Philemon 1-21 Luke 14.25-33

Hate, or dislike, is such an emotive, sentimental, or controversial word. We associate it with a complete rejection of all that is being referred to. To hate something is to wash one’s hands of the object or idea. To harbour a complete dismissal. Is this what Jesus meant when he said, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple”? to turn one’s back on one’s family is a massive step. It leads to complete abandonment of all of our roots. Doing so would effectively cast us adrift from everything. We would be like a single occupant of a small boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. A position that many of us would find hard to contemplate.

Of course, Jesus did not have this interpretation of his words in mind. Again, we need to remember that the language in the East used to be ‘flowery’. Many words would be used to describe something rather than just one. A concept or idea could be paragraphs long with many adjectives, adverbs, and much more being used to bring forward a point that just two or three well-chosen words would suffice.

Jesus had many followers. At this time, whilst travelling to Jerusalem, he knew that he was heading towards the Cross. His followers, however, believed that he was about to enter that great city and take on the mantle of ruler, take on an empire. They were so wrong. Jesus had to put it to them in a way that they would understand and remember just how misled they were.

Those who stood up and avowed their determination to follow him must be ready to sacrifice everything. They were not going along a path that would bring them all sorts of earthly power and glory, riches beyond imagination, standing in society well above all others. They must be prepared to endure suffering like no other. Suffering as that experienced by one upon a cross.

Does this help us in our understanding of those words of Jesus? Probably more explanation is required here. It all centres around love. There are many different forms of love. For example, I have a love for ‘bread and butter’ pudding. It beats apple pies, treacle tart, what we used to know as ‘spotted dick’ at school but probably better associated with stodge pudding. That love is totally different to that in which I hold the members of my family.

The love that Jesus is telling us that we must have is so very much different in every way possible. We must love him in a totally different way, a love which is complete and which cannot be compared. It is possible to follow Jesus. It is possible to do this without having to pin on oneself a badge saying disciple. It is like being a follower of some great football team without actually attending a game at their home ground. You follow their progress, discuss their game play with other devotees.

Even in the church we see something similar. We see those who belong but take it no further. Those who are devout and earnest followers of Jesus but who do not progress that emotive connection any further. For many it is not for them. To progress makes high demands. Those demands are daunting. There is a steep road ahead. But we can take heart. High demands they may be but we are not left alone to meet them. We are called by Jesus to travel along that road yet we can take heart because Jesus will be there every step of the way. When we reach journey’s end Jesus will be there, ready to meet us.

Collect for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity

Almighty and everlasting God,

you are always more ready to hear than we to pray

and to give more than either we desire or deserve:

pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy,

forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid

and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask

but through the merits and mediation

of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.