Jesus certainly cannot be accused of using a “soft sell” approach when it comes to calling folks to discipleship. While salespeople are taught to extol the good points, ignore the bad points, and wait until you have your customer hooked before you deliver the price to them, Jesus comes out with the price right up front. And it is steep. Jesus doesn’t offer us a sign-and-drive option to follow him. He tells us this is going to be a costly adventure and we better be willing to ante up if we are going to join. The cost? Everything. Family, friends, comfort, and even our own lives are to be offered up for this chance to follow Jesus on the way into the reign of God. That certainly makes it easy for those of us in congregations and denominations of declining memberships! That should have them f…