Stepping into the Unknown
Confirmation: The Cost of Discipleship
January 29, 2023
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A
St. Stephen’s UMC, Burke, VA
Luke 14:25–33 (NRSVUE)*
*A Sermon Series on Confirmation
I love describing our Christian discipleship as a journey. Being a Christian — or as we call it, a disciple — means being on a lifelong journey from Point A to Point B. It’s a journey from darkness to light, from old life to new life, from captivity to freedom, from brokenness to wholeness, from sinfulness to holiness, from loneliness to community, from damnation to salvation, and so on.
Being on a journey, in general, means we are constantly on the move. Travelers, pilgrims, adventurers — these are the names we give to people on the move. If you’ve ever traveled, you know that being on a journey involves stepping into the unknown — anticipating and embracing all the ups and downs along the way. In some sense, a journey requires leaving our comfort zone. And leaving our comfort zone is often uncomfortable and exhausting.
When I was in my early 20s, my parents planned a family vacation to Banff National Park in Canada. Their itinerary for my sister and me was based on three assumptions. First, we didn’t know when we’d have another family trip like this. Second, we didn’t know if we’d ever visit Banff again in our lifetime. And third, everything there would be expensive and overpriced. So, they planned a trip that ran from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, covering all the popular sights, landmarks, attractions, and trails in just five days — all in the most frugal way possible.
To me, each day felt like a boot camp — harder than any training camp I had ever attended as a student-athlete. So, guess what I did? I did what every child — and adult child — would do. “Ugh, I want to go home.” I complained, grumbled, and resisted, which, of course, angered my parents.
In hindsight, how childish it was of me to complain when the breathtaking beauty of nature surrounded me. But isn’t that what we humans often do when we step out of our comfort zones and journey into the unknown? We miss home, we long to return to familiar places where we feel secure and certain. We yearn to go back to the good old days, letting nostalgia cloud our ability to embrace the wonder before us.
We are very much like the Israelites traveling with Moses from Egypt to the Promised Land, who, too, complained, grumbled, and resisted, saying, “Ugh, we’d rather go back to Egypt” (Exodus 14:12). Even though their comfort zone was a place of captivity, the familiarity of Egypt gave them a false sense of security and certainty.
This is what we humans often do — cling to the familiar, even when it holds us back.
Again, I call our Christian discipleship a journey because we are called to follow Jesus Christ from Point A to Point B, from the wilderness to the kingdom of God. The action verb “following” emphasizes that we are people on the move — travelers, pilgrims, and adventurers — constantly thrusting ourselves into the unknown. Why? Because following Jesus means pursuing the will of God, which is beyond our understanding, and entering the kingdom of God, which surpasses our wildest imaginations.
In today’s scripture from Luke, Jesus himself was on a journey — from Galilee to Jerusalem. The crowds and disciples followed him, imagining a triumphant parade where Jesus would overthrow the government and establish his kingdom. But as we know, Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem was more of a walk to the gallows— he was heading toward suffering and death on the cross.
This stark disconnect between the people’s expectations and Jesus’ true destination highlights a key truth: while they anticipated a journey toward security, Jesus was leading them into the unknown. Perhaps this is why Jesus challenges the crowds so directly in today’s passage, essentially asking:
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
First, this is what Jesus says in verse 26: “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.” Most scholars agree that the word “hate” here is hyperbolic and should be understood comparatively. In this context, to “hate” means to love less, to value infinitely less, or to detach ourselves from these things.
This verse is often interpreted as a call to prioritize Jesus above our families. However, it can also be understood as an invitation to turn away from our comfort zones, which family often represents — whether that comfort is healthy or toxic. To be Jesus’ disciple means detaching ourselves from whatever keeps us in a place of familiarity, whether it’s loyalty to family, established patterns of life, or possessions, as Jesus notes later in verse 33. In other words, discipleship is about stepping into the unknown, wherever Jesus leads.
Jesus then continues in verse 27: “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Leaving our comfort zone is equated with carrying the cross and following Jesus. This “carrying the cross” foreshadows Jesus’ own journey to crucifixion. It’s not just a call to sacrifice but also an invitation to embrace a life full of unpredictable surprises. Who would have imagined that the cross, an instrument of punishment and torture, would become the ultimate symbol of God’s unconditional love? Who would have thought that death on a cross would lead to resurrection and eternal life?
Leaving our comfort zones means stepping into a life full of surprises, both challenging and transformative. It means entering the abundant life that God has prepared for us. It means letting go of absolute certainty and embracing the divine mystery of God’s kingdom. Walking this journey from Point A to Point B is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.
Finally, Jesus offers two parables to the crowds. The first is about a builder who should only begin construction after calculating what it will take to complete the tower. The second is about a king who must consider the cost and challenges before waging war against another kingdom. Whether you are a laborer or royalty, no one commits to a significant, long-term endeavor without considering the cost, the challenges, and the final outcome.
This principle applies to all of us as disciples. We must understand what we are committing to before embarking on this lifelong journey of following Jesus. Discipleship is not a casual decision but a deliberate, all-encompassing commitment to walking the path Jesus sets before us.
Confirmation
Starting today, we embark on a new journey with nine students who are beginning their confirmation and baptism class. At the end of May, they will face the same question Jesus asked the crowds: “Are you sure you want to do this?”
These nine young students — whether baptized as infants or not — have walked their journey so far under their parents’ wings and with the support of our congregation. Now, through this four-month class, they are being invited to make the decision for themselves. They will, I hope, take time to thoughtfully consider the cost, the challenges, and the ultimate outcome of this journey.
The cost is not their Sunday mornings. The cost is not their attendance at church events. The cost is not their future tithes. This is not a commitment to a country club, a self-help group, or even a subscription service. It is a commitment to a journey as a way of life. The cost is their promise to step out of their comfort zones daily to pursue their God-given calling, passion, mission, and commandment.
In a world that idolizes the certainty and security of family, possessions, and wealth, this journey into divine mystery is not only countercultural but also deeply subversive. It creates tension — not just within our own desires and life choices but also with the status quo and the powers and principalities that oppose God’s will (Eph 6:12). These are the internal and external forces that cling to us, seeking to hold us in the safety of our comfort zones.
And what is the final outcome? It is the kingdom of God. This discipleship is a journey full of surprises — both exhilarating and challenging. What we profess is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, walks with us every step of the way through the power of the Holy Spirit. We also commit to sharing this good news with one another as the church, walking this journey together as a community. We are called to invite, equip, serve, and love one another, just as Jesus preached and exemplified.
Ultimately, the destination of this communal journey is the kingdom of God in heaven. Yet, along the way, the very caravan of travelers becomes the kingdom of God on earth. Together, we embody and reflect God’s kingdom in the here and now as we continue this journey of faith.
A Great Cloud of Witnesses
When the first disciples decided to follow Jesus at his invitation, they had no idea they would one day start a church without him, nor did they anticipate that their church would include both Jews and Gentiles. Yet, they continued to step out of their comfort zones and follow where the Spirit led them. And like those disciples, I want to say: so did we.
Think about the time when you made the decision for yourself — whether as a student or an adult — to be baptized and confirmed. Like the first disciples, we had no idea what discipleship would truly entail. Hasn’t it been a wild adventure, full of surprises both exhilarating and challenging? Hasn’t it shattered the expectations and imaginations we first carried? Even reflecting on the past three years, we’ve witnessed dramatic changes in our life circumstances and society, yet we pivoted, improvised, and persisted. Our patterns of prayer, worship, and service have evolved and adapted. And despite our frequent complaints, grumblings, and resistance — even our moments of saying, “Ugh, I want to go back” — we have found ways to continue following Christ, ultimately witnessing the grandeur of God’s amazing grace.
Discipleship is not a commitment to a set program; it is a commitment to a journey. And what I call a journey, the Apostle Paul calls a race. As it is written in Hebrews 12:1–2:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
We have been running this race thanks to the great cloud of witnesses who came before us. And now, I encourage you, ask you, and plead with you to continue running this race with perseverance, so that we too may serve as a great cloud of witnesses for the next generation — including our nine confirmands, who begin preparing for their journey today.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Rev. Minoo Kim is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, currently serving in the Virginia Annual Conference. Follow his Medium publication to receive his latest sermons or check out his website minoowkim.com for his latest content. Peace!
