DEDICATED
Text: Matthew 16:24 -27
Matthew 16:24-27 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (25) For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (26) What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (27) For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done (NRSV).
Years ago, back in the summer of 1984, I tried to join the National Guard. Like many, I knew I would get a sign on bonus, but I also knew what I was signing up for. You don’t take an oath and sign your name on the dotted line without realizing the price and sacrifice. I could not get in because of my allergies being a hurdle to overcome.
The oath to join the military is clear. That oath is to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against enemies foreign and domestic, bearing true faith and allegiance to the same; obeying orders of the President and also the orders of officers that are appointed over those who take this oath according to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.” https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/swearing-in-for-military-service.html
Jesus did not want those who enlist to follow Him to take it lightly! Luke 14:27-28 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (28) "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?
I have heard of many who wanted the perks without the price in taking that oath only to be disappointed when it came to go where their orders said that they had to go.
Both Christians and soldiers have two thing in common, they both have marching orders and high level of dedication.
MARCHING ORDERS
What is the purpose of marching orders? Marching orders teach the recruits to walk or march in step. Everyone works in harmony with each step.
1) Teamwork: According to the author of 4th century book, Concerning Military Matters … Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus “… troops who march in an irregular and disorderly manner are always in great danger of being defeated.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_re_militari & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_step That point of view makes perfect sense when we recall what was called the Tortoise formation when the Roman army would stand side by side, shield by shield in the front and on the sides as those in the middle would elevate their shields overhead. It was next to impossible to penetrate such a “wall like formation”. This is similar to what the offensive linemen try to do on a football team to protect their quarterback from the opposing team’s linemen.
2) Spiritual Non-conformity: Another way to describe a lack of teamwork is what they call “breaking ranks which means to literally step out of a military formation”. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/break+ranks How many have broken ranks on the spiritual level with our Lord, refusing to carry their own crosses (Matthew 16:24)?
3) Enlisted: We are thankful for those who have enlisted in the military to preserve our country’s freedom. If we are not, then we should be because our freedom came from the efforts of their sacrifice. How many are absence without leave?
4) Spiritually enlisted: Jesus calls is to be enlisted spiritually when He calls us to pick up our crosses and follow in His footsteps! Like soldiers following orders, for disciples following Jesus must be our number one priority. As Paul put it, “No one serving as a solider gets involved in civilian affairs----he wants to please His commanding officer” (1 Timothy 2:4).
5) Spiritual battleground: Paul described our battle ground and battle-gear in Ephesians 6:10 - 20.
How many are spiritually absent without leave?
1) Perks: How many want God’s blessing without dedication? Another way to put it is to ask how many want God’s blessing without doing God’s will? How many want the crown and forget about the cross? The cross always precedes the crown!
2) Breaking ranks: Can we equate spiritually breaking ranks with God’s will to disobedience?
>>>>> What was the price when Adam and Eve broke ranks and went awol in the Garden of Eden? What was the price? Death.
>>>>> What was the price for those who refused to repent before the flood? Death!
>>>>> Were Abram and Sarai awol when they disobeyed God’s Will and sought to have an heir without God? What was the price for that disobedience ---that spiritual breaking of ranks with God? Disorder, chaos, war and death.
>>>>> What was the price for Lot’s wife looking back? She became a pillar of salt.
>>>>>> What was the price for the children of Israel when only 2 of the 12 spies were in favor of taking the promised land? They wandered for 4o years in the wilderness.
How have you fared when you went awol from God’s will?
DEDICATED
Is carrying our crosses the same thing as dedication?
1) Cross carrying: Jesus came to save the least, the lost and the last. Recall that Paul said that Jesus was obedient and humbled Himself even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). The a cross was a symbol of death. So naturally, when Jesus was talking about carrying one’s cross, He was referring to sacrificial humility and service in dying to ourselves.
>>>>>>>> Five times Jesus said in the Gospels that “whoever wants to save their lives will lose their lives” (Matthew 10:39, 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24 & Luke 17:33).
>>>>>>>> Jesus was in a sense saying that far too many want to the perks of being saved without carrying their crosses---their dying to self.
>>>>>>>> Carrying our crosses is a lifestyle where our actions in word and deed are a sermon.
2) Dedication: Jesus says in Luke 9:62 “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (NIV). That means that following Jesus is about being committed---dedicated to discipleship. Lukewarm discipleship falls short!
3) Dangerous disobedience: Looking back is dangerous! Remember Lot’s wife and how she was warned not to look back (Genesis 19:17)? What happened to her when she looked back (Genesis 19:26)? She was warned not to look back and her disobedience caused he to become a pillar of salt. If you think that her looking back was not a big deal, then consider how Jesus referred to her as an illustration when He said “Remember Lot’s wife!” (Luke 17:32). Was Lot’s wife looking back because she could not let go of Sodom and Gomorrah?
Remember Matthew 16:25: For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (26) What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
Dedication requires discipline.
4) Discipline: “We must face the fact that many today are notoriously careless in their living. This attitude finds its way into the church. We have liberty, we have money, we live in comparative luxury. As a result, discipline practically has disappeared. What would a violin solo sound like if the strings on the musician’s instrument were all hanging loose, not stretched tight, not “disciplined”? Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press. A.W. Tozer in Men Who Met God
Did Jesus quit when it came to our salvation at the cross?
1) Discouragement: What happens when we get discouraged? Do we “break ranks” and quit? Have you ever wanted to quit? “Breaking ranks” with God’s will is the same thing as disobedience. When Jesus called us to pick up our crosses and follow Him, He was telling us to be dedicated and make discipleship our number one priority.
2) Proverbial wisdom: There is a famous proverbial quote by Benjamin Franklin that goes like this: “ For want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost; being overtaken and slain by the enemy, all for want of care about a horse-shoe nail”. What’s the point I'm trying to make? The point is this our lack of obedience both individually and collectivley is as important as that nail!
3) Divine obedience: What is the one thing that makes our marching orders to effective? Was your answer “Obedience”? Jesus was humble and obedient even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8)!
It’s Not Always Easy
It’s not always easy to smile and be nice,When we are called to sacrifice.
It’s not always easy to put others first,Especially when tired and feeling our worst.
It’s not always easy to do the Father’s will.It wasn’t so easy to climb Calvary’s hill.
But we as His children, should learn to obey;Not seeking our own but seeking His way.
It’s not always easy to fight the good fight.But it is always good and it is always right!
(Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.[- Glenda Fulton Davis From video, “The Harvest”, by Chuck King ] ).
Are you dedicated to carrying your cross?
