Planning the Trip
Luke 9:51-62
July 1, 2001
At one time or another we have all been on a trip. Going on trips is an exciting part of life. As a matter of fact, two of my daughters are on trips this weekend. Ann and I are planning a trip right now. In three weeks we will go to Virginia to visit my daughter Stephanie, who is in the Navy, and my aunt and uncle who live in Portsmouth, Va.
You know one of the most exciting things about going on a trip is planning the trip. When you’ll leave, the route you’ll take to get there, who you’ll visit, the places you will go to eat, and all the other fun things you’ll do during your trip.
I heard about a man who went on a trip to Israel. He was about to enter the famous and impressive Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv to take in a concert by the famed Israel Philharmonic.
The man was admiring the unique architecture, the sweeping lines of the entrance, and the modern decor throughout the building. Finally, he turned to the Israeli tour guide and asked if the building was named for Thomas Mann, the world-famous author.
“No” the tour guide responded, “it’s named for Fredric Mann, from Philadelphia.”
“Really? I never heard of him. What did he write?" asked the tourist.
“A check,” said the tour guide.
Well this morning Luke tells us about another group of individuals who were about to go on a trip to Israel, and it wasn’t to see the famous Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv. Jesus and the disciples had been traveling around the area of Galilee carrying out their ministry. Jesus had recently cured a sick woman of hemorrhaging, healed a demon-possessed man, calmed a storm, fed 5000 and taught many parables about the kingdom on God. It was now time to move on.
Luke tells us in the beginning of this passage that Jesus sensed it was time to begin his journey towards Jerusalem. In many ways it was the beginning of the end. For it would be in Jerusalem where Jesus would be rejected and ultimately sentenced to death on a cross.
The next ten chapters of Luke are all about Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. Once he set his face towards that holy city, there was no turning back, and Jesus knew that. Everything that Luke tells us in these next ten chapters must be looked at through the lens of a great count down. The clock is now ticking, and every moment counts.
There wasn’t a lot of time left and Jesus needed to make the best of what little time he had. There were lessons that needed to be taught along the way, people who needed to be healed on the roadsides, demons that needed to be cast out in the villages they would pass through, and so many people who still needed to hear his message of salvation.
And what is the first thing they run into on beginning leg of their trip ? Rejection! Jesus sends two of his disciples on ahead of them to make preparations to spend a night in a Samaritan village. We can envision James and John knocking on the door of a home in the village. They ask for a night’s lodging perhaps something to eat. They tell the homeowner they are on their way to Jerusalem. And at that, they get the door slammed in their face.
You see, there was an age old battle between the Jews and the Samaritans, and the Samaritans did everything they could to hinder the Jews passing through their territory. That presented a problem for the Jews, because in order to get to Jerusalem, you had to go through Samaria. You could go around Samaria by going out into the wilderness of Gilead an on to Ammon, cross over the Red Sea and then trek on into Jerusalem. But that was really the long way around. It would be kind of like us going to Albany and then to Philadelphia and on up to New York City just to avoid going through Connecticut. Although with all of the radar traps on Route 95 in Connecticut, going to Albany and then to Philadelphia to get to New York City doesn’t sound like such a bad route to take.
James and John go back to Jesus and tell him that they have just gotten thrown out of town. How dare those Samaritans ! James suggests they send a little fire and brimstone their way to consume the city as punishment for not welcoming them. But Jesus would have none of that. He avoids the temptation to use violence. Instead, he teaches the disciples that an insult does not entitle one to do harm to another. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Besides, they better get use to rejection because that’s just what’s going to happen once they arrive in Jerusalem.
As they head out of the area, the group encounters three “would-be disciples.” The first one proclaims, “I will follow you wherever you are going !” Jesus’ response is kind of like saying to the man, “Listen, you have no idea what you are getting yourself into here. You really better stop and think about what you’re signing yourself up for.”
To the second person, Jesus simply says, “Follow me.” Evidently those two words made the man think twice about joining this little ragtime band of merry travelers. He says, “I have a few things to do first. I can’t go until my father has died, I have buried him and taken care of the family estate.” Jesus tells him, “Listen, if you really are interested in following us, you need to come now while the opportunity exists. Later may be too late.”
And the final “would-be disciple” combines something from each of the two previous “would-be disciples.” He says, “I will follow you just like my first friend said he would, but like my second friend here, I too must run home and take care of a few things before I can come along for this magical mystery tour.” Jesus’ response to this “would-be disciple” is similar to his response to the other two “would-be disciples.” Jesus says, “You can’t live your life looking back. You either come now, or you’ll never come.”
All three of these “would-be disciples” could talk the talk, but couldn’t walk the walk of discipleship. Each of them says to Jesus, “Yes! I am definitely interested. I believe in you ! I will follow you!” But as soon as they hear the cost of discipleship, they say, “Uh, maybe some other time. I’ll get back to you.” Or, “You go on ahead. I’ll catch up to you later.”
What Jesus says to all three of them is that in order to follow him, they needed to be fully committed. They couldn’t dabble a little bit here, or a little bit there with discipleship. They needed to be fully and 100% committed. A kamikaze pilot who flies 100 missions isn’t fully committed. He is just dabbling. Jesus was saying that discipleship is not a spectator sport!
Jesus was also saying telling of the radical nature of Christian discipleship and the urgent demands that it places upon the believer. He was saying that discipleship does not come without its cost. I can personally attest to the cost of discipleship.
Ten years ago I was faced with a decision. I had taken my entrance exams for law school and was in the process of applying to Suffolk University School of Law. I had received my required recommendations from the Bar and the application was filled out, ready to be sent. But there was something gnawing at my bones. It was the call to discipleship, to serve God in ordained ministry.
I came up with my long list of “buts” and pleaded with God. “But… it will take me too long. But… I’m not sure if I’m cut out for it. But… what about the cost. It just doesn’t make sense God ! I’ll go to seminary, it will cost me about $32,000.00 for my degree and then I will get a job making one third of my salary in the business world ! What’s wrong with this picture God !”
My list of “buts” did no good with God ! It was a call that I couldn’t ignore and I knew it. I threw away my application to Suffolk University and applied to Andover Newton Theological School. I remember getting my acceptance letter and thinking, “O great ! Now I have to go !” About two weeks after receiving my acceptance letter in the mail, I received another letter in the mail. It was a letter from the financial aid office of the school telling me that because of my high grade point average that I was transferring in with, I had been awarded a $10,000.00 two year grant. I said, “O.K. God, I get the message. I’ll go!”
Going to seminary was no easy task. Essentially I was looking at a double Master’s program of 90 credit hours which required two full one year internships ~ one year in a church setting and another in a hospital setting. I had to coordinate my classes and my internships as I juggled the responsibilities of a full time job in the business world that required me to travel two to three days a week, as well as my duties at home. It was a daunting task.
As I look back over the last several years, there is no doubt in my mind that the cost of discipleship is high. But as high as it is, I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. Each step of the way, God was with me. God provided for my every need.
When I didn’t think I could take a class that was required because of scheduling, a substitute class was offered at a time I could attend. When I had to do my clinical internship in a hospital setting, God had it all worked out for me. When I needed to spend one year in a church as an intern, God opened the doors once again. And when it was time for me to finally graduate from seminary seven years later, and transition out of the business world and into a full time pastorate, God sent me here to West Church. As the old saying goes, “Honor God with your faith, and God will honor your faith.”
Yes, my friends, there is definitely a cost to discipleship. But I can honestly tell you that your rewards will far out weigh the costs. We are all called to discipleship and today I would challenge you to think about your own personal call to discipleship. I would challenge you to discern that call and ask yourselves what is it that God is calling you to do for Him.
We can’t all be pastors. That would surely make a strange world now, wouldn’t it ! But we are all called by God to be faithful witnesses of the Gospel message. You say, “Who, me ?” Well, yes you ! Think about the first twelve disciples. Jesus didn’t chose them because they were any brighter, or nicer or richer than others. In fact, the New Testament is full of stories that suggest the first twelve disciples were continually missing the point, jockeying for position, and when the chips were down, they were only interested in saving their own hides.
The original disciples sole qualification was their willingness to rise to their feet when Jesus said, “Follow me.” May we all rise to our feet when we hear the call of Jesus to serve, and in so doing, take our part in inching the Kingdom of God forward just a little further. AMEN!
