Proper 18 C

“Hate” is the Gospel of the Lord?

St. Luke 14:25-35

8 September 2013 – Redeemer

Luke1425 Proper 18 C 2013 Hate is the Gospel of the Lord

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Hate is not a good word in the English language. In the United States hate is a crime. No righteous parent or teacher would ever teach a child to hate. And therefore the word of Jesus in today’s text is a tough word, not only because it calls for hate, but it calls us to hate the very people we are commanded and by nature obliged to love.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

Now some smart liberal Bible critic could argue that here we have evidence that the Bible cannot be God’s Word because it disagrees with itself. The Fourth Commandment says, “Honor your father and mother.” In Ephesians 5 St. Paul tells husbands to “love your wives” but here Jesus say, “hate father, mother, wife, children, etc.”

One of the first rules of interpreting a Bible passage is to let Scripture interpret Scripture. So what are we to do with this word “hate”? We listen to the rest of God’s Word, believing that God does not and cannot contradict Himself – otherwise He would not be the God of truth.

We listen to Saint Matthew who recorded very similar words of Jesus in his Gospel, “ “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (10:37) Here Jesus demands that you regard Christ of greater worth than the most important gifts He has given you on earth – your family. Some other verses that help explain what “hate” means are found in the Old Testament. In one instance the word “hate” is ascribed to the Lord Himself when He says “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” Here the word love and hate indicate the Lord choosing one brother over the other. The Lord chose Jacob over Esau to be the brother through whom the blessing of Christ would come. This same word “hate” is used of Jacob toward one of his wives. You might remember from Sunday School that Jacob loved Rachel and worked for seven years to marry her, but on the wedding night his deceptive uncle Laban sent Leah into the wedding tent. Jacob worked another seven years until he married his true love Rachel. At the end of Genesis 29 Moses tells us that Jacob hated Leah, yet Jacob did not divorce her. Jacob had four children with Leah. This Greek Word that comes into English as “hate” does not mean to “treat with cruelty or condemnation.” It means to disfavor, to devalue, and is used in places as a word of contrast to placing love and value on something else. And that is exactly what Jesus Himself says in Matthew – whoever loves father or mother more than me.

Although this illustration is somewhat weak consider the following statement. I hate humidity. What does the word “hate” mean there? I don’t go out and raise my fist to God and stomp around all day cussing and swearing about the humidity. It means that I love low dew points, temperatures in the mid to high 70s, and a slight breeze to take away the bugs. “Hate” in that sentence doesn’t mean emotional anger or retribution. It isn’t sinful. It simply means I value cooler, crisper temperatures.

God isn’t speaking out of both sides of His mouth. What Jesus is asking of you with “hate” is exactly what He asks you in the rest of the text – if you would come after Me you must also regard your own life as far less than mine, in fact, as nothing before me. As a believer you are to walk through life under My cross and following after Me.

Now that interpretation may have taken the sting and sin out of “hate,” but that doesn’t make Christ’s call to us easier. These words demand a great price for faith. You can see your wife or husband. She can comfort you. He can care for you. You can teach your children and raise them and they can return to you great joy and pride and a sense of accomplishment. And who among us doesn’t love our own lives? If I am honest I must confess that I love my life most of all – I love me, I think well of me, and usually if it comes down to me or you I’m going with me. That is the sad and shameful reality of being a sinful selfish sinner. Lord, have mercy on me and you.

In many Bibles this text has been given the title, “The Cost of Discipleship.” And that title is drawn from the words found in the middle of the text. “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” What sort of answer do you think Jesus is expecting from His question? Is Jesus expecting you to say, “Yes Lord, I can do it. I’ve counted the cost and I can pay it. I hate my wife, my children, and my own life.” And if that is the answer Jesus is expecting can you pay the cost?

That answer is “no.” Jesus tells us that’s the answer He expects. He describes a King getting ready to wage war, examining his troops and realizing his enemy comes with twice the force that he has. What does the King do? He seeks mercy. He cannot win the battle so he puts himself under his opponent, bows before him, and say, “My Lord, have mercy.” “So therefore, anyone of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

As we begin anew another year of Christian education at Redeemer we must remember that there is one and only one true subject that is taught at Redeemer – Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The Sunday School lessons, stories from God’s Word, Bible Study, Sermons, Catechesis hold one central subject before us – Jesus Christ died for sinners and you qualify.

The cost of being God’s child and a follower of Jesus. It’s out of your budget. It’s above your pay grade. You cannot do it and if you try you will be put to shame for all eternity. The cost of your discipleship is paid by Christ.

Christ hated His place in heaven. He hated His Father and his mother. He hated His own life. And I mean “hate” in the sense it is used in this text. He choose you, valued you, desired your life more than His Father’s love. Jesus on the cross chose to take upon Himself His Father’s hatred for your sins. Jesus chose to cause His mom sorrow and pain so that He could give her and you rejoicing and delight in heaven. Jesus chose to give up His own life – to deny every natural human inclination to life. He didn’t flee from the authorities, didn’t burst the chains, didn’t call down a legion of special op angels to wipe out the Roman centurions who nailed Him to the cross. He took up His cross and led the way through the valley of the shadow of death into the green pastures of God’s heavenly kingdom. He counted the cost and He knew that He alone could build the Kingdom. He declared the work done, the cost paid, your salvation purchased when He said, “It is finished” and gave up His Spirit.

You wouldn’t think “hate” could be the Gospel of the Lord, good news for us, but hate is exactly what Jesus did. He hated what was rightfully His, He chose to be sin for us, He chose to leave Father and mother, He denied Himself – hating His own life to pay the cost of your forgiveness, life, and salvation. As strange at it sounds by His hate He loves you – and that can only be understood by His Word. No wonder He says, “He who has hears to hear, let him hear.” You will get quite an education in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Pr. Bruce Timm

7 September 2013 anno Domini