September 5, 2010
The sermon preached by Rev Jim Scott on Sunday 5th September was based on Luke Ch 14, verses 25 to 33. The passage is titled “The cost of being a disciple” and like so many of Jesus’ pronouncements can be confusing. We know that Jesus strongly supported marriage and family life but in this passage he tells anyone who wishes to be a disciple of his to leave everything and everyone behind and to follow him. If this listener understood the sermon, what the meaning behind the message is is that it is not easy to follow Christ and you had better be prepared to give up everything and to make some difficult choices. If you are not prepared to do that, then don’t start. It would be like starting the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route before the funding was in place: it would be cancelled after a few years with little or nothing to show for it. You might not have to give up everything but you should ask yourself if you would do it if you got the call. In today’s world, following Christ isn’t always going to be easy but Christians can take strength from knowing that they are not alone; they have their God to sustain them. “A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing." Martin Luther.