Do you read the “fine print”?
This past week I put a cartoon on my Facebook page of two devils down in Hell watching an endless line of people making their fiery way into the depths of flames. The one devil says to the other devil: “I gotta hand it to you, Fred . . . sneaking Eternal Damnation into all those website Terms & Conditions statements was pure genius.” According to the cartoon, lots of people don’t read the “fine print”!
Apparently, this is not a problem only related to this day and age. In our scripture reading this morning Jesus is dealing with the “fine print” of being one of his disciples or followers. He lays it on the line in his expectations: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple . . . those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I do not remember hearing those expectations at any point in my baptism! But there they are, in plain black and white, for all of us to consider. From what we hear, they are some pretty stringent expectations. They are not actions we are quick to grasp. Hate our family members—mother, father, siblings, spouse, and children! I am not so sure that I could do that. Hate myself? There are moments, but for the most part I love who I am. Pick up a heavy cross and lug it around . . . maybe . . . it depends on how heavy the cross is. Give up everything . . . well, you get the picture.
Do you remember that “fine print”? There is a cost exacted from those who choose to follow Jesus. A cost to the freedom of grace.
I imagine that Jesus probably could have done this with a little more subtlety . . . but he gets straight to the point. He has some expectations and with those expectations there are going to be decisions made. Decisions that will go against the flow. Decisions that are going to rankle relationships. Decisions that will change the course of one’s life. Decisions that might even cut one off from the life they know. Whatever the case, Jesus wants people to understand that when it comes to following him . . . of emulating and living his teachings and actions . . . there are no other choices. It is his way or the highway.
There is a cost to this freedom.
The old saying is that there is “nothing in life that is free”. Whether we want to admit it or not, everything comes with a price . . . comes with expectations . . . comes with “fine print”. In the early seventies, shortly after the Kent State shootings, the band CSNY or Crosby Stills Nash and Young released a haunting little song called Find the Cost of Freedom. These are the words to the song:
Find the cost of freedom
Buried in the ground
Mother Earth will swallow you
Lay your body down
That’s it. That is the song in its entirety. It was the flip side on a single that they released about the Kent State shootings call Ohio.
Now there are no arguments that the song Ohio was a protest song against the Viet Nam War. That song is a protest song, but the “freedom” song . . . well no one could agree on whether it was a song about patriotism or protest. On the one hand it is attempting to acknowledge the great price of war fought for freedom . . . the loss of lives and the great sacrifice this is. Yet, on the other hand, it is also a reminder of the great cost being paid . . . the loss of lives that can never be restored . . . that can never be lived. But, whatever, the point is that freedom is not free . . . there is a “cost” and we ought to know what that “cost” is going to be if we are going to trudge down that path in our lives.
And Jesus warns that this cost is not to be taken lightly. He warns his listeners to be careful with the example of building a structure and going into a battle. He is implying to his listeners that they need to know and understand the cost of following him. And he is right . . . as the followers of Jesus we need to know and understand the cost.
Odds are, whether we have read the “fine print” or not, we have an inkling that following Jesus is not as simple as replying in the affirmative. We know that it is more than just answering a couple of questions and getting wet. To follow Jesus means that we are going pick up our crosses and the crosses of the world. We are going to live as Jesus live . . . do as Jesus did. We are going to love God, and we are going to love others. And whatever gets in the way of doing this we are going to fight . . . fight to the point of even giving up our own lives. Jesus expects nothing less.
We are living in a day and age where there is no shortage of situations or things that are a far way from Jesus and his teachings. Of going against what Jesus was attempting to do. We are surrounded with contentious issues in all walks and realms of life. We see it in the divisiveness of our times. We are a long way from the Kingdom of God. And we are all smart enough to know and understand that there are just as many opinions about these issues as there are people. After all, we are living in an age of divisiveness that have splintered our lives . . . where division has been created within our families, friends, jobs, schools, society, government, relationships, and even churches.
And, get this, everyone is right! At least in his or her own mind. But how does any of this stack up to Jesus and his teachings? In the way that he lived his life. Remember, as far as Jesus is concerned it is his way or the highway. Does it build up and bring unity towards loving God and one another? Remember there is a cost to this freedom of grace we have been afforded even to the point of death. Jesus showed us the way.
Years ago, singer Dave Mason sang: “There ain’t no good guys. There ain’t no bad guys. There’s only you and me and we just disagree.” Does that sentiment sound familiar?
So, what are we to do . . . after all, Jesus has this “fine print” . . . these expectations of his followers?
Going back to that song Find the Cost of Freedom. Remember how I said that no one could agree on what sort of song it was—patriotic or protest. Well, a few years ago Neil Young was confronted from both sides of the aisle during an interview. One person was mad because they felt insulted because he had lost a brother in the war and that it was a protest song . . . and, he agreed with the person and the person’s feelings about the song. Then the other side disagree and said the song wasn’t a protest song, but a patriotic song . . . and, he agreed with them. He agreed with both sides.
Confused?
Then he explained. “I have a tremendous amount of respect and feeling for your brother and for everyone serving their country over there. I really do think I understand how you feel, and I feel for your loss. That’s why I can say I agree with both of you. We’re just talking here. That’s all we’re going is talking and saying that people should be talking. There’s nothing unpatriotic about talking, and that’s all we’re doing here.”
Jesus talked a lot. He talked to individuals. He talked to crowds. He talked to the powerful of his time. He talked to the politicians. He talked to the religious. He talked to governments. He was always willing to take the time to talk . . . listen . . . understand . . . and work towards God’s kingdom. Of course, in the end, it cost him his life. A life he willingly paid to show us the way. That was the cost of the freedom you and I have.
He expects nothing less from us.
Is the cost too high? That is up to you and I as individuals to weigh. Amen.
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