Jump Start # 1737

Luke 14:28 “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?”

  I watched an interview about Don Henley recently. Henley and Glen Frey were the heart and engine of the famed rock group “The Eagles.” The Eagles were superstars. They produced many number one hits. Frey died suddenly in January this year, which ended the Eagles. Henley publically stated that the Eagles are finished. In this interview, Henley was discussing one of their greatest hits, “Hotel California.” The song was describing the dark side of fame and popularity. Fans only see the glamor. Wouldn’t it be neat, we think, to be so rich and famous. The mansions, the limos, the autograph seekers, the private jets—it all seems so glamorous. Henley admitted that there is a price to pay for all of that. That price is hard and it comes with a dark side that many do not see.

What Henley confessed is true to most public and famous people. The actor, the athlete, the author, the politician—they all have had to pay a price to reach the level that they are at. The public sees only the status and fame, but for the famous, they know that there has been a cost. Often, it’s their marriages and family that have suffered. For the world class athlete, it has been years of grueling workouts, playing with pain and for most of them, surgeries to repair broken bones and torn tendons. There is a price that they paid to reach the level that they are at.

Paying the price is a Biblical concept. One of the words for salvation, “redemption,” literally means, bought with a price. Our salvation came with a cost. Jesus upon the cross is what it took to pay what we owed. His blood for our sins. The Corinthians were told, “You are not your own, you were bought with a price.”

Our verse today, reminds us of another price to be paid. It’s paid by us. There is a cost to be a successful Christian. In a series about discipleship, Luke records Jesus using the illustration of a man in construction. This man wants to build a tower. For us, it’s a house or it’s an addition to our house. We watch shows about home improvements and we get the bug to fix up our place. Let’s redo the kitchen or let’s add on to the back of the house. Wouldn’t it be great, we think. So, a builder is contacted. An appointment is made. We tell him our dream and what we would like done. Even before a blueprint is drawn up, rough estimates are discussed. It is right here that our dream either ends, becomes a nightmare or is possible. We must sit down and calculate. Most times, it involves going to the bank and discussing a loan. How much is this going to cost and how long will it take for us to pay this off? It is right here that we find out whether or not this construction dream becomes a reality. Count the cost. Jesus’ point is that there is a cost to be paid to be a disciple of Jesus. We’ve always been told that salvation is free. That’s not technically true. It costs Jesus His life. There is a cost on our part as well. I think the “free” part came into theology to counter the idea that we earn our salvation. God doesn’t owe us salvation. God doesn’t have to forgive us. His choice.

There is a price to being a strong, healthy and growing Christian. Have you ever given that much thought? The reason some never reach that level is because they don’t want to pay that price. It’s like seeing the athlete, we see the trophies, the rings and we’d love to have that, but it’s those long, long hours of work that we don’t want to put in. In hot August, we want to be inside with the air conditioner, not wearing a helmet and running on the football field. When it’s a cold, icy rain, we want to be in safe and warm, not on the field playing a game. We want the success, but we don’t want to pay the price. We want to be superstars, but we don’t want to pay our dues. This is the very reason why some only put their big toe into Christianity. They want to be around it and enjoy the benefits of it, but they don’t want all the work, hardships nor pay the price that comes with being a success spiritually.

• There is a commitment of time involved with being a successful Christian. To be strong, you must worship with God’s people. And, it’s not now and then, or, I’ll be there if I don’t have anything else going on. Sacrifices. Just as a family has to budget if they want to add on to the house, the athlete has to go to practices, the Christian is expected to be at worship. Our causal world has not only introduced causal dress, but it has allowed a casualness in attitude about what is expected. Some come for a week or two and then they are not seen for a month. Can you imagine trying to finish college with that track record. You show up for class, then you skip two or three weeks, back now and then, and gone most times. The outcome is obvious. That person will flunk. Imagine trying to hold a job with that track record. Within a month, that person would be looking for another job. The successful Christian worships. He will make sacrifices to accomplish that. There will be days that he is tried and wants to stay home. He will get out to the church house because that’s the right thing to do. There are nights when it is so dark and the weather is not nice, but he will still get there, because he knows it is important for his soul and the spirit of others. There are times when other things are going on. There is a show, a game, a family gathering, a concert that pulls for him to skip. Part of him says, “It’s only one service, you can skip.” But then, part of him reminds himself that there is a cost. Jesus paid it. Did Jesus feel like going to the cross? His example, the need to be encouraged, seeing the big picture, helps him make the right decision.

• There is a price to be paid to live the moral standards that God expects. Be holy is what Peter told the disciples. It’s that “Be” that means become. One can do holy things, but it’s the becoming that changes us. This price means that the disciple of Jesus will not wear things that are immodest, even if it’s a wedding. It means he may not go to the movies that everyone is talking about, because it doesn’t fit with being holy. It means some Christmas parties will not be attended, because the atmosphere is not good for a Christian. There is a price. Some want to be that person who lives like a sinner and dies like a saint. They are so confused. They are most miserable, because they haven’t made up their minds who they serve nor are they willing to pay the price to be successful spiritually.

• There is a price to be paid to know God’s will. Your preacher seems to know the Bible so well. He seems like a machine. Ask him where a certain verse is, and he’ll tell you. He whips off information and facts that amazes you. How does he know all this stuff? He seems so confident. He seems to have all the answers. How does he do it? He has paid a price. He has stuck his nose in books, especially the Bible for years and years. He studies. He thinks. He learns. He’s put in hours and hours. You can be the same, but you have to turn the TV off now and then. You have to read. There is no short cut. There is no easy way. There is a price to having great knowledge, faith and confidence in the Lord. Some will pay it, others won’t.

I have two offices. One at home, and one at the church building. My home office is decorated with an antique typewriter and phone and a lot of sports memorabilia. I have one photo in both offices. It inspires me. It’s a black and white photo of Babe Ruth hugging Lou Gehrig. Both men are smiling big. The photo was taken after Gehrig’s famous farewell speech in which he said, “I am the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” Ruth and Gehrig had a falling out, but here, the old teammates were united in a joyous hug. Babe reminds me to hit it out of the park. Give it your all.  Gehrig reminds me of playing consistently, even when hurt. Both men paid a cost to be who they were. So must I and so must you.

You can become a person of enormous influence and great help in your congregation. You can’t do that overnight. There is a price to pay to be that person. But what good you will do if you are willing. There is a price that preachers must pay. There is a price that shepherds must pay. If you are going to be good and make a difference, you must pay that price.

It’s time for many of us to get off the sidelines of life and get into the game that God wants us to play. It’s time we started making a difference in our homes, marriages, and congregations. The world needs to see your light shinning. There are people that need you. There are classes to be taught, articles to be written, people to be visited—but all of this comes with a cost. Who will pay it? Will you?

Roger