Vintage

     Several years ago, while visiting the Henson-Robinson zoo in Springfield, Illinois, Justin was attracted to the beautiful peacock.  As he approached this beautiful bird, it turned on him, an in an instant startled him with a scream that drives all around it away, holding their ears!  How could such an awful, ugly, horrendous sound come from such a beautiful bird?  That sound may just surpass the sound of "nails on a chalkboard" as the most annoying sound on the planet!  Recently, while reading a book by G.Campbell Morgan, the famous expositor of yesteryear, friend to D.L. Moody, Charles Spurgeon, F.B. Meyer, and other evangelical giants of the faith, I came across a statement of Jesus' that was just about as startling as the "screech of a peacock".  Morgan puts that statement in context as he writes,

     "His face being set toward Jerusalem on His final journey, the people got up from where they were waiting, and moved after Him.  Luke tells us He turned, and facing the crowd of people that were eager to follow Him, loving to be with Him, wanting to hear anything He might have to say, most keen to see any work He might work, He uttered the terms of discipleship, the most searching and severe that ever fell from His lips...He told that listening crowd, attracted to Him, eager to follow Him, desiring in some way to be identified with Him, that it was impossible for any man to be His disciple unless that man should put His, (Jesus'), claims above the highest and holiest and best things of earthly life and relationships...He speaks of hating father, mother, wife, child, brother, sister, and even self.  He is not saying that the necessity of discipleship is malice in the heart against such.  He is simply indicating...if the hour should ever come when there is a conflict between loyalty to Him, and these high loves, then these high loves are to be trampled underfoot!"  Morgan then adds, "when I read those words, I can't help but wonder, every time, am I a disciple of His at all?"  Those startling words of Jesus are then followed by two parables about "counting the cost".  A builder must first count the cost to see if he has resources enough to complete the project.  The king contemplating war, must count both the quantity and quality of his own troops, compared to those of his opponent, to determine whether to engage in battle, or seek peace!  Those words are usually interpreted to mean that Jesus wanted anyone to "count the cost" before choosing to follow Him. 

     Morgan brings out a point here that I had never, in all my years of Bible study, had ever seen before.  He said, "Jesus was not telling his disciples to count the cost.  He never told men to count the cost.  They were to follow Him at all costs!...if your hand offend you, cut if off.  If your eye cause you to stumble, gouge it out!  What did He mean?  HE MEANT THAT HE, (JESUS), MUST COUNT THE COST.  HE WAS THE BUILDER.  HE WAS THE WARRIOR...it was as if He was saying, 'you are protesting in your heart against the severity of my terms.  Do you not understand me?  I want men and women, as my disciples who will stand by me until the building is done, and until the fight is won!'  You see Jesus was about His Father's business.  He came into the world for building His Church.  Because there was opposition to Him, and His Church, that building must involve battling as well!  Jesus told His disciples that there was no neutrality for any of his disciples.  He said, "if you do not gather with me, you scatter!"(Luke 11:23).  No sidelines with Him.  No fence straddling with Him.  He also said, "I came not to bring peace, but a sword," (Matt. 10:34).  Those who would be welcomed to be His disciples, were only those who would pick up the "trowel and sword".  Charles Haddon Spurgeon used to print a magazine called "the Sword and the Trowel".  He picked the idea up from the Book of Nehemiah.  As Nehemiah led the people of God into the Holy work of rebuilding the city of God, their building turned to battling.  The only way they successfully accomplished their mission was to pursue the work with the trowel in one hand, and the sword in the other.