The images were horrific -- even by the standards of the civil war in Syria that has raged on for over two years and led to more than 100,000 deaths. On Aug. 21, an apparent poison gas attack on several Damascus suburbs left nearly 1,500 people dead -- including more than 400 children. The world was outraged as chilling video surfaced showing hapless victims foaming at the mouth as they gasped for breath. It had all the hallmarks of a chemical weapon attack -- and as suspicion for its perpetrators focused on the Assad government, attention turned to how President Obama would respond since he had declared that using such weapons would cross a “red line” and would prompt a U.S. reaction.
Apart from being a humanitarian disaster, this incident has drawn us all further into the thorny mess of Syria. It’s a situation with no easy answers, as our president has emphasized on multiple occasions -- one made even more difficult by the inability of the international community to agree on a unified response, as Russia and China have supported the Assad government and refused to back aggressive measures. As our commander-in-chief calculates exactly what action to take -- and seeks assent from Congress for his decision, team member Chris Keating points out in this installment of The Immediate Word the parallels with the king that Jesus invokes in this week’s gospel text, who calculates whether the resources he brings to the battle are sufficient to achieve the objective. While Jesus was using this as an illustration of someone who needed to think through his position before going (in the parlance of the poker table) “all in,” Chris notes that it’s also useful as an analogy for the dilemma we face in responding to the increasing carnage in Syria -- our leaders have to “estimate the cost” of any military involvement there (including political cost), “to see whether [we have] enough to complete it.” Polls indicate that the American public is extremely reluctant about entangling ourselves in Syria... yet how can we ignore the suffering and slaughter there? The regime is clearly an evil one, deserving of the fate of the nation/kingdom described by the prophet Jeremiah in this week’s passage from the Hebrew scriptures. The stakes couldn’t be higher -- in poker lingo, Obama and other world leaders are betting into a “monster” pot... and if they miscalculate, we all lose.
But as Chris reminds us, couldn’t we say the same about our lives as Christians? Jesus suggests that we’re betting our lives every day (whether or not we realize it) with our commitment to the Kingdom. Are we willing to go “all in” for Christ? Jesus says we need to be willing to lose everything we hold dear -- even our family ties and all our possessions -- so we’d better consider such a commitment just as carefully as a king considers preparing for battle, or as carefully President Obama mulls over how to finely calibrate his response to the latest atrocities in the Middle East.
Team member Mary Austin offers some additional thoughts on the letter to Philemon and the opportunity it offers us to think about the issue of how ex-convicts are welcomed and re-integrated back into society. It’s another complicated issue -- given how many prisons have evolved into breeding grounds for hardened criminals, and the high recidivism rate of some offenders, is it not prudent for the public to at least be skeptical about and wary toward ex-convicts... much as Philemon might be regarding Onesimus? On the other hand, Mary reminds us, if we are not open and forgiving and willing to give these reformed sinners a chance to demonstrate the “new clothes” they have put on (to borrow another of Paul’s favorite metaphors), what chance do they have make it in society? Far too often, our attitude toward anyone imprisoned is to lock them up and throw away the key -- but what then? Who will step up and (like Paul) vouch for the Onesimuses in our midst who are leaving prison and trying to become valued members of society? Are we willing to emulate Paul and have their sins “charge[d] to [our] account”? Mary suggests that we ought to be open to the possibilities they offer as they rebuild their lives.
Playing Poker in Damascus
by Chris Keating
Luke 14:25-33
The cards have been dealt, and the stakes are deadly. The world waits as the United States considers its response to evidence of chemical weapon attacks in Syria. Even though the military was fully prepared, President Barack Obama backed down this past weekend from immediately issuing the command to proceed with retaliatory strikes. In a last-minute gamble, the president decided to risk it all and ask Congress to vote on his plan to move forward.
Now it’s time for Congress to count the cards, weigh the evidence, and calculate the risk.
While the Syrian situation is certainly not a game, there’s no room for bluffing. President Obama has made it clear that the use of chemical weapons constitutes a reason for the United States to enter the Syrian conflict. Yet politicians on both sides of the aisle are uneasy with even a limited military intervention. Most Americans are not in favor of such action either.
Legislators might have wished for a quiet return to Washington -- but now they are also involved in what could easily be described as no-limit foreign policy poker.
Like several United States presidents, Obama has a reputation for being a better than middling poker player. But this is no friendly game among politicians. Foreign conflicts are a whole different sort of game -- and the outcomes could be deadly. It may be time to go all in.
The cards have been dealt -- and as the U.S. government calculates its response, Jesus’ words in Luke 14:31 about the leader sitting down and figuring the cost come to mind. Though he was illustrating the deep commitment discipleship requires, Jesus’ words still point to the difficult choices in Syria and offer a way of helping Christians speak faithfully about life in a high-stakes world. It’s time to count the cost, and to consider what it means to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
For Obama, the question of military involvement in Syria may hinge on his credibility with Congress. But for those who feel called to lives of discerning, faithful discipleship in a world torn apart by violence, the stakes are even higher.
In the News
To carry the poker metaphor forward, consider how the other players in this crisis are weighing their options. Bashar al-Assad of Syria sits on one side of the poker table, with Obama on the other. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also holding his cards close to his chest. Not at the table, but certainly in the room, are the Syrian insurgents who have led uprisings against the Assad regime. The United Kingdom has walked away from the game, but the Iranians are ready to take their seat. Secretary of State John Kerry has indicated that there are some Middle East nations who will provide support to the United States. (ABC news has posted a particularly helpful background piece on the Syrian civil war.)
Fueled by evidence of the massacre of more than 1,400 Syrian civilians, the tension is thick. No one is blinking.
Serious poker, says writer and poker expert James McManus, is a game of sober contemplation. That’s something Obama -- considered by many to be a pretty fair poker player -- would understand. As a young Illinois state senator, Obama often gather political opponents for a friendly game of poker. It wasn’t very serious, just a chance to break the ice. But foreign affairs are a whole different sort of game -- especially when innocent civilians have been killed. Just to complicate matters, many believe that the United States’ credibility is on the line, and its closest allies won’t be in the game.
On Saturday, Obama surprised many by asking Congress to authorize any strike against Syria. It’s another gamble, one that may toss his legacy into the pot, especially among those who believe Syria must be held accountable for chemical warfare. Yet polls indicate widespread opposition to intervention among war-weary Americans. There are also fears that Syria is a tinder box that could escalate into a much broader conflict.
Roger Boyes, a senior foreign correspondent and diplomatic editor of the Times of London, compared the current situation to the leadup to World War I. With conflicts in the region inching across borders, there is cause to be concerned. “The direction of events in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Iran should keep us awake at night. History is taking a dangerous turn,” he writes. “The region certainly cannot sustain two wars -- Syria’s bloody insurgency and a near-civil war in Egypt -- without wrecking established peace treaties and the normal mechanisms for defusing conflict.”
In addition, the specter of chemical war looms large. The notion that a response is required when poisons are intentionally unleashed on innocent civilians, or children are used as a pawn in an ongoing political battle, has formed part of the president’s strategy. That is the message President Obama sent the American people in his remarks on Saturday: “What message will we send if a dictator can gas hundreds of children to death in plain sight and pay no price? What’s the purpose of the international system that we’ve built if a prohibition on the use of chemical weapons that has been agreed to by the governments of 98 percent of the world’s people and approved overwhelmingly by the Congress of the United States is not enforced?”
As the Senate and House of Representatives take up the debate, the stakes just seem to keep growing. Those who have been criticizing the president’s actions from afar now must deal with the issue up close -- they too must decide which cards to play.
Betting against the house may be the cost of politics, but as Jesus makes clear, the costs of discipleship exact an even higher cost.
In the Scriptures
Jesus wasn’t playing poker with the disciples, despite his inclination to eat with sinners and tax collectors. Instead, Luke tells us he’s back on the road to Jerusalem, heading toward the cross. And as he goes, he begins to spell out exactly what will be expected of those who follow him. When it comes to discipleship, Jesus isn’t bluffing.
He’s been attracting as much attention as a politician at a state fair. Surrounded by crowds on the road, Jesus turns toward them and bluntly spells out what will be involved. In language that we may find harsh -- particularly as many churches gear up for fall programs -- Jesus calls the crowd to consider what commitment means.
Facing the crowd, he’s clear about what it takes. “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children... even life itself, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Now there’s a Rally Day sermon! There’s a reason why church marketing folks never use this verse for their ad campaigns.
But Jesus is just getting warmed up. He puts another card down and then says that discipleship is truly an “all in” experience. Following is more than merely being part of Jesus’ fan club; it also involves bearing a cross. Luke’s Christian would clearly understand that reference. Even on the road to Jerusalem, the shadow of the cross looms large.
Any of us, and perhaps especially workaholic pastors, may cringe at the references to “hating” one’s family and trading possessions in exchange for discipleship. Yet Jesus’ concern is not about destroying families. Instead, guided by what Alan Culpepper calls his “ethic of love” (The New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IX, p. 292), Jesus is creating a new set of family relationships.
Discipleship is costly. It involves risk and forces us to play our full hand. But as Emilie Townes notes in Feasting on the Word (Year C, Vol. 4), the word “cost” only appears here in the New Testament. It’s a reminder of the effort required of us. As she says, “in the process of becoming living disciples, we must... also learn to give up all of our possessions -- our need to acquire, our yearning for success, our petty jealousies, our denigrating stereotypes of others, our prejudices and hatreds, and more.”
This learning of a new way of life is clearly shown in the parables Jesus tells in vv. 28-32. In the first, Jesus speaks of a business person considering a building project. What kind of developer starts a project, only to run out of money before it’s completed? Likewise, what sort of ruler doesn’t faithfully discern what it will take to go to war? Just as that would be foolish politics, so is embarking on a journey with Jesus without fully understanding what’s involved.
Disciples, says Jesus, must be willing to go all in and put every card on the table.
In the Sermon
Clearly, Jesus is not arguing for building bigger armies, nor is he offering strategy for playing poker or dealing with dictators. His intent is to remind would-be followers of the high costs involved in following him down the road to Jerusalem. But the analogy of a king counting the cost of war may be helpful in discussing Syria from the pulpit. By listening carefully to the parable while also watching the world play poker with Assad, a sermon about what it means to go “all in” in our discipleship may emerge.
The passage moves swiftly, beginning with the large crowds who were following Jesus and ending with the twin parables. Jesus deals the wild card, however, at verse 27, and centers the argument about discipleship squarely on the cross. He reminds the crowd that the essence of discipleship is carrying the cross. That is the controlling image of these parables: the movement from the large mass of folks following Jesus to the moment when everyone has abandoned him on the cross. There is where the love of God is fully revealed. Ultimately, it is the cross which defines the costly love of God and the high commitment of discipleship.
That means he’s not discussing a penny-ante game. He understands exactly what’s involved.
With that in mind, the sermon might explore what it means for the rulers of our world to count the cost of war. It could probe the unintended consequences of even a limited conflict, and ask if the situation meets the criteria of just war. It could point out the witness of Christian peacemakers, and remind the congregation of the reconciliation Jesus offered through the cross. In a world full of poker faces, such a word could provide encouragement to all who struggle to understand what it means to place our entire stakes with Jesus Christ.
SECOND THOUGHTS
by Mary Austin
Philemon 1:1-21
Paul, a “prisoner for Christ,” uses the Letter to Philemon to plead the cause of Onesimus, a slave returning to his master. Onesimus has been converted to faith in Christ, and Paul asks Philemon to receive him back into his household, to forgive what’s now in the past.
Paul, who famously proclaimed that “there is no longer slave or free,” writes that he feels a familial connection with Onesimus, “whose father I have become during my imprisonment” (v. 10). In sending Onesimus back to his master, Paul emphasizes their bond, saying, “I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you” (v. 12).
The connection Paul makes between the slave and himself as a prisoner prompts us to think about those who return to our neighborhoods and communities -- in our case, former prisoners. Slaves and prisoners are not the same thing, of course, but Paul finds common ground in their experiences. His letter nudges us to consider our own connections, or the lack of them, with people who have spent time in the corrections system and are coming home to our communities.
Our divided America means that many people don't know anyone who has been in prison. In other neighborhoods, this is all too familiar.
I went to court recently with a man from my church; before his case was called, we had several hours to watch other cases come before the judge. The judge asked everyone if they were employed, and almost everyone answered that they worked at a fast-food restaurant. Some people pleaded for a sentence that would allow them to keep their jobs. Some apparently made regular appearances before this judge, and others were there for the first time. The judge weighed that in making her decisions, along with the level of malice involved in the crime. Some combination of bad choices, poverty, and bad luck came to bear in each case, and I was impressed with the judge’s attempt to balance fairness with punishment.
Watching the court cases made me think about how invisible prisoners are in the world I live in, although they’re very evident in other worlds.
Shortly after that, another man appeared at the church I serve, and was very honest about his own time in prison a decade earlier. He had been having trouble finding work, and offered to work for free for 90 days. If we liked his work, we could hire him after that, he suggested. “What do you think?” I asked the church secretary, who often has wisdom that I don’t have.
“Give him a chance,” she advised, and so we hired him, with pay and also with some trepidation on my part.
Getting to know him has given me an education about the hurdles he faces. His time in prison was long ago, but the burden remains in lost opportunities, diminished wages, and having to prove himself to people like me. Without the advice of our church secretary, I wouldn’t have known how to assess his past and give him an opportunity in the present. I’m fond of him, and have come to admire his work and initiative -- but it would have been easy for me to miss that.
Paul finds a connection with Onesimus, and he urges Philemon to begin a new relationship with him too, based on the bond they have in faith. Our own faith might prompt us to do the same, both in our understanding of prisoners in general, and in our connections with the people we meet. This can happen with individuals, and in our view of returning citizens in general. This summer the Rand Corporation released a report that found, not surprisingly, that education programs in prisons reduce the number of people who return: “Researchers found that inmates who participate in correctional education programs have a 43 percent lower odds of returning to prison than those who do not. The estimate is based on studies that carefully account for motivation and other differences between correctional education recipients and non-recipients. Employment after release was 13 percent higher among prisoners who participated in either academic or vocational education programs than those who did not. Those who participated in vocational training were 28 percent more likely to be employed after release from prison than who did not receive such training.” For those looking at the financial side of the equation, “The findings also suggest that prison education programs are cost-effective. The direct costs of providing education are estimated to be from $1,400 to $1,744 per inmate, with re-incarceration costs being $8,700 to $9,700 less for each inmate who received correctional education as compared to those who did not.” The human cost of prison is high, as incarceration takes a toll on relationships and communities.
As the report summary notes, “There long has been debate about the role prison-based education programs can play in preparing inmates to return to society and keeping them from returning to prison. Recidivism remains high nationally... In general, people in U.S. prisons have less education than the general population. In 2004, 36 percent of individuals in state prisons had less than a high school diploma, compared to 19 percent of the general U.S. population older than 16. In addition, ex-offenders frequently often lack vocational skills and a steady history of employment. Researchers say the dynamics of prison entry and re-entry to society make it hard for ex-offenders to find work and build an employment history.”
Paul is wise enough to see where a new connection can be made, and we can hope that we are too. “Prepare a guest room for me,” Paul says, looking ahead, and we can hope to find space in the rooms of our lives and our communities too.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Ron Love:
Luke 14:25-33
In contemplating a military strike on Syria in retaliation for their use of chemical weapons, Ryan Crocker, the former ambassador to Syria and Lebanon, offered a word of caution that went unheeded. He began by saying, “Our biggest problem is ignorance; we’re pretty ignorant about Syria.” Crocker then went on to outline that if we do use military force, “So he [Assad] continues on in defiance -- maybe even launches another chemical attack to put a stick in our eye -- and then what? Because once you start down this road, it’s pretty hard to get off it and maintain political credibility.” Crocker does not deny that an action needs to be taken against Syria, but suggests that we should continue to search for alternatives to military intervention.
Application: Jesus spoke of counting the cost of war as an illustration that we should always seek the best approach and solutions before embarking on any venture.
*****
Luke 14:25-33
By a 4-1 vote of its city council, Collegedale, Tennessee, is the first community in that state that must provide same-sex spouses of government employees with equal benefits. How you feel about this policy is a matter of your personal opinion -- but what follows should not be. Kat Cooper, a gay police detective, brought the issue before the council and led the effort that eventually prevailed. Because of the unprecedented news coverage and the resulting trauma, Kat’s mother, Linda, stood by her publicly. But Linda paid an enormous price for her small acts of emotional support.
You see, generations of Coopers have attended Ridgedale Church of Christ for 60 years. In fact, Linda’s parents were practically founding members of the church -- so it is truly their family congregation. But the senior pastor, Ken Willis, condemns homosexuality as a sin -- and since Linda elected to support her daughter, in his view she is equally in violation of God’s ordinance as Kate is. After a recent Sunday morning worship service, Willis called Linda and her extended family into his office and presented them with an ultimatum -- stand before the congregation and make a public confession of repentance, or leave the church immediately. It made no difference that Linda was present at the council meeting for her daughter and not for the issue of homosexuality, for to Willis this was still a public act of support. The family left the church ? because, as Linda indicated, if one elects to voluntarily sit with one’s daughter in a volatile environment, there is nothing to repent of.
Application: Jesus always cautioned us to count the cost of becoming involved in the gospel message. And sometimes the cost is worth paying.
*****
Philemon 1:1-21
There are 75,000 Mormon missionaries worldwide presently, and by the year’s end there will be 85,000 serving as proselytes across the globe. The 28% increase over last year came as a result of the lowering of the age of eligibility for men from 19 to 18, and for women from 21 to 19 -- meaning that Mormon women can now embark on missionary journeys before starting families and careers. In the course of an 18-month tour of duty for women, and a 24-month tour for men, the average missionary converts about five people. With greater numbers available the emphasis in mission has now been changing, with the desire for the ambassadors to invite the despondent to return back to the fold.
Application: Paul speaks of sending those whom he loves to churches in order to assist them in ministry and leadership.
*****
Philemon 1:1-21
Be cautious if you write Pope Francis a letter, for you might receive a phone call directly from him in response -- Francis still believes in using landlines and dialing the calls himself. To the surprised recipient, he simply introduces the conversation by saying, “It’s the pope.” He then encourages the listener to address him as tu, which is informal expression of “you,” as opposed to the formal usage of lei.
Application: Paul was sending his ambassadors to the church with the understanding that they were to be received and addressed by “tu.”
*****
Jeremiah 18:1-11
We tend to look upon after-the-fact confessions by celebrities with suspicion. But USA Today sportswriter Bob Nightengale believes that Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun -- now suspended for 65 games after lying to the public for a year and a half -- is being sincere. This is especially true since, after previously challenging allegations of using performance-enhancing drugs, Braun accepted his suspension and cooperated with investigating authorities. In his prepared statement Braun said, “For a long time I was in denial, and had convinced myself that I had done nothing wrong.” He went on to say, “I think a combination of feeling self-righteous and unjustified anger led me to react the way I did.” These appear to be the words of a reflective individual who has gained new insight into his past behavior.
Application: As clay in the hands of God, we can always be molded into new individuals.
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From team member Dean Feldmeyer:
Philemon 1:1-21
Restorative Justice
The practice known as “restorative justice” holds that individuals and communities are the true victims of crime and not the state. This being the case, individuals and communities are better equipped than the state to deal effectively with offenders.
In a restorative justice conference, the offender is confronted by the victim directly affected by the crime as well as those members of the community who are affected in more indirect ways. The victims share their experience of the crime with the offender. Offenders learn the full impact of their crime and how that impact spreads throughout and affects the community.
The principles which drive the restorative justice movement are these:
1) Encounter: The offender and the victims confront and speak to one another.
2) Amending: The offender takes steps necessary to repair the harm caused
3) Reintegration: The victims and offenders are restored.
4) Inclusion: Both parties work together to find a resolution.
Restorative justice programs are often lengthy and must be committed to by all parties to be effective, but have been shown to be more effective than punishment alone with non-violent juvenile offenders.
*****
Philemon 1:1-21
A Life Changed
To Peter Woolf, a hardened and lifelong burglar, stealing a laptop to pay for his heroin habit could be justified. The owner was rich and could easily afford to replace it, after all.
But when he was told that it had belonged to a heart and lung transplant surgeon and stored notes about critically ill patients as well as a research paper ready to be sent to the Lancet medical journal, the impact of his crimes suddenly hit home.
When Woolf met some of his victims in a restorative justice conference, the doctor wept, as did Will Riley, who was attacked by Woolf as his home was being burgled and now felt terrified every time he put his key in the front door. Woolf thinks the restorative justice program, which is used as an alternative to the court system in a bid to stop re-offending, was the jolt he needed.
“When you hear the harm you have caused, you have to be a bitter and twisted person not to be affected,” said Mr. Woolf, who has spent 18 years of his life in prison. “I thought they would say, ‘Lock him up and throw away the key,’ but they wanted me to get help for drug and alcohol abuse, an education, and a job.”
Woolf, 56, has been sober since that day 11 years ago. Now he tours prisons giving victim awareness training and is good friends with Riley.
Click here for more stories about effective examples of restorative justice.
*****
Luke 14:25-33
Counting the Cost
Every Christmas season, Wanetta Johnson presents a poinsettia to the headquarters staff at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Another woman annually donates $250 to the park’s Search and Rescue fund. And anytime Steve Ainsworth gets the chance, he offers thanks.
All three have one thing in common -- rangers rescued them or their loved ones when they became stranded in the park.
The rangers train for -- and in some cases risk their lives -- to rescue others. But rescuing people who are lost, sick, or injured deep along the Appalachian Trail is not cheap.
The cost for a rescue operation can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars:
* Total search-and-rescue costs for 2010 hit $99,107, with 106 incidents. Four involved fatalities.
* Total search-and-rescue costs for 2011 increased to $133,068, with 108 incidents and five fatalities.
* Total search-and-rescue costs for 2012 reached $253,550, with 104 incidents, two involving fatalities.
The longer the search, the more expensive it becomes. Pinning down the costs is not easy.
The rangers in the Smoky Mountain National Park average about 100 search and rescues a year. Most are carry-outs for a broken leg, blown knees, broken ankles, and medical incidents such as hypothermia or heart attacks. The money to cover the costs of search-and-rescue missions comes from three sources -- depending on the amount. The local offices of the national park pay expenses from $0 and $100. The Southeast regional office in Atlanta pays between $100 and $500. The national office picks up any costs over $500.
*****
Luke 14:25-33
The Whistle
When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went directly to a shop where they sold toys for children; and being charmed with the sound of a whistle, that I met by the way in the hands of another boy, I voluntarily offered and gave all my money for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers, and sisters, and cousins, understanding the bargain I had made, told me I had given four times as much for it as it was worth; put me in mind what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money; and laughed at me so much for my folly, that I cried with vexation; and the reflection gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.
This, however, was afterwards of use to me, the impression continuing on my mind; so that often, when I was tempted to buy some unnecessary thing, I said to myself, “Don’t give too much for the whistle”; and I saved my money.
As I grew up, came into the world, and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who gave too much for the whistle.
When I saw one too ambitious of court favor, sacrificing his time in attendance on levees, his repose, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, to attain it, I have said to myself, this man gives too much for his whistle.
When I saw another fond of popularity, constantly employing himself in political bustles, neglecting his own affairs, and ruining them by that neglect, “He pays, indeed,” said I, “too much for his whistle.”
If I knew a miser, who gave up every kind of comfortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow-citizens, and the joys of benevolent friendship, for the sake of accumulating wealth, “Poor man,” said I, “you pay too much for your whistle.”
When I met with a man of pleasure, sacrificing every laudable improvement of the mind, or of his fortune, to mere corporeal sensations, and ruining his health in their pursuit, “Mistaken man,” said I, “you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure; you give too much for your whistle.”
If I see one fond of appearance, or fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine equipages, all above his fortune, for which he contracts debts, and ends his career in a prison, “Alas!” say I, “he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle.”
When I see a beautiful sweet-tempered girl married to an ill-natured brute of a husband, “What a pity,” say I, “that she should pay so much for a whistle!”
In short, I conceive that great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by the false estimates they have made of the value of things, and by their giving too much for their whistles.
-- from an essay by Benjamin Franklin
*****
Luke 14:25-33
Hidden Costs and Fees
It’s hard to count the cost of something when costs and fees are hidden, as they are in things we often purchase. Here are ten of the most common hidden costs and fees that Americans encounter:
1) Online movie tickets: Take the amount you pay at the theater, add a 10-15% service/convenience charge, then discover that you still have to stand in line to claim the ticket you overpaid for online.
2) Internet concert tickets: If you go to an online ticket source, plan to pay about 16% in service or “convenience” fees for the honor of buying your ticket online.
3) Rental trucks: You thought you signed up for a 24-hour rental for $19.95, but the fine print says your contract is for only 12 hours and every hour over that is going to cost you $100. Your $19.95 rental just cost you over $1,200.
4) Airport taxes: Consumers have reported airport taxes that actually doubled the cost of the airline ticket.
5) Mobile phone taxes & fees: Did you know that in most states your mobile phone service is not required to notify you if your bill increases up to 10% due to “taxes, charges, or fees”?
6) Minimum bank account balances: Make sure you read the fine print before you open your checking or savings account. Banks can use fees to punish you for the number of transactions you make or letting your balance fall below a certain figure that may be as high as $500.
7) Unused gas fees: ConEdison customers were surprised to discover a $20 charge on their bill for gas in the summer when they didn’t use any gas. When questioned, the New York company explained that it was a fee for having gas available in case customers wanted to use it.
8) Modem rental fees: You agree to pay $39.95 a month for your internet service, but the bill includes a $7 a month rental fee for a modem that costs, on average, about $50. You paid for it after the first seven months. Why are you still renting it three years later?
9) Cruise fees: You buy a cruise and you automatically think “all-inclusive,” right? Don’t bet on it. Bar bills, tips, excursion fees, cuisine changes, activity fees, expensive souvenirs, and taxes can add 50-100% to the cost of your cruise.
10) Hidden Mortgage Costs: Take your checkbook to the closing, because if you didn’t get the terms of the deal in writing, at closing you could be hit by mortgage broker points, application fees, document preparation fees, and other costs that can amount to several thousand dollars more than you expected to fork over.
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From team member Leah Lonsbury:
Jeremiah 18:1-11
An article by Rachel Held Evans that has been circulating on Facebook is the latest in a series of explanations and advice to church-types about why millennials are leaving the fold and how to carry out church in a way that might stop this most recent exodus.
Held’s advice, like many others, is a return to the basics -- ancient and meaning-full ritual, life-changing connections, and Jesus, lots of Jesus.
But what if Held and everybody who is studying and fretting over this trend also considered what Jeremiah has to offer? The prophet reminds us that it’s God’s prerogative to rework a vessel that is no longer serving its purpose. In fact, it’s the actual word of the Lord that that possibility is a very real one, probably more a probability than a possibility.
What if we were more like clay and less like hard, dry brick? What if we were open to reworking and repurposing? What if we traded our anxiety about church budgets and falling numbers for an openness to the re-creation of the Potter?
*****
Psalm 139
Another popular piece circulating in social media this week has been pastor and blogger Eric Clapp’s post “How to Talk With Your Sons About Robin Thicke.” Clapp writes in response to the explosion in the media about the performance of Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus on the recent MTV Video Music Awards. Other articles have focused on Miley’s strange and highly sexualized antics, and how to talk to our daughters about them. Clapp focuses on how we might talk to our sons in ways that will change how women are viewed and valued:
It starts in homes. It starts in small conversations that treat all people as worthy and equal. It starts with having the courage to speak out against the wide variety of forces in our society that objectify women.
It starts with understanding that as men, our value does not come from how much power we hold over women.Our value comes from being respected and being loved as we respect and love the people who matter to us.
This resonates with Psalm 139 and its emphasis on God’s attentive and guiding presence, and our worth as individuals who are carefully crafted, held, and loved by the divine.
How might the author of Psalm 139 weigh in in response to Cyrus’ and Thicke’s VMA performance?
*****
Luke 14:25-33
Jesus’ words might not sound like much of a love song in this passage, but what if we were to think of them that way? They’re dramatic, involve some serious angst, count the costs, and end in a spectacular sacrifice for love (the way of the cross).
Any number of love songs could be used to illustrate this point. Here are a couple to get you thinking...
* Bruno Mars’ “Grenade” begins with indicting a lover for taking and never giving, and has this dramatic (if poorly written) refrain about Mars’ willingness to sacrifice it all for love:
I’d catch a grenade for ya
Throw my hand on a blade for ya
I’d jump in front of a train for ya
You know I’d do anything for ya
I would go through all this pain
Take a bullet straight through my brain
Yes, I would die for you, baby
But you won’t do the same
* Head and the Heart’s “Honey, Come Home” includes a lover’s promises that he’s evolved, put his vices behind him, and even put away the clothes and wiped the counters down -- changed everything for love.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: O God, you have searched us and known us.
People: You know when we sit down and when we rise up.
Leader: You discern our thoughts from far away.
People: Even before a word is on our tongue, O God, you know it completely.
Leader: We praise you, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
People: Wonderful are your works; that we know very well.
OR
Leader: Come and listen to what God requires of us.
People: What is it God requires?
Leader: God requires that we love God with our entire being.
People: We offer ourselves, body and soul, to our God.
Leader: God requires us to love others, even our enemies, as ourselves.
People: We take upon ourselves this challenge, praying for God’s grace and help.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
“O God, Our Help in Ages Past”
found in:
UMH: 117
H82: 680
AAHH: 170
NNBH: 46
NCH: 25
CH: 67
LBW: 320
ELA: 632
W&P: 84
AMEC: 61
STLT: 281
“Tú Has Venido a la Orilla” (“Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore”)
found in:
UMH: 344
PH: 377
CH: 342
W&P: 347
“I Surrender All”
found in:
UMH: 354
AAHH: 396
NNBH: 198
W&P: 474
AMEC: 251
“Have Thine Own Way, Lord”
found in:
UMH: 382
AAHH: 449
NNBH: 206
CH: 588
W&P: 486
AMEC: 345
“O Jesus, I Have Promised”
found in:
UMH: 396
H82: 655
PH: 388, 389
NCH: 493
CH: 612
LBW: 503
ELA: 810
W&P: 458
AMEC: 280
“Jesus Calls Us”
found in:
UMH: 398
H82: 549, 550
NNBH: 183
NCH: 171, 172
CH: 337
LBW: 494
ELA: 696
W&P: 345
AMEC: 238
“Take My Life, and Let It Be”
found in:
UMH: 399
H82: 707
PH: 391
NNBH: 213
NCH: 448
CH: 609
LBW: 406
ELA: 583, 685
W&P: 466
AMEC: 292
Renew: 150
“Seek Ye First”
found in:
UMH: 405
H82: 711
PH: 333
CH: 354
W&P: 349
CCB: 76
“All I Need Is You”
found in:
CCB: 100
“Jesus, Remember Me”
found in:
CCB: 68
Renew: 227
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God, who invites us to invest our entire lives in your realm: Grant us the wisdom to assess our lives clearly, that we may with eyes wide open embrace the way of Jesus; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come to worship you, O God, and to hear you speak the words of life to us. Help us to be fearless in looking at the cost of discipleship so that we may with clear heads and hearts commit to following Jesus. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our half-hearted commitment to being disciples.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have taken the name of the Christ and we have called ourselves disciples, but we have not counted the cost. We have only looked at the rewards we hope to receive and not at the demands that you make of us. Forgive us our foolishness and empower us with your Spirit, that we may truly consider what is required of us and then make a full commitment to your way. Amen.
Leader: God knows our frame, that we are but dust. Yet God calls us and fills us with the Spirit so that we might truly be children of God. Receive God’s grace and live in the power of the Spirit.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord’s Prayer)
Praise and glory be to you, O God, for you have created us out of your love and filled us with your own Spirit. With never-failing love, you have claimed us as your own.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have taken the name of the Christ and we have called ourselves disciples, but we have not counted the cost. We have only looked at the rewards we hope to receive and not at the demands that you make of us. Forgive us our foolishness and empower us with your Spirit, that we may truly consider what is required of us and then make a full commitment to your way.
We give you thanks for all the blessings you have bestowed upon us. We thank you for our creation and for the beauty with which you have surrounded us. We thank you for your grace and for your presence in our lives. You have graciously directed others into our lives, and in their dedication to being true to you, they have been true to us.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for those who struggle in their lives. Some of us struggle because of the things without that press upon us, and some of us struggle with pressures within.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord’s Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children’s Sermon Starter
You might share a story about finding out what is really involved in something after you signed up. As an example:
“When I was in fifth grade I decided I wanted to take piano lessons. I started in and everything went well. After a while I found out that I needed more and more practice. I did not realize how much time it was going to take away from having fun. I had to adjust my fun time to make room for piano practice.”
God doesn’t want to fool us. God wants us to know what it means to be a Christian, a disciple of Jesus. We learn Bible stories and come to church and Sunday School so that we can learn what it will take to be Jesus’ follower.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
The Cost of Discipleship
Luke 14:25-33
I would like to ask all of you this morning if you really love Jesus. Do you? (Let the children answer.) Of course you do. I knew that before I asked you. Do you know what we call people who really love Jesus and try to do what he wants them to do? (Let them answer.) We call them “disciples.” To be a disciple of Jesus means being willing to follow him even when it is very hard to do what he wants us to do.
Now, I want you to tell me about one of your favorite things to do. Of all the things you might do -- swimming, playing games, going to a movie -- what is your favorite activity? (Let them answer, and write the activities they respond with on the pad with their name next to it. If there are many children, just write three or four of the answers on the pad.)
Okay, now I want to ask you something. __________, if you had a chance to do [name the activity] but there was a need for you to do something important for Jesus, which would you do? Let’s say that you had been asking a friend to come to Sunday school with you, and he or she finally agreed to come, but it was at the same time as your activity. Would you give up the activity to bring your friend to Sunday school? (Let the child answer.) Well, that’s what being a disciple is all about, being willing to give up something in order to follow Jesus. Sometimes it is very hard to do. (Ask some of the others the same kind of question.)
I think we can all agree that being a disciple of Jesus is not always easy. Let’s pray about it.
Prayer: Dear Jesus: Please forgive us for not always being good disciples. When we are tempted to do something else when you need us for your own work, strengthen us so that we will follow you. Amen.
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The Immediate Word, September 8, 2013, issue.
Copyright 2013 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
