What is the cost of discipleship? Today's gospel focuses on that very question: "Do you know the cost of discipleship?"
Discipleship is hard work and it has a high cost. Jesus is telling us we must understand that cost and we must be willing to risk the loss of ourselves for God. We must understand that discipleship leads to death and death leads to life.
Large crowds were following Jesus. Why? Because not long ago he healed a crippled woman and a man with dropsy, sparred with and silenced a few overly rigorous Pharisees, and told a parable about God's willingness to invite those we deem unworthy to the banquet. Jesus was scoring big points with the common folk. He was doing and voicing things most people only dream about. He was growing in popularity and drawing a crowd. And this crowd wanted to be part of the excitement. The crowd wanted to follow this dynamic personality.
But the crowd doesn't understand where this parade will end. Jesus, we are told in the previous chapter, is on the way to Jerusalem. So he turns to them and says, "Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."
Jesus isn't going to Jerusalem for holiday. Jesus is going to Jerusalem to die. He's going to Jerusalem to be crucified, die and be buried. If we want to follow Jesus, this is where the life of discipleship will eventually lead us -- to our death.
In our society today that very rarely means our actual physical death. Although it can -- Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jonathan Myrick Daniels immediately come to mind. More often than not, though, I think it has to do with recognizing what controls us, what has power over us, and what of those things do we need to put to death so we can live.
Maybe it's power or prestige or social status or our possessions themselves. We need to continually ask ourselves if we are willing to risk discipleship. We need to continually ask if what we are doing is building up the kingdom of God. We need to ask if we own possessions, or if we are owned by them. Jesus pointedly addresses this when he says, "You cannot be my disciple if you do not give up all of your possessions."
I don't think Jesus is telling us to take vows of poverty; but I do think we are being asked to seriously examine our walk with Christ and see if we really are risking all for the kingdom.
One example of this is the Virgin Mary. In a world where finding yourself pregnant while engaged to be married could mean the loss of her home, her future security and possibly her life, she was willing to risk everything for God. she was willing to give up everything she possessed, walk her own path to Jerusalem and say, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord." She counted the cost of discipleship and decided that, yes, she was willing.
Our congregation is changing. We are moving into a new way of being. The cost of discipleship is high. This is the beginning of the pledge drive season in many congregations. One thing we've had to come to terms with lately is just how costly it is to maintain an Episcopal presence here in the Valley. A lot of that cost is financial. Some of that cost is having to step outside our comfortable way of doing things and work to bring others into the church.
As the owner of the vineyard in Jesus' story sat down and estimated the cost of building a new tower, this is a good time for us to sit down and estimate the cost of discipleship in the context of an Episcopal presence. Are you willing to take inventory of your time, talent and treasure and see how you can increase your support? Have you looked at your many assets and asked, "How can I further help to build the kingdom of God here in the Valley?"
"Give up all of your possessions and follow me."
How do our possessions keep us from becoming disciples? What do we have, what do we possess, what do we think we own that keeps us living life as we know it while keeping us from risking all for the kingdom of God?
As we all move forward, let us continually ask ourselves what we are willing to give up and what we are willing to risk for God's kingdom. Because if we aren't willing to risk, if we aren't willing to follow Jesus to Jerusalem, then we aren't disciples . . . we are simply part of the crowd following a dynamic individual.
As gold seekers swarmed to Virginia City to make their claim, among them was a fiery, vibrant man, Thomas J. Dimsdale. Being a man of many talents, Dimsdale was active in the town’s politics, newspaper, school and as a writer. In 1863, Dimsdale read the Episcopal service to a gathering of people from many denominations. On Christmas Day, 1865, reading Morning Prayer to a handful of people, St Paul’s Episcopal Church was founded. Upon his death in 1866, he left as a legacy the nucleus of the Episcopal Church in Montana. In the spring of 1867, a group of men organized St. Paul’s Church, with the anticipated arrival of Bishop Daniel Tuttle, first Bishop of the Episcopal Church to enter the territory. In the spring of 1868, the vestrymen paid off the claims on an unfinished Methodist church building and in May 1868 the first services were held at St. Paul’s Church. After a fire, the current structure was built by Mrs Henry Elling in memory of her late husband and was consecrated by Bishop Leigh Brewer in 1904 and St. Paul’s still holds weekly services today.
Perhaps you are a member of St Paul’s or are someone who cares about the many ways it has served its community through the years. Many have found our beautiful church a great place to be baptized, married or from which to be buried. Many have attended community events here and been served by its ministries. We are the community’s church, not just an Episcopal Church. We need your help! We want St Paul’s to remain a living and vital entity in Virginia City. We want to remain the community’s church. St Paul’s has been here since 1868 and we want to continue to be a spiritual presence for future generations to benefit from and take pleasure in. Without your support this may not be possible.
Over the years, St Paul’s has received financial assistance from the Episcopal Diocese of Montana. In 2004, St Paul’s and other assisted congregations were told that at the end of 2010, all parish churches would need to be self-supporting. Yes, we are a Church and our primary purpose is worship and ministry to our community, but in order for us to continue to be a resource for our community we must pay daily/monthly heat, lights, insurance, building maintenance and whatever else comes along, like everyone else.
We, the Vestry (the leadership board) ask that you consider financially and personally to support our, and your, historic St Paul’s Episcopal Church. We want to carry on God’s work in this community and throughout the Diocese of Montana. St Paul’s is a 501(c)3entity, so all contributions, whether given weekly, monthly or yearly, are tax deductible. We will make sure that any and all contributions made to St Paul’s remain at St Paul’s.
We very much appreciate your prayerful consideration of this request and we thank you for your many years of support.
Thank you.
Sincerely, St Paul’s Vestry
John Benedict Dan Doornbos Micki Benedict
Faye Rutherford George Grice Janet Doornbos
Sunday services at St Paul’s will resume September 5, 2010 at 11:30am
This passage from Jeremiah carries a lot of significance for a lot of ordained people, because this is a very popular piece of diaconal ordination scripture. I, unfortunately, do not remember if it was part of my diaconal ordination because, rather suddenly, the preacher trumped our selections and insisted on using the propers for the day. As a result, I spent some last minute damage control with a not-yet 11-year old convincing her that she could read the newly selected passage just as well as she could read the one she had been practicing for several weeks.
So, back to the topic at hand -- Jeremiah. This is a piece of the diaconal ordination service. You may be interested to know that neither the ordination of a bishop or priest offers this Jeremiah reading as an option -- it is only an option for deacons.
Deacons are a special breed of people. They are called, in essence, to be a thorn in the side of the Church. They are called to remind the Church to not get too comfortable. They are called to reach out especially to the poor, the sick, the suffering and the helpless. And they are called to interpret the needs, concerns and hopes of the world to the Church.
Over and over in Scripture we hear God's concern for "the least of these." Do not reap to the edge of your land. Be merciful to the alien because you were once aliens in Egypt. Care for the widow and orphan. Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless and welcome the stranger. God's economics are not our economics. God's ways are not our ways. And God's concerns are deeper and broader than our concerns. And the deacon is called to speak both to and on behalf of those people.
That, however, is hard work. It's hard to be a voice for the voiceless when those in positions of power and privilege refuse to listen. It's hard to be a voice for the Church to people who have reason to not trust the Church.
And this is why, I think, that this passage is used at diaconal ordinations. It's easy to say, "I don't know how to speak -- I don't know how to address those in need and those in power who need to hear God's message."
But God tells the deacon, "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you. Go to t hose I send you and speak what I command you." Go, speak, and be not afraid. Such is the task of the deacon.
Deacons have a special calling with God. They are called to preach and proclaim the gospel to both sides -- those in need and those in power. Right about now you may be wondering why I am talking about deacons.
Because in some sense, we are all deacons. As we listen to this passage, we can take from it that we, like Jeremiah, are called to speak what God commands to those who need to hear it. We are called to pluck up and pull down, destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.
What are we to pull down, destroy and overthrow? This is an uncertain time for all of us. Where will I end up? How will we cope without a priest? What does our future hold? In these uncertain times, we are called to pull down, destroy and overthrow our fears and doubts. We are called to destroy our negative thoughts and defeatist attitudes. We are called to overthrow rumors and lies.
This is not the time to begin counting down the days to closing our doors. This is not the time to think that the Episcopal Church has failed in the Ruby Valley. This is not the time to believe people on the street who say the church is closing.
It is, however, time to pluck up, build and plant. As we move through this phase of our journey, this is the time to pluck up our spirits, believing that God will do a new thing here. It is time to build up this congregation, reminding each other of the many talents, gifts and treasures you all have to offer this place and each other.
In other words, like Jeremiah and deacons, it is time to preach and proclaim God's word to those around you.
We are in the midst of a great change in our church. And in this change, and by virtue of Jeremiah's call, you are now all deacons, called to preach and proclaim the Word of God in this Valley.
Go forth to love, serve preach and proclaim in the name of Christ, and be not afraid. Amen.
