A synopsis of the sermon delivered by the Rev. David L. Hicks at St. Paul’s Reformed Episcopal Church at the 10:30am service on Trinity IV, June 19, 2005. Please read St. Matthew 10:24-39.

Do you want to be like Jesus? That may seem like a silly question to ask a group of people in church. After all, is not that the whole point of being here? As the prayer book indicates, our very baptism points us to the need to be like Jesus – “Remembering that Baptism doth represent unto us our profession which is to follow the example of our Savior Christ…” All of this is well and good until we recall that the Jesus we endeavor to imitate is the Jesus who was crucified. In other words, there is more to being Christ-like that being patient, kind, loving, etc. Following Jesus’ example means sacrifice.

In St. Matthew, chapter ten, Jesus explains to his disciples that they are to expect the same sort of treatment that Jesus received because they are his followers. “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!” (Mt. 10:24-35). Jesus spoke, taught and lived the will of the Father, and this caused great consternation among the leaders, political and religious, of that time. In any age, God’s will eventually runs contrary to accepted human wisdom on some point and is opposed. This is true not only of larger institutions in society but also of the most basic structure of society, the family. It is for this reason that Jesus says, “A man’s foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” (Mt. 10:36-38).

Perhaps, at this point, some may reconsider the prospect of being like Jesus. Could it be that the cost is too high? It is not if we consider the benefits of being linked to Jesus Christ. As our Lord said, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. As St. Paul has said, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” 
Amen.