The cost of sacrifice! - Matthew 10:34-42
The cost of sacrifice! - Matthew 10:34-42
By Pastor Lee Hemen
November 17, 2019
When I was a teenager taking on my first regular job opportunity my father knew it would require that I give up a lot of my morning free time during the summer. I sold Spudnuts, a doughnut made from potato flour, door-to-door. I had to get up before sunrise, head down to the bakery, and purchase my allotment of Spudnuts, balance them on my bicycle and then go door-to-door selling these warm delicious treats. I earned good money because I was willing to count the cost.
Counting the cost of something does not come easy in our day and age where we have been told that we must have what we want when we want it and not wait for anything. The term comes from Luke’s gospel whereby Jesus tells his disciples that “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he may have enough to finish it” (Luke 14:28 MKJV). The wording used denotes the idea of not just the financial investment but the time and personal ability to finish the task considered. The cost of being a disciple can demand a lot. Let’s discover what Jesus teaches us about the cost of sacrifice…
READ: Matthew 10:34-42
Jesus was not going to leave his followers in a lurch. After promising them his presence through the Holy Spirit he told them, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27 NIV)” We often forget the caveat that Jesus’ promised peace is not the peace of the world. In fact we learn that…
I. The cost of sacrifice brings enemies! (Vv. 34-36)
Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.
1. Whether we like it or not we become enemies of the old corrupt world order when we come to Christ. Like the old Negro spiritual that related: “This word is not my home” we become part of a different culture, a new family, when we come to Jesus. We live in a violent world whereby we often long for peace. Whether it is peace within a family, peace within a neighborhood, or peace between nations! The Apostle Paul who led a very aggressive campaign against Christians before he became one would write that “The Lord is near” to all who trust him always and that his followers did not need to be “anxious about anything” because he was near – in fact only a prayer away. Paul knew that if we fully understood this then “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 NIV)! However Jesus did not want his listeners to have any disillusions as to who he was and what following him required. He tells them: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” The “sword” here is the truth of God that not everyone wants to hear because it tears away the false fabric of our lives! It rips away our phony façade and exposes us for what we truly are – sinners in need of a loving God! Hebrews tells us that “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 NIV)” This is why Jesus goes on to relate, “For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.” The truth of the gospel, the sword of the Spirit, will rend any filthy carcass asunder! It tears away the sin of our lives and cleanses us completely. And when it does it exposes us as brand new to the sinful filthy world and thereby the cost of sacrifice brings enemies!
EXAMPLE: I can’t tell you the number of times I have seen wives pray for their husbands to come to Christ. They weep, pray, and desperately ask others to pray as well. They witness and try to use any one and any means for their loved one to come to Jesus. Yet when their hubby finally succumbs to the Spirit’s nudging and the change occurs, the wives are now exposed. If they are not really believers themselves the husband is changed and they are not. Or if they are weak in their faith and their spouse becomes a vibrant believer they become threatened by their new-found faith! And unbelieving children now have two parents who are on the same spiritual wavelength! It can create tension in the home and with relatives. The cost of sacrifice brings enemies!
Jem, a young boy in Harper Lee’s classic novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” relates that “You can choose your friends but you sho’ can’t choose your family, an’ they're still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge ‘em or not, and it makes you look right silly when you don’t.” However family can betray you and Jesus bluntly teaches his listeners that…
II. The cost of sacrifice can be family! (Vv. 37-39)
Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
1. Jesus is not teaching we should give up on our families nor is he saying that we should leave them or separate ourselves from them when we come to him. What Jesus is teaching here is the cost involved and where our heart truly is! Do you remember when Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him or not and Peter kind of gets desperate and cries out “Yes Lord, you know I love you!” But the third time after Jesus asks him again Peter finally declares, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” And there it is. Jesus God knows all things about us -- all things. Jesus knows if we truly have given him our lives as a personal sacrifice to follow him wherever he leads us. A believer cannot have one foot in the world and another in the world of Jesus! This is why Jesus reiterates the truth that “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” He is referring to the personal relationship involved. Jesus knew that the family relationship is a strong one. It is not to be taken lightly. Blood is thicker than water, so-to-speak. Yet when we come to Jesus we become “children of God” and part of his family and the blood involved here would be far greater than any earthly family! John would write that “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1 NIV)” Jesus therefore fully understood that cost of following him and tells his disciples, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” In other words whoever finds eternal life in him will lose their earthly life as they knew it because it is now a sacrifice to him and they will actually find what real life is all about! And our earthly family bond is not to take precedence over our relationship with Jesus! It does not mean we no longer love our family or that we no longer have a relationship with our family but our new relationship with Jesus may require a personal sacrifice whereby we leave our family to follow him! The cost of sacrifice can be family!
EXAMPLE: The soldier, the fireman, and the policeman are all taught to not be concerned for their own safety and to run toward danger. This is why so many died when the Twin Towers collapsed in New York. This view of personal sacrifice can cause a great amount of stress on a family. But did you know that Christians are asked to do the very same thing? We are to run toward the purpose for which Christ has called us! Paul would say “I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ! (Philippians 3:8 NIV)” And like Jesus, Paul knew that the cost of sacrifice can be family!
In Jesus’ day as well as ours there are those who see Jesus only as a good man, a fine teacher, or just a myth made up by desperate men. None of these are ultimately true because Jesus was way more than any of these views of him. In fact Jesus bluntly tells his disciples that…
III. The cost of sacrifice demands we see Jesus as he is! (Vv. 40-42)
He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.
1. When we become believers by faith we become family members and ambassadors! We are representatives of the Kingdom of God with an important message! Paul would remind us “that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:19-20 NIV)” This is why Jesus tells his disciples, “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.” When we received Jesus as Savior and Lord we received God because Jesus is God. Jesus knew there would be those who only would think of him in human terms. They would get hung up on titles or trying to place him in the scheme of things they wanted and so he tells his followers that “Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward.” How do you see Jesus this morning? Your answers shares a lot about what you believe concerning him. If you see Jesus only as a good person then that is as far as your eternal reward will go, and it isn’t much. Jesus is so much more than a good man preaching good truths to a impoverished crowd. Jesus wasn’t about social change; he was about the eternal truth of loving God completely and loving others as you do yourself! Jesus related: “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward” as his disciple, not as you think of him as a nice individual who goes about doing good things. Discipleship carries with it responsibility of following your master’s teaching. Jesus would declare, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:12 NIV)” God is love, Jesus is God, and we are to love God (Jesus) and one another! The cost of sacrifice demands we see Jesus as he is!
EXAMPLE: We as Christians are often accused of seeing the world through “rose-colored glasses” a term that may have come from romantic imagery in artwork from the Victorian era that inspired viewers to associate optimism with the deep reds of rose gardens. Victorians certainly were familiar with the idea of a “rosy glow” or “painting a rosy picture.” Others think it was from the thin film of cheap wine left in the bottom of a drunk’s glass or the rosy glow from being drunk. We are not to see Jesus through anything but the truth of who he is and the cost of sacrifice demands we see Jesus as he is!
Conclusion:
The cost of sacrifice brings enemies! The cost of sacrifice can be family! The cost of sacrifice demands we see Jesus as he is!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2019 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
November 17, 2019
When I was a teenager taking on my first regular job opportunity my father knew it would require that I give up a lot of my morning free time during the summer. I sold Spudnuts, a doughnut made from potato flour, door-to-door. I had to get up before sunrise, head down to the bakery, and purchase my allotment of Spudnuts, balance them on my bicycle and then go door-to-door selling these warm delicious treats. I earned good money because I was willing to count the cost.
Counting the cost of something does not come easy in our day and age where we have been told that we must have what we want when we want it and not wait for anything. The term comes from Luke’s gospel whereby Jesus tells his disciples that “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he may have enough to finish it” (Luke 14:28 MKJV). The wording used denotes the idea of not just the financial investment but the time and personal ability to finish the task considered. The cost of being a disciple can demand a lot. Let’s discover what Jesus teaches us about the cost of sacrifice…
READ: Matthew 10:34-42
Jesus was not going to leave his followers in a lurch. After promising them his presence through the Holy Spirit he told them, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27 NIV)” We often forget the caveat that Jesus’ promised peace is not the peace of the world. In fact we learn that…
I. The cost of sacrifice brings enemies! (Vv. 34-36)
Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.
1. Whether we like it or not we become enemies of the old corrupt world order when we come to Christ. Like the old Negro spiritual that related: “This word is not my home” we become part of a different culture, a new family, when we come to Jesus. We live in a violent world whereby we often long for peace. Whether it is peace within a family, peace within a neighborhood, or peace between nations! The Apostle Paul who led a very aggressive campaign against Christians before he became one would write that “The Lord is near” to all who trust him always and that his followers did not need to be “anxious about anything” because he was near – in fact only a prayer away. Paul knew that if we fully understood this then “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 NIV)! However Jesus did not want his listeners to have any disillusions as to who he was and what following him required. He tells them: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” The “sword” here is the truth of God that not everyone wants to hear because it tears away the false fabric of our lives! It rips away our phony façade and exposes us for what we truly are – sinners in need of a loving God! Hebrews tells us that “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 NIV)” This is why Jesus goes on to relate, “For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.” The truth of the gospel, the sword of the Spirit, will rend any filthy carcass asunder! It tears away the sin of our lives and cleanses us completely. And when it does it exposes us as brand new to the sinful filthy world and thereby the cost of sacrifice brings enemies!
EXAMPLE: I can’t tell you the number of times I have seen wives pray for their husbands to come to Christ. They weep, pray, and desperately ask others to pray as well. They witness and try to use any one and any means for their loved one to come to Jesus. Yet when their hubby finally succumbs to the Spirit’s nudging and the change occurs, the wives are now exposed. If they are not really believers themselves the husband is changed and they are not. Or if they are weak in their faith and their spouse becomes a vibrant believer they become threatened by their new-found faith! And unbelieving children now have two parents who are on the same spiritual wavelength! It can create tension in the home and with relatives. The cost of sacrifice brings enemies!
Jem, a young boy in Harper Lee’s classic novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” relates that “You can choose your friends but you sho’ can’t choose your family, an’ they're still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge ‘em or not, and it makes you look right silly when you don’t.” However family can betray you and Jesus bluntly teaches his listeners that…
II. The cost of sacrifice can be family! (Vv. 37-39)
Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
1. Jesus is not teaching we should give up on our families nor is he saying that we should leave them or separate ourselves from them when we come to him. What Jesus is teaching here is the cost involved and where our heart truly is! Do you remember when Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him or not and Peter kind of gets desperate and cries out “Yes Lord, you know I love you!” But the third time after Jesus asks him again Peter finally declares, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” And there it is. Jesus God knows all things about us -- all things. Jesus knows if we truly have given him our lives as a personal sacrifice to follow him wherever he leads us. A believer cannot have one foot in the world and another in the world of Jesus! This is why Jesus reiterates the truth that “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” He is referring to the personal relationship involved. Jesus knew that the family relationship is a strong one. It is not to be taken lightly. Blood is thicker than water, so-to-speak. Yet when we come to Jesus we become “children of God” and part of his family and the blood involved here would be far greater than any earthly family! John would write that “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1 NIV)” Jesus therefore fully understood that cost of following him and tells his disciples, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” In other words whoever finds eternal life in him will lose their earthly life as they knew it because it is now a sacrifice to him and they will actually find what real life is all about! And our earthly family bond is not to take precedence over our relationship with Jesus! It does not mean we no longer love our family or that we no longer have a relationship with our family but our new relationship with Jesus may require a personal sacrifice whereby we leave our family to follow him! The cost of sacrifice can be family!
EXAMPLE: The soldier, the fireman, and the policeman are all taught to not be concerned for their own safety and to run toward danger. This is why so many died when the Twin Towers collapsed in New York. This view of personal sacrifice can cause a great amount of stress on a family. But did you know that Christians are asked to do the very same thing? We are to run toward the purpose for which Christ has called us! Paul would say “I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ! (Philippians 3:8 NIV)” And like Jesus, Paul knew that the cost of sacrifice can be family!
In Jesus’ day as well as ours there are those who see Jesus only as a good man, a fine teacher, or just a myth made up by desperate men. None of these are ultimately true because Jesus was way more than any of these views of him. In fact Jesus bluntly tells his disciples that…
III. The cost of sacrifice demands we see Jesus as he is! (Vv. 40-42)
He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.
1. When we become believers by faith we become family members and ambassadors! We are representatives of the Kingdom of God with an important message! Paul would remind us “that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:19-20 NIV)” This is why Jesus tells his disciples, “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.” When we received Jesus as Savior and Lord we received God because Jesus is God. Jesus knew there would be those who only would think of him in human terms. They would get hung up on titles or trying to place him in the scheme of things they wanted and so he tells his followers that “Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward.” How do you see Jesus this morning? Your answers shares a lot about what you believe concerning him. If you see Jesus only as a good person then that is as far as your eternal reward will go, and it isn’t much. Jesus is so much more than a good man preaching good truths to a impoverished crowd. Jesus wasn’t about social change; he was about the eternal truth of loving God completely and loving others as you do yourself! Jesus related: “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward” as his disciple, not as you think of him as a nice individual who goes about doing good things. Discipleship carries with it responsibility of following your master’s teaching. Jesus would declare, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:12 NIV)” God is love, Jesus is God, and we are to love God (Jesus) and one another! The cost of sacrifice demands we see Jesus as he is!
EXAMPLE: We as Christians are often accused of seeing the world through “rose-colored glasses” a term that may have come from romantic imagery in artwork from the Victorian era that inspired viewers to associate optimism with the deep reds of rose gardens. Victorians certainly were familiar with the idea of a “rosy glow” or “painting a rosy picture.” Others think it was from the thin film of cheap wine left in the bottom of a drunk’s glass or the rosy glow from being drunk. We are not to see Jesus through anything but the truth of who he is and the cost of sacrifice demands we see Jesus as he is!
Conclusion:
The cost of sacrifice brings enemies! The cost of sacrifice can be family! The cost of sacrifice demands we see Jesus as he is!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2019 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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