{"id":3310,"date":"2021-01-10T09:45:44","date_gmt":"2021-01-10T08:45:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sermons.seetal-chile.ch\/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=3310"},"modified":"2021-01-11T12:02:02","modified_gmt":"2021-01-11T11:02:02","slug":"sympathisant-oder-nachfolger","status":"publish","type":"wpfc_sermon","link":"https:\/\/sermons.seetal-chile.ch\/en\/sermons\/sympathisant-oder-nachfolger\/","title":{"rendered":"Sym\u00adpa\u00adthiser or follower"},"content":{"rendered":"

The envi\u00adron\u00adment in which a spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis (trans\u00adfor\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon of being) can hap\u00adpen is fol\u00adlo\u00adwing Jesus. Jesus sets the bar for disci\u00adple\u00adship very high and thus excludes all sym\u00adpa\u00adthisers. Neither mate\u00adri\u00adal com\u00adfort nor a job nor a pro\u00adfes\u00adsi\u00adon nor fami\u00adly or fri\u00adends may stand bet\u00adween Jesus and his fol\u00adlo\u00adwers. But \u2013 the\u00adre is a huge pro\u00admi\u00adse on disci\u00adple\u00adship: \u00abAnd ever\u00adyo\u00adne who lea\u00adves hou\u00adses, brot\u00adhers, sis\u00adters, father, mother, child\u00adren or fields for my name\u2019s sake will have ever\u00ady\u00adthing retur\u00adned to him a hundred\u00adfold and will recei\u00adve eter\u00adnal life\u00bb (Matthew 19:29 NG\u00dc<\/span>).<\/p>\n

The older ones may still remem\u00adber the film Blues Brot\u00adhers. Even if you don\u2019t know the cult film, the plot pat\u00adtern will seem very fami\u00adli\u00adar: Two pet\u00adty cri\u00admi\u00adnals are on the run after rob\u00adbing a bank. To dis\u00adgu\u00adi\u00adse them\u00adsel\u00adves, they have dres\u00adsed up as typi\u00adcal Ame\u00adri\u00adcan street pre\u00ada\u00adchers: serious black suit over a white shirt, black hat and casu\u00adal sun\u00adglas\u00adses. And then the cru\u00adcial thing: When\u00adever they get into a dicey situa\u00adti\u00adon, the phra\u00adse comes, \u00abWe\u2019\u00adre on a mis\u00adsi\u00adon from the Lord!\u00bb The film lives from the fact that this decep\u00adti\u00adon is usual\u00adly only seen through too late.
\nHow are tho\u00adse who are tru\u00adly on a mis\u00adsi\u00adon from the Lord to be distin\u00adgu\u00adis\u00adhed from tho\u00adse who use this label as a cover? How are the real fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus to be distin\u00adgu\u00adis\u00adhed from the sym\u00adpa\u00adthisers? It is not important that we can judge others. The mir\u00adror we look into today is to give us an ans\u00adwer for our\u00adsel\u00adves personally.
\nWe have to find an ans\u00adwer for our\u00adsel\u00adves, becau\u00adse the powerful meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis is reser\u00adved for fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus. As is now well known, meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis trans\u00adforms an ani\u00admal from the juve\u00adni\u00adle stage into adult\u00adhood, whe\u00adre it takes on a com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly new form and way of life. Paul uses the same word for the trans\u00adfor\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon of a fol\u00adlower of Jesus towards the per\u00adfec\u00adtion of God (Matthew 5:48).
\nOur ser\u00admon text today wants to show us who is actual\u00adly on the way on behalf of the Lord and what the iden\u00adti\u00adfy\u00ading marks are. In Luke 9:56\u201362 Jesus talks to three peo\u00adp\u00adle about the pri\u00adce of disci\u00adple\u00adship. Let\u2019s have a listen!
\nObs\u00adta\u00adcles to succession
\nMate\u00adri\u00adal comfort
\nThe first man imme\u00addia\u00adte\u00adly appli\u00ades hims\u00adelf to fol\u00adlow him, he was not cal\u00adled: \u00abAs they went along, Jesus was approa\u00adched by a man. \u00abI will fol\u00adlow you whe\u00adre\u00adver you go,\u00bb he said\u00bb (Luke 9:57 NG\u00dc<\/span>). This enthu\u00adsi\u00ada\u00adstic young man, may have been a fan of Jesus. And he pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly also expec\u00adted to be wel\u00adco\u00admed with open arms. Every new move\u00adment is gra\u00adteful for sym\u00adpa\u00adthisers! But Jesus responds very snub\u00adbin\u00adgly by rep\u00adly\u00ading, \u00abThe foxes have their den and the birds their nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest\u00bb (v.58 NG\u00dc<\/span>). What a poor canv\u00adas\u00adsing by Jesus. Ins\u00adtead of rejoi\u00adcing in the enthu\u00adsi\u00adasm, Jesus says, in effect, \u00abDo you actual\u00adly know what fol\u00adlo\u00adwing me means? It means lea\u00adving behind the com\u00adforts and advan\u00adta\u00adges of ordi\u00adna\u00adry life. Are you wil\u00adling to fol\u00adlow me, even if it means giving up things that most peo\u00adp\u00adle con\u00adsider their unbre\u00adaka\u00adble right to pos\u00adsess?\u00bb Jesus is on his way to Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem and at the end of that jour\u00adney sees his death on the cross. The who\u00adle earth\u00adly life of Jesus is descri\u00adbed in the Apos\u00adto\u00adlic Con\u00adfes\u00adsi\u00adon by the two words \u00absuf\u00adfe\u00adr\u00aded\u00bb and \u00abcru\u00adci\u00adfied\u00bb. No man can fol\u00adlow this Jesus by his own choice. \u00abNo one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him to me\u00bb (John 6:44 NL<\/span>). Enthu\u00adsi\u00adasm and self-initia\u00adti\u00adve are the\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre not enough for discipleship.
\nWe hear not\u00adhing more from this per\u00adson and must assu\u00adme that he was not pre\u00adpared to give up the ordi\u00adna\u00adry com\u00adforts of life to fol\u00adlow the Son of God.
\nThe pro\u00adfes\u00adsi\u00adon or an occupation
\n\u00abJesus said to ano\u00adther, \u00abFol\u00adlow me,\u00bb but he repli\u00aded, \u00abLord, allow me first to go home and attend to my father\u2019s buri\u00adal\u00bb \u00bb (v.59 NG\u00dc<\/span>). The second heard Christ\u2019s call to fol\u00adlow him. In a way he was rea\u00addy to do so, but he wan\u00adted to do some\u00adthing first. He wan\u00adted to go home and bury his father. That is a man of honour and I would pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly hap\u00adpi\u00adly agree with him. After all, it is also a law. \u00abLord, allow me first\u2026\u00bb In other words, \u00abLord, me first.\u00bb He did call Jesus \u00abLord\u00bb, but he put his own inte\u00adrests first. The word \u00abLord\u00bb and \u00abme first\u00bb are in com\u00adple\u00adte con\u00adtra\u00addic\u00adtion. Whe\u00adther the father was alre\u00ada\u00addy dead, or whe\u00adther the son wan\u00adted to stay at home until he died, it does not mat\u00adter \u2013 he allows hims\u00adelf to rank ano\u00adther thing hig\u00adher than Jesus\u00bb repu\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon. It is per\u00adfect\u00adly legi\u00adti\u00adma\u00adte and good to pay homage to one\u2019s dying or dead father, but if any\u00adthing or anyo\u00adne ranks hig\u00adher than Christ, then it beco\u00admes sin. Even the law of the Old Coven\u00adant must not come bet\u00adween Jesus and his fol\u00adlo\u00adwers. This man had other things to do \u2013 we could say a job or a task \u2013 and that kept him from following.
\n\u00abJesus repli\u00aded: \u00abLet the dead bury their dead. But you go and pro\u00adcla\u00adim the mes\u00adsa\u00adge of the king\u00addom of God!\u00bb \u00bb (V.60 NG\u00dc<\/span>). Now a per\u00adson wants to fol\u00adlow Him and Jesus only reacts impious\u00adly. The spi\u00adri\u00adtual\u00adly dead can bury the phy\u00adsi\u00adcal\u00adly dead, but they can\u00adnot preach the gos\u00adpel. A fol\u00adlower of Jesus should turn to life and help many peo\u00adp\u00adle to find real life, thus taking away the power of death. As in natu\u00adre: meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis crea\u00adtes a sexu\u00adal\u00adly matu\u00adre adult ani\u00admal that can multiply.
\nFami\u00adly and friends
\n\u00abAno\u00adther said, \u00abI want to fol\u00adlow you, Lord, but first allow me to say good\u00adbye to my fami\u00adly\u00bb \u00bb (v.61 NG\u00dc<\/span>). The third, who would like to fol\u00adlow Jesus, is simi\u00adlar to the first in that he approa\u00adched Jesus and wan\u00adted to fol\u00adlow him. He is simi\u00adlar to the second in that he too wants to \u00abfirst\u00bb say good\u00adbye to his fami\u00adly. In its\u00adelf, this inten\u00adti\u00adon was reasonable and good, but even nor\u00admal poli\u00adten\u00adess in ever\u00ady\u00adday life is wrong when it is pla\u00adced abo\u00adve imme\u00addia\u00adte and total obe\u00addience. In ano\u00adther pas\u00adsa\u00adge Jesus says: \u00abIf anyo\u00adne wants to come to me, he must put asi\u00adde ever\u00ady\u00adthing else \u2013 father and mother, wife and child\u00adren, brot\u00adhers and sis\u00adters, even his own life; other\u00adwi\u00adse he can\u00adnot be my disci\u00adple. Whoe\u00adver does not car\u00adry his cross and fol\u00adlow me on my way can\u00adnot be my disci\u00adple\u00bb (Luke 14:26f NG\u00dc<\/span>). It hap\u00adpens again and again that peo\u00adp\u00adle let fri\u00adends or fami\u00adly pre\u00advent them from radi\u00adcal disci\u00adple\u00adship. What do my par\u00adents, my col\u00adle\u00adagues at work or in the fire bri\u00adga\u00adde think? Espe\u00adci\u00adal\u00adly among per\u00adse\u00adcu\u00adted Chris\u00adti\u00adans, it is an often expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced sce\u00adna\u00adrio that fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus are disow\u00adned by their family.
\nJesus repli\u00aded: \u00abHe who puts his hand to the plough and then looks back is not fit for the king\u00addom of God\u00bb \u00bb (v.62 NG\u00dc<\/span>). Ploug\u00adhing is about dra\u00adwing a straight line to make use of the space in the field so that much grain can grow. You can\u00adnot turn around in this work, other\u00adwi\u00adse the fur\u00adrow will ine\u00advi\u00adta\u00adb\u00adly beco\u00adme croo\u00adked and croo\u00adked. Simi\u00adlar\u00adly, it does\u00adn\u2019t help to look into the distance. When ploug\u00adhing, I only have to have the small area in front of my feet in view, then one drawn line will har\u00admo\u00adnious\u00adly fol\u00adlow the other. When I fol\u00adlow Jesus, I must not look back, I must not cling to the past and mourn it, but look bold\u00adly forward.
\nThe reward of succession
\nSo we have now lear\u00adned the three main obs\u00adta\u00adcles to disci\u00adple\u00adship through the three men: Mate\u00adri\u00adal com\u00adfort, a pro\u00adfes\u00adsi\u00adon or occu\u00adpa\u00adti\u00adon, fami\u00adly and fri\u00adends. Jesus must be able to rule over the heart of man wit\u00adhout rivals. All other pre\u00adfe\u00adren\u00adces or lia\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adties must take second place. What this might look like is shown to us by Levi the tax coll\u00adec\u00adtor: \u00abAs he went along and pas\u00adsed by the cus\u00adtom house, he saw Levi sit\u00adting the\u00adre, the son of Alphae\u00adus. Jesus said to him, \u00abFol\u00adlow me!\u00bb So Levi got up and fol\u00adlo\u00adwed Jesus\u00bb (Mark 2:14 NG\u00dc<\/span>). We have lear\u00adned that no one can com\u00admend hims\u00adelf to fol\u00adlow Jesus. It is a moment of grace when Jesus calls a per\u00adson. Then we should defi\u00adni\u00adte\u00adly respond imme\u00addia\u00adte\u00adly and uncon\u00addi\u00adtio\u00adnal\u00adly! Here at the cus\u00adtoms a model case takes place: Jesus calls, Levi fol\u00adlows. The bridges are bur\u00adned and they sim\u00adply move for\u00adward. Levi acts com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly unre\u00adason\u00adab\u00adly. He does not sign up for a life pro\u00adgram\u00adme who\u00adse cur\u00adri\u00adcu\u00adlum he could stu\u00addy before\u00adhand. He does not affirm any phi\u00adlo\u00adso\u00adphy, does not give any intellec\u00adtu\u00adal con\u00adsent, and does not make any pro\u00adfes\u00adsi\u00adon of faith. Jesus says not\u00adhing about the con\u00adtent of disci\u00adple\u00adship, he pres\u00adents no goal or ide\u00adal. Sim\u00adply: Fol\u00adlow me, run after me! The\u00adre is only one reason for fol\u00adlo\u00adwing: Jesus Christ hims\u00adelf! It is he who calls. That is why the publi\u00adcan fol\u00adlows. The fact that Jesus is the Christ gives him aut\u00adho\u00adri\u00adty to call and to demand obe\u00addience. Jesus calls to disci\u00adple\u00adship, not as a tea\u00adcher and exam\u00adp\u00adle, but as the Christ, the Son of God. And as such he has a cla\u00adim on man.
\nA fol\u00adlower of Jesus is on a mis\u00adsi\u00adon from the Lord. A sym\u00adpa\u00adthiser seeks the bene\u00adfits of the Chris\u00adti\u00adan faith, but not disci\u00adple\u00adship. The\u00adre used to be a book or music club that had incre\u00addi\u00adbly attrac\u00adti\u00adve offers for mem\u00adbers only. I would have lik\u00aded to bene\u00adfit from it, but I did\u00adn\u2019t want to beco\u00adme a mem\u00adber becau\u00adse you had to pay an annu\u00adal fee. The ques\u00adti\u00adon that preoc\u00adcu\u00adp\u00adied me was: How can I pro\u00adfit from the\u00adse bene\u00adfits wit\u00adhout having to pay the mem\u00adber\u00adship fee? A sym\u00adpa\u00adthiser asks God this ques\u00adti\u00adon: How can I bene\u00adfit from your grace wit\u00adhout having to pay the pri\u00adce of discipleship?
\nDiet\u00adrich Bon\u00adhoef\u00adfer calls this \u00abcheap grace\u00bb. Many Chris\u00adti\u00adans want grace, but not disci\u00adple\u00adship. Cheap grace means grace as a sys\u00adtem, grace wit\u00adhout pri\u00adce, wit\u00adhout cost. That is the very essence of grace, that the bill is paid in advan\u00adce for all time. On the paid bill, ever\u00ady\u00adthing is to be had for free. The cos\u00adt\u00adly grace calls for disci\u00adple\u00adship. \u00abGrace it is, becau\u00adse it calls to the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing of Jesus Christ; cos\u00adt\u00adly it is, becau\u00adse it cos\u00adts a man his life.\u00bb But: We do not live towards dying, but die towards life.
\n 
\nWe are in a fun socie\u00adty whe\u00adre we often ask the ques\u00adti\u00adon, \u00abWhat\u2019s the point?\u00bb Wrong ques\u00adti\u00adon! Disci\u00adple\u00adship is about the call and cla\u00adim of the Son of God alo\u00adne, it is all about Him. Yet the\u00adre is a huge pro\u00admi\u00adse on disci\u00adple\u00adship: \u00abAnd ever\u00adyo\u00adne who lea\u00adves behind hou\u00adses, brot\u00adhers, sis\u00adters, father, mother, child\u00adren or fields for my name\u2019s sake will have ever\u00ady\u00adthing retur\u00adned to him a hundred\u00adfold and will recei\u00adve eter\u00adnal life\u00bb (Matthew 19:29 NG\u00dc<\/span>). Jesus does not want to make us toothl\u00adess or will-less reci\u00adpi\u00adents of orders, but rather to lead us more into the life in which we real\u00adly come ali\u00adve \u2013 name\u00adly, in one hundred per\u00adcent depen\u00addence on Him. A para\u00adsi\u00adte will never feel ali\u00adve wit\u00adhout a host. Peo\u00adp\u00adle who fol\u00adlow Jesus can be reco\u00adg\u00adnis\u00aded by the fact that they are more ali\u00adve than others \u2013 like vibra\u00adting strings on an instru\u00adment that sti\u00admu\u00adla\u00adte other strings to resonate.
\n 
\n 
\n 
\n 
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small groups
\nRead Bible text: Luke 9:57\u201362; Mark 2:14; Matthew 19:29<\/p>\n

\tHave you defi\u00adned a per\u00adso\u00adnal meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis goal for the year? What is it?
\n\tWhy does Jesus tre\u00adat the three fol\u00adlo\u00adwers so brusque\u00adly? What do you feel when you read the text?
\n\tWhy did Levi fol\u00adlow Jesus imme\u00addia\u00adte\u00adly upon his call? What is the natu\u00adre of discipleship?
\n\tWhat is the reward of discipleship?
\n\tWhat is stop\u00adping you from fol\u00adlo\u00adwing as uncon\u00addi\u00adtio\u00adnal\u00adly and cle\u00adar\u00adly as Levi did?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The envi\u00adron\u00adment in which a spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis (trans\u00adfor\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon of being) can hap\u00adpen is fol\u00adlo\u00adwing Jesus. Jesus sets the bar for disci\u00adple\u00adship very high and thus excludes all sym\u00adpa\u00adthisers. Neither mate\u00adri\u00adal com\u00adfort nor a job nor a pro\u00adfes\u00adsi\u00adon nor fami\u00adly or fri\u00adends may stand bet\u00adween Jesus and his fol\u00adlo\u00adwers. But \u2013 on disci\u00adple\u00adship lies a\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[72],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-metamorphose","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-3310","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"hentry","10":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t

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