High Cost
This week in church we are started a nine week study on discipleship via Dietrich Bonheoffer’s book, The Cost of Discipleship. I read this book back in 8th grade and had a difficult time grasping what he was saying, but after many years I’m sure it will be a more rewarding experience. Anyways… On Sunday, Pastor Dave’s sermon focused on cheap grace vs. costly grace. To highlight the point of costly grace, P.D. used the following verse:
Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you. Matthew 7:6
This verse has never made much sense to me. After hearing the sermon, however, it is beginning to take root!
I must confess and ask for forgiveness for those in my 20-somethings generation… We’ve taken so much for granted. I know we shouldn’t blame circumstances… But (as so many like to point out) we’ve had so much provided for us. We haven’t had to struggle for much. Things aren’t nearly as rough on the home-front here in the U.S. as they were in the past (in some ways).
So naturally with being surrounded by an abundance of everything, we’re going to take a lot of it for granted.
It’s unfortunate that that also applies to God’s grace.
We take grace lightly because we fail to count the cost. We take our freedom lightly because it’s hard for us to grasp the price so many before us paid to protect us. We take our parents lightly because we don’t understand the sacrifices they have made in raising us. Forgive us all, Lord.
When we count the cost, there arises a deep-seated gratitude that erupts into a desire to pour forth and give back.
Grace has so many different facets. A baseline fact is that one of the results of Jesus laying down His all is for us to be covered in God’s grace. Let’s briefly think about this… Jesus, after being in heaven for who knows how many years, came to us in the form of a baby. He left the glory of God in heaven and came to us in flesh. Now I’ve heard near-death encounters of people having glimpses of heaven and not wanting to return to earth. Imagine what it would be like to have been in heaven, then coming down here to live for a period of time! He walked on this earth and grew as all of us have. Around the age of thirty His ministry began and I’m sure most of us know the story of His suffering, death, burial, and resurrection.
What about the hours before the crucifixion? In His suffering, Christ’s friends abandoned Him. Life feels empty and lonely without friends. I can’t imagine going through the worst possible time and having your friends fall asleep and run from you. Ouch. Jesus was scorned, mocked, and beaten. Try putting yourself in His shoes. See what it feels like. Yet He silently stood strong out of love. Then the whipping. The crown of thorns? How about the nails in the wrists and feet? Oh, and don’t forget about being displayed on a cross for all to see. At this point Christ is marred beyond recognition and has a spear stuck in His side. Death. Then came the glorious resurrection!
This all happened that we would have life as lived by grace.
Failing to keep in mind Christ as risen from the grave causes grace to be cheap. We lightly come back for more and don’t hold it as the precious, wonderful gift that Christ died in order to give us.
I pray that God would open up all of our eyes to understand the high price Jesus paid for us. From seeing this in a deeper, more meaningful manner, I believe that our hearts will be so riveted and moved to display our gratitude in a unique manner. Maybe you’ll write a song about it. Maybe you’ll just get on your knees in thankfulness to God. Maybe you’ll offer it to someone else who desperately needs some grace. Either way these are all expressions of our gratitude to our Creator.
God, please help us to count the cost of the cross, of the price Jesus paid for us. Just as we would hold a valuable treasure with the utmost care and consideration, help us to hold the grace You have blessed with in the same manner. May the wonder of Your sacrifice be truly felt in our hearts, so that we might feel and share in the immense power. In Jesus’ wonderful name. Amen.
