Let Us ever walk with Jesus!
Are You Ready?

Luke 14:25-35

† Jesus, Son, Savior †

May the grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ draw you into this journey, knowing He is there with you!

Don’t go it alone!

In my “down time” I am reading an interesting set of books.  The main character is a retired army officer, who has volunteered to work with the British.  It was at the time they are forming the first commando units in World War II, the kind of group the old show Rat Patrol was based upon.  It is interesting because of the 10 rules that Colonel Randal set up for his raiders.

I like a couple -especially the first

Rule 1:  The first rule is there ain’t no rules

Rule 2:  Keep it short and simple

Rule 4:  Right man ( or woman), right job

Rule 6.  It is good to have a plan B

Rule 7:  Expect the unexpected

It was because of rule 7 that the unofficial rule 8 was born – never go out alone.  So whether it was a mission of one of his jeep teams, or his special sea going raiders on motor boats, or missions to drop paratroops or supplies, no jeep, boat or plane every went out alone.

And that is true today for us as well.  We can’t go out into the world on our own, for there is a spiritual battle which will destroy us if we try.

That is why our sermon series for this fall is based on the hymn we are about to sing, Let us ever walk with Jesus.  It is why Sunday School is about Joining Jesus on His mission, and why Wednesday Night will be about seeing who God has revealed Himself to be, because we can’t survive on our own,

God’s honesty…is scary…

That is what the reading from Luke’s gospel talks about this morning, this invitation to be with God on the journey of our lives.  Allowing Him to disciple that and all that He commits to, when God makes a disciple.  That commitment is a 24/7 commitment on God’s part!  He is responsible to

Teach you

Guide you through problems
comforting you

Provide for you

Help you heal

Fix the things you break… including yourself

Those are all the things God will do and more, doing what you need Him to do, what He sees all you need!  And He makes it happen. For those who make the decision and endure it, those who are willing to give up everything,

I always read this passage as God is asking so much of us. To potentially give up family and friends, to consider how much having a relationship with Jesus could cost you.

Part of me wants to say, Lord, that is too much!

How can you expect us to give up everything?

Are you ready to give it all up?

Have you counted the cost?

Rule 7

Remember rule 7?  Expect the unexpected?
That’s what God has done, the unexpected.

You see when Jesus told us to give up everything, when He told us to count the cost before we followed Him, he wasn’t talking hypothetically. He wasn’t fooling around either. That is what He expects, when we

It is not easy walking with Christ throughout life.  It may require great sacrifice, it may result in family not understanding, and even abandoning you. But that is what Jesus himself did, in order to invite you to journey through life, into the afterlife, with Him guiding you, teaching you, comforting you, making sure you get there.

He has saved us. But to do so, Jesus gave up everything in order that we could walk through life with Him.  Philippians 2 is clear, He gave up heaven to come and dwell with us, and to let us put him to death, and that death was on the cross.

He counted the cost as well, knowing that a sinless sacrifice for our sin would need to be paid. He knew the amount of sin we would commit. He knew that he would bear God’s wrath for it all, He knew the anguish, physical, mental, spiritual anguish,

He did the unexpected, he took it all, so we could be His disciples, His friends.

This is why we walk with Him, God loves us this much,  Despite our sin, for He chose to die for us while we were sinning.

He restores us as we confess our sins, forgiving all of it.

He remembers the promises made in our baptism,

He nourishes us at His feast, even as He looks forward as much as we do to the feast that will be our welcome to heaven.

This is God, who gives it all up for you…

Let us ever walk with Him