approach life with more enthusiasm?”  “Does your marriage need a boost?”  This is one of my favorites: “Are you tired of being on the go all the time?  Need some rat-race reducers?” 

Even the new-age spiritualists are getting in on the effort nowadays.  The most recent issue of Oprah Magazine, which hangs out at my house touts a new book entitled Unconditional Bliss:  Finding Happiness in the Face of Hardship.  Now understand, I don’t read Oprah that often, but evidently Rafael Kushner, the author writes, “Imagine an existence of constant, ever-available bliss – bliss that asks nothing of you and depends on nothing from you.  Indeed, not even the most tragic of life’s events can alter its strength and presence.  I know this bliss, because I live it, and I believe you can live it, too.  You don’t need to have faith in God or anything else.  You can be loud or shy, a Christian or an atheist, a revolutionary or an archconservative.  It doesn’t matter.  This bliss can belong to you, too.”

One of our questions today:  As a Christian – as a member of the community of faith – how would you promote… how would you advertise… how would you market in today’s world… how would you communicate Jesus Christ to the people of this community and/or to the people of this nation?  How would you do that?  And how would you do it in such a way that it attracted a large crowd, particularly in settings today where there is not such a great crowd? 

There are many of these settings in our country.  This may be, and is, in fact, a concern of many congregations in this country today. 

What I want you to hear is this:  This is not a concern of our text today.  In it, Luke says Jesus has already attracted a large crowd.  “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus (verse 25).”  These are not disciples.  This is the general public. 

It would probably be something like President Bush, who is coming to town on Tuesday, they tell me.  Whether you are a Bush fan or not, you can count on the fact there is going to be a large crowd. 

Jesus, in our reading today, already has a large crowd.  He’s evidently not facing resistance or reluctance.  His crowd, at this stage in his ministry, is enthusiastic.  They are thrilled.  They are moved.  They are inspired.  They are moved by what he is saying and by what he is doing.  These are people who are coming to him… who are seeking him out… who are rallying around him wherever he goes.  He is not, at this point in the text, calling them to be disciples.  Indeed, what he says next is his response to all of this enthusiasm these people have, knowing they don’t have a clue where he is headed and what awaits him.

This ministry of Jesus, in the New Testament, is going to Jerusalem, and there is a cross waiting for him there.  But the crowd doesn’t know it.  The crowd doesn’t get it.  In all likelihood, some of them see it, maybe, just as a chance for a protest march.  Large numbers of people do that.  They get passionate when they take to the streets, particularly in large numbers, and Lord knows, there were plenty of reasons for it then.  Galilee versus Romans.  Peasants versus people in power.  Laity versus clergy.  Jews versus Romans.  Jesus versus the establishment.  The pot is getting stirred.  The juices are starting to flow.  The crowds are getting worked up.  They are oblivious to any impending conflict.  They are unaware there is any price to be paid, any consequences that are going to happen as a result of their actions, any cross they are going to have to bear.

The crowds swell.  They come out of the hillsides and out of the little huts.  They think this is pretty exciting.  This is pretty neat.  “If we stick together, we can show those Romans a thing or two.”

So what does Jesus say next, when he’s got the crowd with him, when he’s got the crowd all excited and inspired?  What does he say to this multitude of new, hasty, uninformed volunteers?

Jesus says, “If anyone of you come after me and does not hate your mother, your father, your spouse, your children, your brothers and sisters, or even your own life, you cannot be my disciple.”  Now, how is that for a tag line for your commercial?  Anyone what to try that one on?  Can’t you just see it now?

“Are you happy, content, well-situated in your life?  Well, come to Broadway Christian this Sunday, and Jesus will relieve you of all that.  Hate your mother?  Trying to get rid of your father?  Jesus wants you as a disciple.  And all that stuff you’ve accumulated?  Give it to the poor.  In fact, we are getting ready to have a really big offering at church this Sunday.  By the way, because of some of the things we’re doing in the community, there’s probably going to be a crucifixion at the 9:30 service.”

Can’t you just see that advertisement?  Do you see the P.R. problem we have?

Now, I do need to tell you the scholars make it very clear that the biblical word we have in our Bible that is translated “hate” is essentially a Semitic word.  It doesn’t mean what you and I mean when we use the word “hate” with all the emotions involved therewith.  When Jesus uses the word, it means essentially “to turn away from, to detach oneself from.”  That’s what the meaning of “hate” would be.

Obviously, in the Old Testament and the New Testament, we are called to love.  We are called to care for, to nourish all people, especially our families.  First Timothy 5 says, “If anyone does not provide for their relatives and especially for their immediate family, they have denied the faith, and they are worse than an unbeliever.”  So it’s not that we are to hate our families or ourselves, not in that sense of the word.  But what Jesus does demand of those who choose to be his disciples is that this network all of us are involved in – all of us are connected to – can’t take second place to the relationships we have.  The claims of Christ, the gospel, take precedent over everything.  Not only do they take precedent over everything, they redefine all of these other relationships – where we work, who are family is, who are friends are, what we do with our resources.

The bottom line:  If you are thinking about becoming a serious follower of Jesus, be sure to think about what you are doing.  It doesn’t matter if you are rich or if you are poor, or if you’re married or single, young or old, healthy or sick, or if you are just able to function, or you have an IQ that is off the charts.  It really doesn’t matter.  If you are going to be a disciple of Christ, Jesus says, we all have essentially the same decision to make when it comes to major expenditures of our time, of our property, indeed, of our life itself.

What each potential disciple needs to address is this:  Does this cost more than I am able and willing to give?  Can I carry through what I have started?  Can I stay with what Jesus leads me to wherever that might be?  Regrettably, in some churches, many feel that telling folks about possible, indeed, likely costs, or saying anything that might discourage a prospective member should somehow be delayed or even eliminated altogether.

More than one church you and I know of has removed the cross completely from their premises.  They’ve taken the offering from the worship service and put it in a little box at the back door, because, they say, “We find these things are an impediment.  They turn off people who are seeking Christ.  It gets in the way of our attempt to reach people with the gospel.”  When I hear that, red flags go up, because I’m trying to figure out what gospel are they reaching out with?

I think before you join this church or any church, you should attend Broadway 101 or 102, or whichever number it may be.  This experience should not only tell you about us.  It should not just tell you about what we believe.  It should not just tell you about all the wonderful ministries we have going.  As good as that is, it also needs to tell you up front about the cost of discipleship.  You should walk away asking the questions “Do I have what it takes to do it?  Do I know what it means to choose to be his follower?”  Then after you’ve had some time to reflect on that and count the costs, then you can make an informed decision that says, “Yes, I do,” or “No, I don’t.”

Finally, in today’s text, Jesus continues to address this enthusiastic, but uninformed crowd, and he says these words: “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It’s not fit for anything.  It will be thrown out.” 

Well… you get the drift.

Just as salt can lose its savor, so can the initial commitment any of us make, even when it’s really sincere, even when we’re really excited.  Even when we are enthusiastic, it can get lost.  A commitment can fade.  It fades over time.  Have you noticed that?  A commitment to Jesus Christ is going to test you.  Some of the tests are going to be rather severe.  What we know is that uninformed enthusiasm often cools off.  Suddenly those other commitments that are on everybody’s plates beg to come up to the number-one spot – our jobs, our family, our position in the community. 

You know… salt doesn’t decide to become pepper.  It just gradually looses its savor.  The process can be so gradual no one really notices.  Well… almost no one.

And we all say together… “Amen.”

Benediction

Guiding Light, thank you for the example of Jesus.  Help us to follow in this narrow way.  When the road is difficult, please strengthen and remind us that we are your people, blessed to wear and share your light.  Amen.