6th Sun after Pentecost A
Proper 8
"The Rough Road"
Matthew 10:40-42
38* and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
39* He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
40* "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.
41* He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
42* And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."RSV
I am combining two verses from last week’s text with the verses from this week’s text for my sermon this week!
In this section, Jesus is speaking about the "rough road" of a Christian’s live. The road which is filled with the reality of living in a sinful and less than perfect world. Jesus is speaking about what has come to be called, " a theology of the cross"!! This theology says that through the brokenness of this world, through "crosses" live will be redeemed and renewed. Jesus is reminding the disciples and us that live is not easy. Living on this earth is very difficult. You and I will have "crosses" to bear. Life will not be easy. Living as a Christian, as a believer, in this world with the power of Satan to harness, to tempt, to drive one away from Christ means of life that is difficult, a "rough road."
Sometimes, I think, Satan works extra hard to drive those away who are the most faithful to Christ. It seems that Satan is alive and well especially in the church. Jesus knew that. He knew life would be difficult for His followers especially after He ascended into heaven. Jesus speaks about this difficult live over and over again in the gospels.
In this text, in Matthew 16:24-28 He says, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Again in Mark 8: 34 Jesus says, "And he called to him the multitude with his disciples and said to them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." And in Luke 9:23-27 and again in Luke 14:25-27, he says the same thing. This theme of a "rough road" is repeated again and again in the gospels.
Not only does this theme of cross bearing appear again and again, but the idea of division, of a sword appears all over the gospels, as in this text for today and in Matt. 10: 21 it says,"Brother will deliver up brother to death,and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death;" and again in Mark 13:12, it says,"And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child and children will rise against parents and have them put to death;" and we find similar text in Luke as well as John. Also in the Old Testament we find such texts as in Micah 7:1-7 and we could go on and on.
Do you see, do you get the point!!! Jesus is saying life will not be easy as you follow me. Don’t look for a life of roses, don’t look for the easy way, but the narrow road. Carry your cross, be ready to speak against even your father, your children, your parents and also be ready for them, your father, your children, your parents to speak up against you because of your faith, your belief in Me.
Not only did Jesus tell His disciples about the kind of life they would live for Him, but on Good Friday, He demonstrated that life by dying on a cross, by experiencing death, by facing pain, by being humiliated as He died a death of a criminal. This was not an easy life, this was a rough road for Jesus.
Now, we need to pause for a moment and ask a question. WHAT KIND OF PERSON WAS JESUS??? Was He a good person, or a bad person?? In Hebrews 4:15 it says: "For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sinning." Christ is like us, but different in that He was perfect, without sinning as it says. Further in Hebrews 2:17,"Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. "In Romans 5:19 it says,"For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous." Jesus was the righteous, obedient, sinless son of God, but at the same time He had to suffer.
Doesn’t that seem odd to you??? We do not equate suffering, brokenness, pain, with obedience, sinlessness and righteousness? We would like to equate that stuff with sinfulness, or disobedience, or unrighteousness, or unfaithfulness, or hidden sin, or guilt, or a lack of faith, but NOT WITH FAITHFULNESS AND OBEDIENCE. But, my friends, that is just what happened to Jesus, He was faithful, He was obedient, He was sinless and yet He suffered. He walked that rough road.
So, I have a question. WHY IS IT TODAY, WE HEAR ON THE TV, FROM SO CALLED FUNDAMENTALISTS, FROM SELF PROCLAIMED BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS, THAT IF YOU ARE TRULY A BELIEVER YOUR LIFE WILL HAVE HEALTH, WEALTH AND PROSPERITY??? A THEOLOGY OF GLORY!!!!
I have been reading the book The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson and he seems to say that if you pray that prayer, then your life will be easy. No problems!! But as I read the book, I read about all the successes he had in different types of ministry, but I wondered, didn’t something go wrong sometime? I would appreciate that book better, if he would have shared some of his failures, his cross bearing, but he did not.
Many today are making it a benchmark of a so called true believer that on the outside at least life has to look perfect. No suffering, no pain, no heartache, no struggles, no guilt, no illness, no disability, but a life that is filled with glory. Many are saying to you and me, that if you don’t have a so called perfect life then, then something is wrong with your faith, something is wrong with you personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you are not as good of a believer as I am.
I WILL NOT BUY THAT STUFF. I look to Jesus, He was perfect, righteous, obedient but yet He suffered. But then they will say, Jesus doesn’t count, He had to suffer for your sins.
Okay, lets look at some other Biblical characters who suffered, but who at the same time, were righteous. Remember righteous in the Biblical sense means a believer, one who trusted in God, one who is faithful.
First the Old Testament. In Job 1:8 it says,"And the Lord said to Satan, ’Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?’ And what happened to Job. He suffered. He lived a rough life. He walked a rough road. After Job lost all of his wealth, his family, everything but his health, Satan and God talked again listen, Job 2:3 ’ And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity although you moved me against him to destroy him without cause." Job walked the rough road, but was faithful to God.
Second the New Testament. Paul is a clear example of one who suffered even though he had a strong faith and was obedient to the will of God. It could take us hours to talk about Paul, but briefly, remember his thorn in the flesh which God did not remove, remember his numerous beatings, his lashings that almost produced death, being ship wrecked and in the water for 14 days and finally dying in prison in Rome. Paul walked the rough road, but at the same time he was faithful and obedient, he kept his trust in the Lord, he was righteous.
Jesus says very clearly, and we saw very clearly that the road you and me are asked to walk is indeed a rough road. A road which clearly states the reality of life, being a followers of Christ is not easy, it is very difficult and even sometimes more difficult than we would imagine.
As I think back over the congregations I have served I see that reality expressed in your lives, in your eyes, in your faces. I see the sick, the broken, the aging, the disabled,, the hard of hearing, those who are having a difficult time remembering, and at the same time, I see believers in Jesus Christ. I see people who have put their lives, their entire beings into His hands.
As I think back over the congregations I have served, I see widows who have been living with the pain of loneliness, who have been adjusting to life again as a single person. I see the sad look , the look of missing a loved one, I see a look of determination to make the best of a broken situation, and at the same time I see believers in Jesus Christ.
As I think back over the congregations I have served I see young mothers and fathers trying to raise children to the best of their abilities and wondering how they are doing, wondering if they are good enough, or wise enough, and at the same time, I see believers in Jesus Christ.
As I think back over the congregations I have served, I see families struggling to make a living. I see families having to cut back, deciding what is truly important in their lives. I see people who have had the heartbreak of having to sell off land or animals to pay the debts. I see people hoping and praying this year’s crop will help them, will provide the needed income. At the same time, I see believers in Christ, who know because of their brokenness that God will provide in His wondrous way. I see believers in Christ who are trying with all their effort to make a go of it and will keep on trying because of the courage Christ gives them.
As I think back over the congregations I have served, I see people who are and will continue to deal with guilt, with past sins, with wanting to change, but having a difficult time. I see people with regrets, with: I-wish-it-could -have-been-different as words that are flowing in their hearts. I see people who have made mistakes and have become wiser for it today who are saying to themselves, I-wish-I-could-have-known-then-what-I-know now. I also see people who are struggling to change, to make a fresh start, to begin again. I see people living the second chance Christ has given them through His power of forgiveness. I see people wishing they could change their lives, but not knowing how, or not finding the right combination of people and situations to begin again. At the same time I see believers in Christ, who have felt His forgiving power, who have been forgiven their guilt and given a second chance to live in and through Him.
Are we wrong?? Aren’t you believers in Christ?? You do know the rough road which Christ speaks of!!! Are you who are struggling, coping, searching, wondering, praying, trusting, turning over your problems to Christ just as much a believer in Christ?? Are you just as much as a believer as the person who says, because I see sinfulness, because I see brokenness, because I see someone who is less than perfect, I DON’T SEE A BELIEVER!!!
As I think back to all my congregations, I do see believers in Christ, believers who are maturing, growing, struggling, allowing the power of Christ to change and renew you. At the same time, I see people who are living examples of the "theology of the cross" which says life in Christ is cross bearing, life in Christ is a rough road, life in Christ is not easy.
And because we are believers, then Jesus says in the verses beginning with verse 40 that we should show hospitality to others. We bear our crosses, life is not always easy, but in spite of that, we are to show hospitality to others as Jesus shows hospitality to us.
As Jesus says in verse 42 " And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water".
Hospitality is giving respect to others, is allowing ourselves the freedom to give of ourselves even if our life has not been easy. Hospitality is giving even if we have been hurt by another.
A closing story speaks about this freedom of hospitality by an unknown author says:
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?"
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied a number of coins in it.
"How much is a dish of plain ice cream?" he inquired. Some people were now waiting for a table and the waitress was a bit impatient.
"Thirty-five cents," she said brusquely.
The little boy again counted the coins. "I’ll have the plain ice cream," he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and departed. When the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then swallowed hard at what she saw. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies - her tip.
AMEN
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale June 24, 2002
