In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

     Who could be so bold, or so foolish as to say that God can't speak to congregations through the appointed lectionary?! There are those who believe having a three-year cycle of readings stifles the Spirit, and hinders the Word of God, because the preacher isn't free to choose a biblical text each week that is relevant to the moment, and addresses what's happening in the life of the people and the parish-at that particular, unique time. And yet, could any preacher choose a Gospel text that is more relevant, more aimed at what's happening, than the gospel text appointed for us by the three year lectionary-from Luke 14? If you don't hear Jesus speaking pointedly to us, and to our congregation this morning, then you've got your ears plugged, or you're just not paying attention. Because our lesson is all about counting the cost, before you begin to build-so that you may be able to finish your building project, and not come up short. And as we look at the great structure going up outside, as you see construction projects happening week in and week out around the church-surely, the words of Jesus haunt you-"for which of you, intending to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow-these fellows began to build and were not able to finish'." Maybe you can come and go, and never give a thought to whether we have enough money to finish, whether we have calculated accurately, whether we've overstepped our anticipated income, but I dwell on it every day. And I know there are several of us, at least, who have lost sleep, and have become somewhat preoccupied with concern for how it will be finished, and how much it will take when all is said and done-and not just whether we will be able to complete the building program-- but whether we'll then be able to pay for the thing when the last wall is painted and the last floor tile is put in place! Believe me, there is not a person who has worked on this project who has not struggled to be thorough and judicious and cautious to anticipate every dollar that must be spent, and every bill that must be paid, so that we will have enough to complete the project, and meet the new mortgage-but still, you wonder, and you run the numbers, and you check and double check the estimates. And then this bill comes in higher than you thought, and giving to the building fund lags a bit, and someone who pledged moves away, and you do worry that at some point, the lender, or the contractor or other members will point, and say, look they began to build and were not able to pay for it!" The words of Jesus this morning speak to us directly, and call us to be all the more diligent and faithful as we count the cost, and must work together, to complete the project and be able to meet our new mortgage. But our building program isn't the only connecting point with our Gospel text today. For we are surely also uniquely aware, today, of the dangers of going to war, without first sitting down and considering whether we are ready to pay the price, financially, but also in terms of human life and energy and will, to win the war.

     One would think we, as Americans, would have learned our lesson with regard to going to war without sufficient resolve and commitment to win. We thought our nation had determined never to go to war, unless we were prepared to do whatever was required, to win. But still, in our desire to lessen the human toll, and to keep the costs down, we go on the cheap, with too few soldiers and too little funding, and, well, no king can win a war like that. And without taking a political position one way or the other, without intending to say we should or shouldn't have done this or that-we have got to learn the lesson that Jesus presents in our gospel lesson: we must count the cost first-before any military action. We have got to be prepared to fight and win-the war and the peace, before engaging any troops in any action. If we cannot or we will not, then let us seek other strategies. For it is all too easy, to engage, and then begin to count the cost, and lose our resolve and falter. And when our nation falters, in battle, it is disastrous-for our soldiers, for our military, for our government, and for our friends around the world. And again, let me be clear-this is not to suggest, in our present situation, who is right or wrong, this is not to take a political position one way or the other, this is not to say we should've done this, or we were wrong to do that. The point Jesus makes is, always--count the cost first. See whether you have what is needed to complete the task, to finish the mission-and if you don't, then don't begin, lest someone ridicule you. And of course, Jesus' words are not aimed just at our congregational building program, or at our nation's military commitments-it's aimed first, at us-as individuals who will, or will not, be his disciples.

     And this comes about, because Jesus sees the large crowds who are traveling with him. Now in the Church today, and in churches today, the conventional wisdom is--large crowds are a good thing-today, pastors and congregations are all about having the biggest congregation. Evangelism strategies, and ministry workshops and pastor's seminars are almost all-I would venture to say all-aimed at getting more folks in the door, so that your congregation will be larger and larger. Which wouldn't be a bad thing, if your congregation is growing because the Word is being preached in its purity, and the Sacraments are being administered rightly, as the Augsburg Confession defines the one, holy Church in Article VII. The difficulty with the so-called church growth movement today is, the guiding principle seems to be, "whatever it takes to get them in the door." Lutheran pastors and congregations who buy into the church growth model, also buy into such strategies as, less Scripture is better; the Lord's Supper ought not be offered on Sunday, if at all; liturgy and ritual is passe', if not downright anachronistic; no one likes traditional music, but only music that is loud and with a strong beat; and this always gets me: the church growth movement assumes worship must be dumbed down, because people today are evidently, not intelligent, educated, capable of concentrating more than three minutes at a time. All of which is why so many Lutheran churches are making Sunday services more, what's called, "seeker friendly"-to try to bring in more and more who are unchurched, by having "least common denominator worship", that is friendly, warm, easy, comfortable, and upbeat. In other words, "happy". The problem with that, however, is that it denies what Sunday worship is meant for-disciples! In fact, in the early church, while non-believers-the large crowds Jesus saw in our gospel lesson, were allowed to meet with the believers for the first part of the service, through the readings and the sermon, after that, they had to leave-because no non-believers were allowed to even see, the celebration of the mysteries-the Lord's Supper. The Sunday liturgy was first and foremost, for the initiated-for the Baptized, because these would be those who would understand, for example, words of Jesus, like those in our Gospel lesson today. Large crowds were, traveling with Jesus-not following Him, but going with Jesus, because he could cure the sick, do interesting deeds of power, and generally, put on a good show. We pastors are told-- your church can also have large crowds, if you'll put on a good show! But Jesus' words were meant to do just the opposite, to weed out those who were not disciples, to discourage those who just came to be entertained, so that no one would be deceived into thinking that discipleship, is easy, or comfortable, or suitable for great masses of people. Rather, Jesus says if you want to be my disciples, you must be prepared to leave everything behind, you must be prepared to leave home, and family, and security, and prosperity behind, to come follow me. In fact, says Jesus, "whoever does not carry the cross and follow me, cannot be my disciple". These are the kinds of things we need to be able to say in church-without dumbing them down, or softening them up, for the seekers who might be present, for fear they might find discipleship too demanding or harsh. When the believers gather on Sunday morning for Word and Sacrament, these are precisely the words of Jesus we need to hear, and preachers need to proclaim-so that those who would be Jesus' disciples will be able to count the cost, and consider the sacrifice, and be prepared to renounce all-to be a follower of Jesus! And let no one dare tell us to twist the text around a little, or to ignore such texts as this, or to read only the second lesson, so that we won't turn visitors off, by such a call from Jesus, to take up your cross and come follow! Jesus is saying to you and to me this morning, this is what it means to be my disciple! It is costly, it demands something of you, it involves cross-bearing and sacrifice and service! And if you are not willing to be my disciple, then with the large crowds, go your own way-for, it seems, the true church, will always be small in numbers. Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, imprisoned and finally martyred by the Nazis for participating in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, said, "True Christians will always be small in number. The true church will always consist of the few." Which, of course, flies in the face of the church growth movement, and the Lutheran push for larger and larger numbers that are thought to be the indicator of success and effectiveness. A growing congregation can be an indicator of a lot of things-but it is never an indicator of faithfulness, and true discipleship. While our congregation continues to grow in numbers, I am never so foolish as to think that indicates discipleship, and faithfulness in our members. Nor does a completed building program, or hiring more staff, or expanding our Children's Center. Because discipleship, and the faithfulness of believers, is an individual thing-and can be witnessed only by God, looking at your heart. Which leaves all of us, and each of us as individuals, wondering, how, then, will I ever be found faithful? How, then, will I ever be considered, by God, a true disciple? And the answer is, you won't-because faithfulness, and true discipleship, doesn't come from you, it comes from Jesus Christ, who calls us to come, follow Him.

     Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, in his book, The Cost of Discipleship, that it is all about Jesus Christ himself, and not about the individual believer. He writes, "The call goes forth, and it is at once followed by the response of obedience. The response of the disciple is an act of obedience, not a confession of faith in Jesus. How could the call of Jesus immediately evoke obedience? For the simple reason that the cause behind the immediate following of call by response, is Jesus Christ himself. It is Jesus who calls, and because it is Jesus, the disciple follows at once. The encounter is a testimony to the absolute, direct, and unaccountable authority of Jesus. Because Jesus is the Christ, he has the authority to call and to demand obedience to His word." Jesus commands simply, "follow me, run along behind me", and the disciple follows in Jesus' footsteps, for the sake of the call of Jesus. (Bonhoeffer, pp. 61-62)

     And that, is how anyone can be a disciple of Jesus-by hearing Jesus' call, and simply following in His footsteps. By acknowledging the authority of Jesus, and running along behind him. By responding to His call, and striving to live a Christ-like life, in obedience to Jesus' call. Which means, living lives of love, and sacrifice, and service, and giving ourselves away, and taking up our cross and coming after Jesus. That's the cost of discipleship-obedience to Jesus-obedience that is not always comfortable, or easy, or entertaining-but obedience that leads us to, faith-true faith, in God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.