What Does it Mean to Claim or Seek Salvation? What is the cost we must bear if we are to seek God’s will whole heartedly?

Often during my holiday from school my husband will put me on the preaching schedule for our church. Yesterday he officiated the service and I preached.

Luke 14:25-35                    Proverbs 1:7-19                     Revelations 3:14-22

Last week Brother Santos shared with us how even Christians regard both money and salvation as two important concerns in our life. Today I would like us to focus on salvation and the cost we must be willing to bear if we truly claim that salvation.

Salvation is one of those things that everyone hopes to enjoy. We like the idea of spending eternity in peace without any concerns, problems, or challenges, but many people think that problems end when someone becomes a Christian; unfortunately that is not the case.

Most of us struggle in some way and we don’t like to remember that the road to salvation can be full of pot holes and gallops. When we see people struggling or being punished we want to assume that they have done something to deserve their challenges or punishment. In the Proverbs’ passage it talks about ill-gotten gain. When we see corruption around us it’s easy to judge harshly those that are caught. We are even happy when we see corruption uncovered and relieved if those caught are judged guilty. But what do we do when deceit and greed are hidden in people’s hearts and not uncovered? What when we do when we discover seeds of deceit or greed in our own hearts. What do we do when we find we are making our own plans and realize that the plans we have set our hearts on are not in accordance with God’s will? As with all increased understanding, the more we learn about God the more we are convicted by the law and will of God.

There may be someone we have set our hearts on marrying, or something we feel we must purchase, or a job or promotion that we feel we deserve and then as days pass things just don’t work out the way we expected and we begin to wonder why. We cry out, “It’s not fair!” but at some point we need to ask ourselves if we have brought our desire to God and asked Him if our will is also His will.

As hard as it may be, we have to realize that seeking God’s will and living in accordance with His will is a daily challenge. For most of us, the cost of being a disciple is that effort to daily seek His will in all that we do. In decisions big or small, in our home, work, school, when we are relaxing. In discussions with friends and choosing what to watch on TV or listen to in our car, we must consider God’s will. For some, the cost of following God is more than making daily sacrifices; often those we admire most have persevered in spite of great challenges.

Bearing the cost of being God’s disciple is not just about going to Sunday service or attending mid-week prayers, it’s about how we live our lives day in and day out. In Revelations we read about how God despises the lukewarm. This text is actually referring to the people of Laodicea. They were a wealthy people who enjoyed the benefits from their banking industry, wool manufacturing, and their medical school. Their main problem is that the town lacked a good water system. Their only water source was from a nearby hot springs so their water was always lukewarm, and lukewarm water is always disgusting.

The passage is not just speaking about water; as Christians, we understand how God can despise the cold – those that even we identify as living outside God’s will. We also admire and seek to be on fire for God. We strive to live boldly and to be seen as someone who walks closely with God and benefits from the blessings he showers upon His children. But how many of us are living as lukewarm Christians? The people of Laodicea thought their wealth was enough to get them by; God thought otherwise. 

The TV evangelists and preachers speak a lot about God’s blessings and imply that there is something wrong if we don’t have them. But God doesn’t promise us material gain.

But if truth be told, if we focus on the actual cost of seeking God’s salvation, we have to admit that it can be exhausting to seek God’s will. It is a challenge to both seek and submit to God’s will. I’ve said several times that living for Christ is hard and choosing the world’s way seems so much easier, but if we really desire God’s way and His kingdom, then we must be willing to accept the challenge. If we want to do well on our exams, we study hard. If we want to do well in competitions, we must train hard.

The rich feel they have worked hard for their wealth so they want to protect it. They build up their high walls and place a buffer, or protective barrier, between themselves and the poor. The rich seem to imply that they have so much that their wealth will solve all of life’s problems. They don’t need anyone else in their world, their wealth is enough.  But even the middle class have their walls. They may not be as high, but they still round our property and try to keep it safe from those outside and sometimes we all try going our own ways.

As Christians we strive to live in community without walls. The early Christians shared all that they had, but today we don’t want to have our desire to live in community with others be abused by those who do not hold to God’s will or uphold his standards. God promises His kingdom to those who accept his correction and discipline but overcoming and not submitting to all the world offers is really hard. We get angry when we feel the world is abusing our spirit of generosity. As a child, I was taught to “count to ten” when I was angry so that I could cool off before I said something I might regret. Today I use that time to pray for God’s guidance.

Praying for God’s guidance is practical advice for Christians, but we must take prayer seriously and realize that God calls us to put him before all that the world has to offer and sometimes that might even mean putting God’s will before the will of our parents or others that are important to us. God calls us to carry the cross; that cross can come in many forms, but basically means anything that comes between us and God’s will. Anything that threatens to separate us from God; I know I often fight a battle of wills with God. Sometimes His will is not what I expected and submitting to His will demands that I set my will, my desires, aside.; to do otherwise would be to sin.

In Luke 17:1-9, God admits that we will all face sin and cautions us to be ready. He also challenges us to forgive those who sin against us, just as he daily forgives us. Like the apostles we must cry out, “Increase our faith!”

We are comforted by the words of Luke 18:27 where Jesus clearly states that what is impossible for men is possible with God. Later, in verse 30, he promises that the payback for those who strive to live for God’s kingdom will be “to receive many more times as much in this age and the age to come.” Did you hear that, “this age and in the age to come.”

God promises that the cost is worth the payback. It’s hard not knowing when that payback will come, we all hope and pray it will come in time for us to enjoy it. But while we wait, we can take comfort in knowing God promises us heaven on earth (Luke 17:21). He says that the kingdom of God is neither here nor there, but within you, within us.

I think God provides us glimmers of His eternal kingdom throughout our lives; if only we look closely every day to notice them. A child’s hug, a girlfriend or boyfriend’s special look, a teacher’s “Good job!” a boss’ “well done!”, a spouses’ love and thankfulness, a teenager’s words of appreciation, the knowledge that we gave our all on the sports field or in a presentation. The realization that God provides our daily needs and more should bring us contentment.

As humans we always want more, but we are encouraged to live a contended life and must decide if the cost is worth the call.

I believe God understands our struggles; didn’t he struggle on the cross at Calvary? I also believe that God will provide us with the courage and ability to meet the tasks he puts before us, but daily we find that trust tested and daily we must submit to the willingness to seek salvation first. One thing about courage; it develops in times of war or tragedy. By the grace of God we will one day meet him and hear him say, “Well done good and faithful servant. The kingdom of God is at hand. Enjoy!” Grace is something Lutherans know well; without it we will always fall short.

May we together strive to seek His will and may we daily find ways to encourage and strengthen each other so we might meet in his kingdom one day and find the door open.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says.”