Texts: Psalm 139:1-14; Luke 14: 25-33

             It takes what? Are you serious? “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.” Or in the favorite words of my daughter and perhaps Ginger Evans too, “Are you kidding me?” “Jesus, are you kidding us?”      

        Anyone who knows Jesus’ ethic of love and acceptance will have a hard time connecting the idea of hating one’s family with Christ’s teachings! Obviously, Jesus is making a very serious point about discipleship and the cost of it. But what gives?        

       Well, we’ve encountered some Biblical hyperbole here that exaggerates, contrasts, and points to conflict in order to see something more clearly.[1] Hyperbole is actually found quite often in the Bible, in both the New and Old Testaments, and Jesus uses exaggeration or contrasting as a way of communicating throughout his ministry. Remember, it’s harder for a rich man to enter heaven the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? But here, many of us, including myself, can really get stuck on the word hate. For me to the point of—do I really have to preach on this lectionary text? But this kind of hesitancy on a preacher’s part is often a sign, or at least for me it is, to actually tackle the difficult text. Plus, it so clearly follows the text that Alex preached on last week.        

      In looking at this passage, I think we need to remember that we’re reading scripture translated from ancient languages written many, many years ago: we just don’t always have the ability to quickly catch the nuances of those cultures. So let’s unpack it a bit. The Greek word miseo (meseo), is translated here as hate, yet how we understand this word isn’t quite how it would have been understood when Luke 14 was written.       

      In the first-century middle-eastern world, this word miseo in the context of family is not so much an emotional position as one of honor or shame. Writing on this passage, scholar Robert Tannehill explains that in the ancient world hating one's family would mean doing something that would injure, bring shame, or disgrace them. Family honor was highly valued, and every member was expected to protect this honor.[2]  Here, how the word hate is used is also reminiscent of honor language and codes sprinkled throughout the Old and New Testaments which require loyalty to God over and above everything else, including family. Jesus tells this large crowd—some who are just curious, and others who are seeking to be true disciples—if you choose to follow me, without a doubt, some of you will run into some rifts, divided loyalties with your families.      

       Now this was actually very realistic advice; many of the early Christians were itinerant groups who traveled spreading the gospel and lived with or near each other. In fact, letters to this day exist of some Roman families who complained that their son or daughter had run off and joined some group called the "Christians."[3]  And we know throughout history in new religious or social movements, there are divisions in families. So I find this information helpful, though it still makes me squirm. Yet I dare say, there are those of us here in this room or we know of others who have followed God’s call into various areas of life and have done so in great opposition to their family’s wishes.        

     I think it’s also helpful to realize that in various places throughout the Bible, the word hate connotes something of lesser value or a lesser love by the story teller. An example of this would be Malachi 1:2-3, that has God saying, I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau. The meaning here is not that God hated Esau; rather, for some reason in the story of the two brothers God favored Jacob with the inheritance blessing. Esau was slighted; he got less than what he deserved according to their tradition. Still it’s good to remember we can read in Genesis that God was with Esau and does bless him, and God’s reconciling love brings these brothers back together.[4]      

        So in our passage, the word hate does not necessarily imply anger or hostility, but rather acknowledges that there will be conflicts in following Christ which requires our loyalty over and above other human relationships. Although most of us love our families, our loyalty first belongs to God; we are called to love God with a higher love.          

              Looking at Jesus’ ministry we often hear similar sharp contrasts concerning family throughout the gospels, though with a bit gentler language. In Matthew 10: 37- 38, Jesus says, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me,” and “those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”       

         In Luke 14, Jesus lets the crowd, and us, know that discipleship requires tough deliberate decisions and discipline—implying it just may not be for everyone. One’s relationship with God and following Christ needs to be the center of our lives. This requires taking up the cross, giving up our possessions and losing our lives to find life.   

          Here, taking up the cross is a radical message. Rome crucified those who disagreed with them and opposed their power. Those listening to Jesus and the early church knew very well what taking up the cross means—possible crucifixion for taking a stance. Taking up the cross means refusing to be intimidated into compliance when God’s message and call to justice and mercy is threatened. It means risking exposure to ridicule and rejection.[5] Taking up the cross is a way of life that follows Christ, even to Jerusalem. And we, like the early church, are called to recognize that God’s redemptive, reconciling, and resurrective love has power over life and death no matter where it calls and takes us.     

        Then in our consumer culture where more—more house, more money, more music, more clothes—signifies success and status, being willing to give up our possessions as part of discipleship brings, well…. it’s threatening! This passage causes us to evaluate what we might need to give up to really follow Christ. What are we so attached to that it hinders our ability to fully follow Christ? And here’s a switch, maybe we’re too involved in success and status, even in the church, that it’s more about us than God and we’re ignoring our family? It does get complicated.     

        Today’s lectionary readings are paired with Psalm 139. I love how these verses compliment each other. When we live a life of discipleship, we recognize as the writer of Psalm 139 does, that God knows us and searches us, and is with us when us when we sit down and when we rise up. When we enter into areas of darkness in life, God’s light will not let us be overcome. Yet, Jesus indicates that this kind of intimacy with the Holy One does require work. Yes, this is heavy stuff. Still over and over again, we are assured that when we lose our life to Christ, we find it!     

         Now right about now I think it’s important to acknowledge a few things. Most everyone here, especially on this Labor Day weekend takes faith seriously, or perhaps you’re searching for something more. So, it could be said, “I’m preaching to the choir.” Then, I don’t think this passage is meant to induce guilt, but admittedly it does some of that for me. And I hope in reading this passage, we recognize that God is intimately aware of our humanity and loves us in spite of our failings; we will never be “perfect” disciples. And this is an ongoing process of conversion and transformation that we walk with others. That being said, I think this does passage ask us to evaluate how it can speak to us today as individuals and as a community of Christ.    

          How seriously do we integrate our faith into all parts of our lives? Do we compartmentalize our faith or do we let it seep into the every cell of our existence?  Do we take our discipleship seriously enough allowing for a total transformation or just some? And with our children and others, do we share enough of our Christian faith and its demands that it even has the opportunity to be transforming. Can we talk about our faith, explain our faith, and lead others in how to truly live into Christ? Jesus doesn’t shy away from telling the challenge and demands of discipleship—do we?  These are some of the questions I’ve grappled with this week. In a way, for me, this passage has been sort of a discipleship “check-up?” It asks: what shape is my/our discipleship health in? What might I/we have to do to get in better shape? How do I share my Christian faith?      

       A recent CNN faith blog focused on Kenda Creasy Dean, a professor at Princeton Seminary, and her new book, Almost Christian.  After participating in a National Study of Youth and Religion which interviewed over 3,300 adolescents, Dean concluded that too often we are passing on to our children a “moralistic therapeutic deism.” Teens, and many Christians in America, are living a “watered-down faith” that portrays God as a “divine therapist” whose chief goal is to boost people’s self-esteem.[6] And she asserts that this “imposter faith” is one large reason so many of our young people no longer continue in the church, especially in the mainline denominations like ours. Too often we promote and practice a “gospel of niceness” where faith is simply doing good and not ruffling feathers. Rather she, like Jesus I might add, emphasizes that the Christian faith calls us to take risks and to live a life of witness and sacrifice—to get radical. The article says we’re serving cake when what people really want is nourishing food? [7]      

       A watered-down gospel, doesn’t give people the tools to confront tragedy and the complexities of life. It can’t bear the deeper questions and ambiguities of life, nor does it give a deep abiding purpose and direction to life.     

        Just as the two parables in this passage indicate, discipleship with Christ is not blind. Following Christ is a thought-probing and deliberate process where we grow in our ability to ask tough questions about life, about God, and ourselves.[8] Discipleship means a living faith of worship, devotions, prayer, and action; it means living into the journey more than having the correct answers and the right theology.           

          This week, five years after Hurricane Katrina, the Spirit kept reminding me of Jim. Jim is a successful independent film maker whose primary bread and butter comes from producing in-house videos for businesses. It took a lot of hard work, talent, and networking to build his reputation and business. And he is a Christian who takes his discipleship seriously. Jim gives of his artistic talents and abilities to area non-profits; he has poured his heart into young adult bible studies. He gives time to a church food pantry, and he has a deep love and involvement with the Presbyterian (PCUSA) boarder missions with Mexico.       

       Soon after Katrina occurred, he volunteered to go down to New Orleans for a number of times for a week or two. Then a year later he felt God calling him to give more of his time. Jim committed working for PCUSA missions in the Gulf for two months. More than a few people thought he was going overboard, yet he gained a deep inner-peace about taking a leave from his business and trusting more work when he returned. This was how God was calling him to use his gifts. Then two months turned into another six months when he was asked to be a site leader…..eight months, with a few breaks.       

      Jim was a blessing to people and to our denominational efforts, so much so that he was asked to apply for a mission position based at the church headquarters in Louisville. Jim could do this job, but he wasn’t sure this was where God was calling him, he thrived working “on site.” Yet he, along with his family, decided discernment required a face to face interview. He also made another decision because Jim knows that God knows him and has been with him through the highs and lows of life. And like the psalmist, Jim knows that he is fearfully and wonderfully made. So in this interview process, he was upfront and honest about who he is and that he has been in a monogamous relationship for over 20 years with his partner Ed. Most people were rather surprised by his calm and confident revelation; some fully accepted it, others backed away. This level of acceptance played somewhat into his decision though it wasn’t the deciding factor. In the end, Jim just didn’t feel this is where God could most use his gifts. Periodically he still goes on missions, yet from this experience he has a greater freedom and trust in God in making when decisions about life and work.    

                    Now, during Jim’s Katrina journey which Ed at first didn’t fully understand, but came to support, Ed witnessed Jim’s transformation and growth and he came to a decision too.  Ed, a very successful medical sales manager decided to follow his dream, and God’s call, to become an RN nurse. He quite his job, went back to school, and now works in a hospital. A short story to tell, but not quite so easy to live.     

         Jesus lays it on the line, he tells us that following him takes a lot, everything—he’s very serious. Maybe our question needs to be: are we serious enough? May it be so, Amen.  

[1] Culpepper, R. Alan, The New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol VIII, (Nashville, Abingdon Press 1995) 292

[2] Petty, John,  http://www.progressiveinvolvement.com/progressive_involvement/2010/08/lectionary-blogging-luke-14-25-33.html[3] Ibid[4] Hoezee, Scott, http://cep.calvinseminary.edu/thisWeek/index.php[5] Culpepper, 292[6] John Blake, “More teens becoming ‘fake’ Christians” Aug 27, 2010, CNN. com[7] Ibid[8] Townes, Emilie M, Feasting on the Word, Year C, Vol 4, (Louisville, WJK, 2010) 48