Embracing A Life Of Sacrifice

EMBRACING A LIFE OF SACRIFICE

March 16, 2008 Jay Davis Robison MARK 10:32-34

What are you willing to Give Up?

If you are like most giving up is not a very comfortable feeling

May see it as defeat as when bully holds you down says Ya give?

Giving up may be seen as loss or resignation

Submission is not a very comfortable thought either

Today consider Jesus giving himself up for us

Mark 8:31 and 9:31 Jesus predicted his death this is 3rd time

Jesus was not CRUCIFIED BY ACCIDENT HE EMBRACED IT

As he talks in Mark 10 Jesus tells about a death sentence

He appears to be active in bringing to pass his own destiny.

He walks ahead toward Jerusalem where he anticipated death

Since Jesus predicted death it is not meaningless accident of history Jesus saw his fate as part of God’s mysterious plan went to meet it. Jesus was embracing a life of sacrifice

Every great accomplishment & benefit in life comes with sacrifice We take for granted freedom to worship, from great sacrifice Our parents and those who cared for us sacrificed much for us If you have been in higher education great sacrifice Look at embracing a life of sacrifice

1. Be AMAZED and AFRAID

Throughout Mark people respond to Jesus w\amazement & fear. Amazed when Jesus healed a man who could not walk or When talked about easier for a camel to pass through eye of a needle than for a wealthy person to enter the Kingdom of God.

Afraid when he healed a man who had been possessed by a demon Disciples were afraid when Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus, and we are told that their fear left them speechless. People amazed by what Jesus did & said because he challenged much of what they took for granted & afraid of power he had.

Mark says the same now Jesus on way to Jerusalem

Palm Sunday greeting which will end on a cross

Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed.

And as they followed they were afraid. Vs 32 NKJV

Mark joins two emotional responses to Jesus Amazed=SUDDEN SURPRISE, WONDER, ASTONISHMENT Afraid=IMPRESSED WITH FEAR OR APPREHENSION almost love-hate relationship w\Jesus but we have that don’t we?

When we come to newfound spiritual truths we become amazed Amazed that God actually spoke to us & showed us his will. We are amazed his will & plans include us. Stepping out in faith has a kind of romantic appeal its exciting However, as time goes by we come to grips w\challenges we face we become afraid because we can’t do all Jesus asks of us. Afraid because faith means we don’t have all the answers Many times fear causes us to stop dead in our tracks

It’s no fun following someone who scares you. Lloyd Ogilvie notes there are 366 in the Bible – one for every day of the year & even leap years! Ortberg questions why Bible offers so many “fear not” charges. “Fear is the #1 reason human beings are tempted to avoid doing what God asks them to do. Fear is #1 reason why people refuse to get out of the boat. So we need this command all the time.”

We stand today amazed by the dreams and visions God has for us What could God do in your life? How could you grow be changed? But also afraid because we don’t see any way for them to come true outside of God

To be Amazed and Afraid is a mixture of hope and fear.

Brent Landau

We recall times in our lives when feel God very present.

But we also stands on the threshold of new, uncharted territory, a future which is hazy & uncertain. So we are “amazed and afraid.” Part of worship is to call us in fear to move toward amazing God

2. A life of sacrifice imposes GREAT COSTS

Jesus described in detail what they were up against what coming I wonder if he then proceeded to say that they would be just fine. After all if anything happened to anyone in Jerusalem, couldn’t Jesus quickly heal them or if needed, bring them back to life?

Yet Jesus gives stark blunt description as fear\amazed. Vs 33-34a He will be handed over to the Gentiles who will laugh at him & spit on him. They will beat him w\whips & crucify him. CEV

This is not exactly a vision that will win friends and influence people

We love the party of Palm Sunday but Good Friday? Not that

After all, who wants to leader who says this will happen

If all this happens to him what will happen to them?

Was Jesus afraid? Don’t answer “no” quickly. I can’t say for sure But I know he had no doubts that God called him to this &