Purpose: To describe who Christ's real followers are.
Aim: I want the listener to imitate Christ's willingness to give His life.
INTRODUCTION: The grace of God is so complete and full that we could never exhaust all there is to know about it. In an attempt to learn more about God's grace as we begin 2012 we have already talked about God's common grace, saving grace, and growing grace.
Today we are going to explore a little bit about how we can share or imitate God's grace.
We are sharing the grace of God when we are imitating the God of grace.
So, the question is, How did Christ display grace to us? There is no greater display of the grace of God than the Cross of Christ.
These seven verses are divided into two parts.
►Vs.21-23 I. The Grace of Christ
► Vs.21 A. God's path to grace
► 1. Surrender "He must go"
Peter proclaimed that Jesus was Acts 2:23 ... delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. (NAU)
On several occasions Jesus said that He came to do the Father's will.
► 2. Suffer "suffer many things"
Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (NAU)
► 3. Die "be killed"
Philippians 2:7--8 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (NAU)
► 4. Conquer "be raised up"
Romans 1:4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, (NAU)
Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection ... (NAU)
► Vs.22-23 B. Man's path to grace
► Vs.22 1. No suffering "This shall never happen"
"By protesting against Calvary, Peter became a hindrance to the Savior." [1]
"Peter had enough faith to confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but he did not have the faith to believe that it was right for Jesus to suffer and die." [2]
► Vs.23 2. Human logic "not...God's interests"
"Moulton and Milligan note that Aristophanes used the word for "the stick of a mouse-trap" (Vocabulary, p. 576). Peter's suggestion was just bait to avoid the cross (Morris, Matt., p. 430, note 49)." [3]
Peter was thinking like a human being. We must learn to think the way God thinks.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was martyred by the Nazis during World War II wrote "Cost of Discipleship" in which he says that Christian today are living by cheap grace. He says, "Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."
►Vs.24-27 II. Sharing the Grace of Christ
► Vs.24,27 A. God's path to grace
► Vs.24a 1. We must desire Christ "If anyone wishes to come after me"
Pride is produced anytime that a sacrifice for Christ is not motivated by a love for Christ. Otherwise, we can say, "I deserve some credit for all that I have given up for Christ."
Paul was a man who gave up a lot in order to follow Christ. He gave up a promising career, the respect of many prominent leaders, wealth, and an easy life, and yet he did all that with joy because he loved Christ so much. Philippians 3:7--8 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, (NAU)
► Vs.24b 2. We must deny ourselves "deny himself"
"...those who hug their lives for selfish purposes would never find fulfillment; those who recklessly abandon their lives to Him, not counting the cost, would find the reason for their existence." [4]
►What Does it Mean to Deny Yourself?
► #1 Don't trust in your own righteousness
Philippians 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, (NAU)
► #2 Don't trust in your own wisdom
Proverbs 3:5--6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. (NAU)
► #3 Don't insist on your own rights
Philippians 2:17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. (NAU)
► Vs.24c 3. We must volunteer to die "take up his cross"
"The Romans would not mention the cross in polite society. In fact, no Roman citizen could be crucified; this terrible death was reserved for their enemies." [5]
Notice that this cross must be taken up. The cross we bear is not something that happens to us. It is something we voluntarily pick up.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (NAU)
►What Does it Mean to Pick up Our Cross?
► #1 It means embracing what the world hates
The world hates the Cross of Christ because it proves that they are lost without Christ's sacrifice. John 3:19--20 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. (NAU)
Are we willing to openly follow Christ knowing that unbelievers (and even some who claim to follow Christ) will look down on us, ridicule us, and maybe ever persecute us? Do we love the Cross that much? Hebrews 12:3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (NAU)
► #2 It means sacrificing for others
1 John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (NAU)
Jesus tells us John 20:21 ... as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." (NAU)
Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. (NAU)
► #3 It means being willing to live less comfortably
Are we willing to live hard, troubled lives because we are following Christ? Acts 14:22 ..., "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." (NAU)
Hebrews 10:34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. (NAU)
► #4 It means being willing to lose close relationships
Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. (NAU)
► Vs.27 4. We must trust that rewards are coming "will repay"
Revelation 2:10 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (NAU)
1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God. (NAU)
► Vs.25-26 B. Man's view of grace
► Vs.25 1. Be safe--avoid suffering "wishes to save his life"
► Vs.26 2. Be strong--seek wealth "gains the whole world"
Jesus lays out two ways to live our lives:
Deny Yourself Live For Yourself
Take Up Your Cross Ignore The Cross
Follow Christ Follow The World
Lose Your Life For His Sake Save Your Life For Your Own Sake
Forsake The World Gain The World
Keep Your Soul Lose Your Soul
Share His Reward And Glory Lose His Reward And Glory [6]
CONCLUSION: Remember that there are only two ways to live, because Jesus said, And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. (Matthew 10:38 NAU) Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:27 NAU)
Are you just involved with Jesus Christ or are you committed to Jesus Christ?
Have you counted the cost of embracing the grace of Christ?
[1]William MacDonald and Arthur Farstad, Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments, Mt 16:23 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997).
[2]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Mt 16:21 (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996).
[3]Stewart Custer, The Gospel of the King : A Commentary on Matthew, 246 (Greenville, S.C.: BJU Press, 2005).
[4]William MacDonald and Arthur Farstad, Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments, Mt 16:25 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997).
[5]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Mt 16:21 (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996).
[6]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Mt 16:21 (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996).
