Count the Cost: Part 1

The Salvation Army you're listening to wonderful words of life. Welcome back to one of the wars of life are glad that you're here and we hope that you're enjoying our special guest Capt. Jimmy Taylor welcome Jimmy think that me back. We have a lot going on.

We just celebrated Valentine's Day.

Can we tell our listeners what you did for your your Valentine yes so Bernie, hinted at it, but my wife that her love language is Chick-fil-A. I know that sounds like what this guy but she loves AAA so we are able to take her out and without the kids and just have a nice lunch just the two of us in a busy AAA but also mean some door.

Now I know that a lot of our listeners are from North America here in the United States, Canada, when we got some listeners around the world and all I can say to you is if you have never experienced Chick-fil-A. Let me explain it to you without shamelessly advertising for them that Chick-fil-A is made by people who love Jesus and they did not invent the chicken but the answer chicken sandwich strips made by Angels are here and we are grateful for them. Here it is the home of Chick-fil-A here in Atlanta and that one day if they're looking for sponsorship opportunities. We we hope that they'll underwrite wonderful words of life is will this week in our series, the least of these.

Rob and Heather begin discussing the cost associated with ministry and mission is a great quote that says salvation is free. But discipleship will cost you everything. Ultimately, we need to be aware that following Jesus and being his hands and feet in this world will cost us something that's a part of carrying each other's burdens, I think there Jimmy, do you have stories where you may be offered some hands and feet and the sensor came alongside someone to help it cost you more than you might've expected you think we all have the experience of where you you've tried to help somebody and then to your expectation of what they would be experiencing with your letdown. You thought your transforming their life and they didn't materialize into that but I can think of is one specific. Not too long ago we were doing some helping this person. They were homeless. They need a place for the night and we were trying to accommodate them wouldn't have anywhere to put them in so I will my personal credit card we put them in a hotel and I don't advise anyone doing this, but we put them in a hotel room for the night and we went back the next day to check on him with bringing some breakfast and just wish them well and when I got there. The door was open and the room was destroyed.

There was drugs that were left in the room and the hotel manager was just waiting for me. Of course, to arrive and on they did over almost $1000 worth of damage to this this hotel room and I was devastated $1000 but to that my trust was betrayed and I'm trying to do something amazing for this person in my mind and the Psalm repaid and able to work it out with the hotel manager. I didn't have to pay all of the database. Some, but you know I had to flip the way I thought ministry is messy Christianity is, is difficult, and not everyone is at a point to that they want to receive that and we have to come without understanding that we set our expectations that we are going to save the world.

Every single time we will be let down.

Yeah but it doesn't mean you stop trying yeah and you know, we continue will continue to serve people here diminish the people, and I anticipate in my life. There will be more times or let down and there's other stories to that or maybe have a better ending in in my case, someone open their home to me and let me stay with them while we were at my wife and I were in transition, moving to Atlanta and I had a place to stay for almost 2 months, but you know because of that we were able to save some money were able to find a place that we could call home and then we've done the same thing for many people that have come through town, or maybe transitioning from college into their professional lives and you just never know how that can really help someone, particularly in transition, but note at the end of the day what were hoping is that you'll just notice people in your ability to be present and in your community wherever you serve.

When we say the least of these, we mean that every person that you look at is is in a sense, Jesus, and that you would treat them as such.

Evens with just a loving glance or a hug or an a be a more practical way, and if there's a Salvation Army in your community. I guarantee there are people there that are willing to come alongside your your desire to help people, particularly with the idea of soup soap and salvation shall be encouraged this week by the message and come back and join us next week so we can discuss this a little bit more again this week as we discussed counting the cost. Specifically looking at Scripture from our chapter 5 we can all agree Jesus is the one who paid the cost like the ultimate cost absolutely no questions asked about the cost to ministry Billy Graham once famously said salvation is free. But discipleship will cost you everything the first time I heard that from a very wise mentor and rub me the wrong way because I didn't want it to be too hard want this life following Jesus to be too heavy and weighty because I felt like life I had left behind some scorched land that lonely of living had been heavy, but this is different because Jesus doesn't ask me to bear this way or this cost alone.

He says come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take your take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

When he says that he sank straight. Now it's going to be hard. This can be challenges, but you're not alone. If you will connect to me, the part of 19 and allow me to leave our site way to navigate when I want you to do in the world. There is a cost to doing this ministry looking to Scripture Mark chapter 5 we see Jesus restoring a demon possessed man right so were confronted with the story were Jesus and this is just good to know.

Right after he calms the storm surge kinda coming up this pretty intense day and evening and then just kind moves right into the next day, and as he's crossing the lake to the other side. Of course he is runs into this guy who Scripture says he's demon possessed. The sky that's in torment and as we read this the evil spirit came out from the tombs of the skies hanging out in the tombs right hanging out in the same man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained even with the chain's pride that is says when ever he was put into chains and shackles as he often was, he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him to this guys overtaken by this torment in his life where there's nothing anyone else can do anymore like they've done everything that he just forced to go and you just gotta kinda hang out in the graveyard. In these caves in these tombs and you can come near anyone just get get out of the village and then comes Jesus because the villagers had done everything they knew to do and he comes in and of themselves, and you and I both know the years we spent in ministry to people who are experiencing addiction. Quite often we have conversations with family members and spouses and spirits community about that person they are bringing in for treatment like we just don't know what else to do and I'm some kind.

I think that the military gets a bad rap because they didn't day. Given the guy out in chain and then ostracized him and would like to call but the truth is like having someone in your midst like it sounds to me this is not the kind of fella that you want volunteering in the in the nursery at the Sunday school one would think, in healthy functioning community. They tried everything that they thought of trying already to help right so then comes Jesus right and I love that with says that even when Jesus was a far distance away. The guy recognized him laugh right and then as Jesus approaches. Of course he has this encounter with Jesus and not that torment inside and that depression does demons that he was battling.

How are confronted with the son of the living God.

That's right they really are and that you know you are feeling that the story you know what happens next is like this crazy conversation with the guy and with his demons. The demons themselves and not being flying into this herd of pain that was nearby which you know I mean I did not grow up on a farm.

I do not know about things, but I just know that that herd of pigs would've represented community wealth because they would have food.

They would use that sustenance. They would he's for lots of things and so you got this whole field page and you got to his job to earn it's their job to attenda day like no other day because they are safe space hanging out with the pigs had become unsafe space hunting rifle.

Jesus shows up and he's a disruptive force the situation right and drops this darkness. He interrupts the torment in the sky.

Life in this guys begging which is likely Jesus this thing in me. This thing in me that is separating me from my community for my family that's tearing me apart. Would you make it go far away would you quit you get out of me and make it go far away so he sends his spirit driven Montagnais write down any the end of the cliff and all that is a lot for me to what is the pigs freak out. They run off and he can't wait to go back and reported in town about what has just happened so they do it all and all of the countryside and what happened as soon there's a crowd crowd gathered around.

Sometimes there there. You know, honor Christ. Sometimes the push of a cliff right which is really missing point in his ministry. He was not concerned about impressing people pleasing people. He knew that his work was to do the will of the father right and then there's this moment were I think maybe they had to count the cost right because these folks are pig farmers, but we understand the principle here as well that when we see someone come at a great darkness and restored into community there. There's a cost right which is so interesting because if fella being delivered is linked.

Candidates taking with you like the celebration Scripture is silent on but it was in celebration of life celebration about the miracle is taken place because everyone is so shocked at what has now meant for the community like a real thing. So maybe we don't have in our part of the world like herds of pigs as our livelihood, but there are times in ministry where I when Jesus shows up and brings restoration on everyone doesn't get to stay comfortable right it disrupts our kind of church community that were all kinda used to uncomfortable in the Salvation Army's mission doing the most good. Helping people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army visit Salvation Army USA.org to offer your support and we would love to hear from you. Email us at radio@uss.salvationarmy.org or call 1-800-229-9965 or write us at PO Box 29972, Atlanta, GA 30359 when you contact us will send you our gift for this series is totally free for listeners like you, one per household, while supplies last.

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