"Just Plain Crazy"
Matthew 16:21-28
Let me check the mike, because you know I need all the help I can get. It’s like the Lutheran pastor who always started each service with "The Lord be with you." The people would respond, "and also with you.”
But, one Sunday the PA system wasn't working so the first thing he said was "There's something wrong with this microphone." The people responded, "and also with you."
I was reading an ad this last week for another one of those books on how to grow an absolutely, enormous, mega-church. This church, the ad says, "...may be the fastest growing church in America today...” I resisted ordering the book to add to an already significant collection of books on church growth. So, I don’t have any details about this particular church, but many of the booming churches and ministries in our culture make a lot of promises to people who attend.
One advertisement I saw for a traveling evangelist’s crusade read, "Come and find peace of mind…physical healing…and freedom from financial difficulty!" I don’t know about the other stuff but “Financial Difficulty” must mean they’re giving money away! Now there are some biblical passages used by some that would seem to support these promises.
"Come to me... and I will give you rest." [Matt. 11:28]
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." [Malachi 3:10]
"And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.” [Luke 6:19]
"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” [John 14:14]
Rest... A flood of blessings... Healing... Anything I ask for? Count me in. It would be stupid not to be a follower of Jesus Christ! However, the one thing that binds our scriptures together today is that serving the Lord is definitely not a quick trip to gain and glory! These texts provide a strong "reality check" for the authenticity of our message about the Christian life. Let there be no doubt there is great gain in following Christ -- peace, love and joy, not to mention “Living Forever” with God in Heaven. I mean there are some obvious perks, which come with a commitment to Christ. However, there is more, and these texts point out that there can and will be great pain…as well as gain when we put God first.
(Read Matthew 16:21-28)
Many have raised questions about the easy version of the gospel. Health and wealth; pray yourself into that mansion here on earth, and into that multi-million dollar bank account. Rest without requirements, blessing without burdens, or healing without heartache – but to get anything without giving anything – isn’t that a distortion of what it means to follow Christ? Isn’t this Christ…without a cross -- Christianity without commitment. Can this possibly be what Jesus came to bring?
Easy Gospel, tough Gospel there are all kinds of methods for bringing people to Christ. Writer and pastor Eugene Peterson tells of winning his first convert to the faith. Garrison Johns was a bully who delighted in beating up on Peterson everyday after school. Being raised in a Christian home with Christian values, his mother continually told him that this was the way Christians were treated. One day, however, Peterson snapped and jumped on Garrison Johns and got the upper hand. Surprisingly, he discovered he was stronger than Johns and pounded away on the bully as he held him pinned to the ground with his knees. "Say Uncle," Peterson demanded as the blows flew. Johns would not so Peterson continued the beating. Then, as a glimpse that maybe he was born to evangelism, he said, "Say, 'I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.' " Peterson writes, "And he said it. Garrison Johns was my first convert."
Our generation is not the first to raise these questions. One of the most powerful statements about what it means to follow Christ was the publication in English of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's, "Cost of Discipleship" In the book, Bonhoeffer coins the phrase, "cheap grace." And I quote;
"Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace... Cheap grace is the grace we bestow upon ourselves... Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline... Cheap grace is a grace without discipleship, grace without the cross... Costly grace is the treasure hidden in a field... the pearl of great price... it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him."
Now talk is cheap, but the authenticity of Bonhoeffer's writing on discipleship is demonstrated by his prematurely shortened life. He was executed by special order of Himmler at Flossenburg eight days after Easter Sunday 1945... just a few days before the concentration camp was liberated by the Allies. If they were going to kill anyone else, it was going to be him. The story is told that while imprisoned, the Commandant had a special shift rotation for the 11 men who were exposed to Bonhoeffer. You see they found that no one could be around Mr. Bonhoeffer for very long without being influenced toward Christ. He was 39 when he died because he had joined the underground, believing it was his duty as a Christian to work against the regime of Adolph Hitler.
In effect, as C.S. Lewis put it, Christ says, "Give me all. I don't want so much of your money and so much of your work. I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don't want to cut off a branch here and there, I want to have the whole tree down. I don't want to drill the tooth or crown it, or fill it, but to have it out. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires, which you think innocent, as well as the ones you think wicked -- the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you myself, my own will shall become yours."
That’s the Hard Gospel and it understands that Jesus' call to come to him is not just about "resting." Sure, it includes resting -- but there’s more. And that's the hard part. Far too many presentations of what Christianity is all about tell you about the "rest" Jesus offers -- but, they don't tell you what Paul Harvey likes to call, "the rest of the story!"
Today's scripture brings us face to face with the reality that as well as "rest" -- Jesus offers a "cross.” Specifically, what Jesus says is,
"If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Jesus says,
"Following me is a costly thing. It could cost you your life! But if you lose your life for my sake, you will find genuine life."
The one who decides to become a follower of Jesus Christ does not ask, "What's in it for me?” But asks,
“What do you want from me?"
That is going Against the Grain. Jesus really goes against the grain when he speaks to his would-be disciples about the values of the kingdom. Greatness, He teaches them, is measured by how much a person serves, not by how many servants they have -- by how much we give, not how much we get. Real living is not about how much we can gather in the way of material things. Gaining things is not gaining life. He who dies with the most toys does not win!
Jesus told a parable about a man who spent his life filling his ever-expanding barns, but died with an empty soul. [Lk.12: 18] And oh, by the way, this is the only man that Jesus refers to as a “Fool”. Then there was the wealthy, prominent, religious young man -- a leader in his community who wanted to follow Jesus. Amazingly, Jesus tells this rich young man that he lacks something. What in the world is He talking about? The guy was the envy of his peers. The kind of person that you’d probably say, "What do you buy for the man who has everything?" But Jesus, says he's lacking something. What? He lacks freedom from his possessions! He is in bondage to his material possessions. *This is not an indictment of wealth in general. But it is a warning to those who may be overcome by the very blessings of God. There are people who value the “BLESSINGS” over the “BLESSER!”
"Get rid of your belongings and give to the poor -- then come and follow me." [Lk. 18:22]
Even the disciples were baffled by Jesus' reversal of the culture's values. Everything that was counted as success is turned upside down. There is honor in humility -- gain in giving -- liberty in losing -- and success in surrender! Do you get it…I hope some of you do! Because…I don’t! I’m just taking His word for it, but I would be lying if I told you I totally understood.
Jesus' followers had difficulty understanding these things (Join the club) because the concept of success as prosperity and accumulation as fulfillment is so deeply embedded in our nature, even today. So if we don’t consistently examine our own notions of success and fulfillment, we are doomed to accept the world's standards.
An analysis of the top ten selling books on the growth of congregations and the methods recommended will quickly reveal just how vulnerable we as the “Christian Community” are to the definition of success as, "bigger is better and…more is magnificent!”
There are, however, examples here and there of how the soul has a longing to commit to something that will bring about a just and peaceful world. In his inaugural address of January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy said these famous words,
"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."
Within five years, the Peace Corps had swelled to over 15,000 volunteers serving all over the world.
Well Brothers & Sisters almost two thousand years ago, Jesus said,
"If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
**Within a single generation, though the Roman landscape was literally covered with crosses and followers of Christ were buried in the catacombs -- the message of God's redeeming love had spread all over the known world.**
Counting the Cost is something that came with the territory for the first generation Christians, but I think we have it too easy. Imagine a newspaper ad that read something like this:
Wanted: Enthusiastic committed people to join a life-changing and world -changing program. (Hey they don’t come much more enthusiastic than me!) The ideal candidates will work well with others, (I get along with everybody) be willing to travel and work hard in serving others. (OK I can handle that) They will agree to put others first and to love even those who oppose them. (OH I see, well now the money better be good!) Although there is no monetary compensation (WHAT!!) and the candidates are likely to encounter hostility, rejection, and sometimes-even death -- there is great personal satisfaction in commitment to the leader of this program and fulfillment in seeing his objectives attained. (Well that’s just great for the program and the leader.)
Raise your hand if you would apply for the job! (Yeah, right)
In terms of the values of our culture where, as the late football Coach Vince Lombardi said, "Winning isn't everything... it's the only thing!" -- Where "might makes right" and "money talks," -- following Jesus Christ on His terms looks absurd, just plain crazy!
Take up a cross…You’ve got to be kidding!
A friend took his two daughters to Wrigley Field in Chicago to watch the Cubs. He remarked, "It must be a sign of the times. They had the Dow Jones industrial averages rolling across the bottom of the scoreboard. The crowd cheered when it closed up 90 points." (Of course there are those who would say those Cubs fans are glad to have anything to cheer about.) They don’t have the Braves.
Denying self and cross bearing are not welcome messages in a culture where even our hobbies and pastimes have been invaded by our economic concerns. The words of Jesus in the passage can hold up a mirror to our notion of what it means to follow Christ. Have we changed the terms? Have I? Do we follow on His terms -- or have we modified the call of Christ to more closely match our own desires? To make it more palatable for our tastes or what our “Itching Ears” want to hear.
**This is not a new thing. The cost of putting God first is not a new theme! ** Each of our scriptures today points to the personal cost a person who loves God will pay. When Jesus was preparing the disciples for life after He was gone He didn’t say,
“In this life you may have troubles” He said WILL. No question, Christians will have troubles in this world! Why…Hello…It’s not…a Christian world! But the second half of John 16:33 tells us,
“…But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
So Jeremiah was saying, "God must come first," 2600 years ago to people who rejected and persecuted him. Think he wasn’t frustrated? He went so far as to accuse God of being deceitful.
"Truly you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail." [Jer. 15:18]
"I honor and serve you, Lord -- and what do I get for it?" Who hasn’t felt this way before? Can anyone relate? I can.
Jesus tells his disciples that he is going to be executed at the hands of the religious authorities and then invites them to "take up their cross" and take the same journey. (As an aside let me tell you, it was religious people that turned me off for so long and you know what? They still do! But spirit filled people who have a relationship with a personal Savior that pours out of everything they do and everything they are! I am drawn to those people like flies!) Religious people are phony relational people are real. Those that have had a real God encounter don’t have to fake their way through life, they know not every day is rosy and they don’t have to act like it. There are times when I don’t feel saved, and it’s in those times that I am glad it doesn’t matter how I feel! What matters is my faith and more importantly GOD’S GRACE!
Paul suggests to the followers of Christ that they should be kind even to their enemies and try to live peaceably with everyone. They should put others first and live in humility. Do you think this advice is dated or can we still use a little of this today?
Why would anyone want to follow Christ and put God first when the personal cost can be so high?
When all is said and done, why would anybody make the absurd choice to pay the price and follow Christ?…Because God has made a promise! (Repeat) When all is said and done, that which is right will prevail! To Jeremiah, remember him? Thought God had been deceitful. God promises,
"Continue to speak the truth for me ... and I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless."
To the Christians of Rome, Paul encourages them not to take vengeance for themselves and reminds them,
"Vengeance is mine says the Lord -- I will repay."
They shouldn’t let evil get them down, and neither should we. Instead we should overcome evil with good -- because the good will win in the end anyway. To his followers, Jesus says,
"Those who lose their life for my sake will find it... the Son of Man is to come ... and then he will repay everyone for what has been done."
Everyone will be paid! Just maybe not when and how we would like!
(Read Malachi 3:13-4:2)
A Christian makes what seems to be a totally absurd decision to follow Christ because she or he lives with an eye on eternity. This is not simply living with the "long term" in view -- this is living with "forever" in view. It’s believing the promises of God and developing the spiritual substance to see past the lie of temporary gratification. Take a good look at Hebrews 12:2 today when you go home. Think about what it says to you. In the second half it says,
“…Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
You know, people don’t think twice about admiring for example, Olympic athletes who deny themselves many of the pleasures that we consider every day things…for years, because we know their eye is on the prize, in this case a Gold medal! And we respect that, we admire their determination. Well that is exactly what we should be doing…and the world and a lot of people who are in church with us every Sunday think that is just ridiculous. But we should be walking around DAZED spiritually, with our mouths wide open and our eyes bulging from our heads. Why? Because spiritually stunned people are not easily seduced by sin. People in awe of God find sin less appealing. When you are DAZZLED by God it is hard to be Duped by sin. When we are ENTHRALLED by His beauty it’s hard to become Enslaved by unrighteousness. People whose attention has been captured by Christ aren’t easily capsized by life in this world. It doesn’t matter what the song of this world’s pleasure is playing we have heard a SWEETER SONG!
**(Hammer this whole section) Jesus saw “The Joy” set before Him. He saw the finish line. He saw that what is there is so much better than what this world offers. To Jesus the “Cross” was worth it. We need to come to the understanding and agree with Paul that our so-called “Massive” trials and suffering we go through here are miniscule compared to the joy and Glory to come! And we need to share with a dying world that the pleasures they are seeking and think they are finding are miniscule when compared to suffering for eternity! **
(Bring it back down)
French author, Guy de Maupassant was one of the greatest writers of short stories the world has ever known. Within ten years he rose from relative obscurity to fame. Just what he thought he’d always wanted. His material possessions showed a life of affluence…a yacht in the Mediterranean, a large house on the Norman coast, a luxurious apartment in Paris. It was said of him that “Critics praised him, men admired him and women worshipped him.” He had all the trappings of what the world would call the “fulfilled dream life.” Yet at the height of his fame he went insane, brought on by what those close to him called a “Promiscuous lifestyle.” On New Years Day in 1892, he tried to cut his own throat with a letter-opener, and lived out the last few weeks of his life in a private asylum on the French Riviera. He died at the age of forty-two, but before he went insane he prophetically wrote what was to be his epitaph. Guy de Maupassant wrote, “I have coveted everything and taken pleasure in nothing.” (Repeat)
“Count it all Joy”; people ask how to do that in the midst of suffering. We can do it because we know what awaits us when we “Finish the race.”
When all is said and done --Truthfulness... Faithfulness... Humility... Service... Integrity... Honor... Commitment...These are the things that matter! These are values that will endure forever. These are the treasures that can be stored up.
**(Build this section up to the last sentence) There are 100 billion stars in our galaxy and billions of galaxies in our known universe. It takes 226 million years for our sun to orbit our Milky Way galaxy. [Associated Press: June 2, 1999] Long after the sun has made its last orbit of the galaxy and after our 100 billion stars have burned out, the Lord God will still be reigning in the hearts of those who made the absurd, the just plain crazy decision to follow Christ!**
(Bring it to a calm close)
Yes, some things stand the test of time and eternity.
Truthfulness... Faithfulness... Humility... Service... Integrity... Honor... Commitment...
These things will last. All else -- especially the things that seemed so good in the short term - will fly forgotten as a dream!
Are you on a costly path? That could be good or bad? You can find relief from all your struggles and worries and heartaches. But if someone tells you it’s easy…doooon’t yooouuu, believe it! And, let me tell you…it definitely doesn’t come cheap! It cost A Loving Father, His Son.
Peace is not the promise of a life without conflict but it is the promise of the presence of God THROUGH the conflict. You will never, never, ever, ever walk alone! God Bless.
