Do you deserve the last brownie?

This evening our theme is counting the cost. Some of you might already have started to do that in the run up to Christmas. You might have started budgeting for it in Jan.  You might be one of those people who puts a little bit of money away every month so come this time of year you know how much you have or haven’t.

If your house was on fire who or what would you rescue first?

Who shows you the most love?

How do you know?

Fave cake?

Notting Hill Film Clip

I know you have seen this quite recently, I didn’t realize until today as I was telling Claire what we were doing this evening. My apologies but I want to draw out a very different issue than David did.

A group of people are gathered round a table, including a very famous actress, Anna Scott played by Julia Roberts her boyfriend, William, played by Hugh Grant and his friends including his sister, Honey.

Anyone deserve the last Brownie?

Are you the saddest act here?

It is interesting as they go around the 6 people sitting at the table they share something of themselves.  In fact it becomes something of a competition.  It is quite an intimate occasion and 5 out of the 6 people know each other well.  They are all comfortable sharing if they are the saddest act. They are have all shared apart from Ann, the film star and they all assume that she could not possibly be the saddest act. She is rich famous, and supposedly has it all, but in the intimacy of that shared meal, where she feels safe she tells a different story.

You see no matter how sad you think you are, and lets face it there are times when most of us think we are the saddest act around.  In fact some us spend a lot of time making it a competition to be the saddest act around.  God the Father says you can have the brownie, not because you are the saddest act, but because I know you, because I know you better than you know yourself.  You might think you are the saddest act around yet in my eyes you are wonderfully made.

13Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother’s womb.

14I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration—what a creation!

15You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

16Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

Psalm 139 13-16

There will always be brownie for you in God’s eyes.

Following Jesus amid preparations for Christmas

So who of you was able to hold up the weight for the
longest? Who is the strongest?

Can you imagine what it would be like having to carry a cross around with you
all day?

When it came to choosing a partner for the game what were your decisions based
on? Was it because the person was a friend? Was it because they were bigger and
stronger than you?

Did you argue with your partner whilst trying to win?

One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and
told them, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father,
mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be
my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t
be my disciple. “Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house,
doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete
it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going
to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started
something he couldn’t finish.’

“Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without
first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the
twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can’t, won’t he send
an emissary and work out a truce?

“Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether
plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.

“Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it’s useless, good for
nothing.

“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”

Luke 14:25-34 (The Message)

This parable talks about the cost of following Jesus. It is very hard hitting. We are called to
give Jesus first place in every part of our lives, in our relationships with
families, in our work, our time, and money.
This is what I suppose you might call total commitment.

If we try to do it our own strength we will get tired; a bit like trying to
hold up the weights at the start of the evening.

It can be an expensive time of year. Can you let go of yourself? Dare you trust yourself to Jesus?

Why not take some time to take stock before you start on the project that is
Christmas shopping or the Christmas list. Do you really need it? Why not turn to God not your credit card.

Who do you trust?

Might you join in with the plans that God has for you and give up your own.

The Beatles were right “Money can’t buy you love.” It is a gift, and somehow we seem to get it
confused,….

Following Jesus can be expensive. But the question is: which economy are you
living in?