I am sure you have seen that wonderful bumper sticker that says something to the effect, “Whoever dies with the most toys wins.” It seems that is the way many people think about life. The chief goal in life for many people is comfort and luxury. Many of the “poor” in the United States have TV’s, air conditioning and other amenities that were once considered luxuries. This especially struck me last summer, as Elise, a Haitian woman who works at the seminary in Haiti, asked our work and witness team for old cans and bacon grease. She used the big cans to take her shower by poking holes in the bottom. She used the others to cook with. She used the bacon grease to cook her food. It’s amazing how your perspective changes on what is important in life when you see people struggling for something we take for granted, or consider trash.
This life is like a Monopoly game. Who likes Monopoly? I hate it. I used to play Monopoly with my mom all the time. The problem is that we both liked to win so much that we got mad at each other after the game. But, life is like Monopoly. You strive throughout the game to acquire property and money. One person usually winds up with all the property and money, hence the name “Monopoly.” When the game is over and the winner is gloating about his conquest of his real estate empire, the money and cards go back in the box and everyone is the same. It doesn’t matter who wins the Monopoly game. It doesn’t matter who ends this life with most toys, because when this life is over, the toys and money we accumulate here are as worthless as Monopoly money.
Turn with me to Mark 8.
Read Mark 8:31-38.
Temptation
Sometimes temptations come from unexpected places. Sometimes unwittingly a loved one will throw temptation our way.
Last week, we talked about Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. The gist of that temptation was to abort his mission. He was tempted to avoid the pain and anguish of the Cross. He was tempted to give up and not go through with it. He overcame that temptation with the help of God.
Here we see Peter bringing up that same temptation. Jesus had been making veiled references to the Cross, but this is the first time he came right out and said what was going to happen to him. “He said this plainly,” verse 32 tells us. He said that he would suffer, be rejected, killed, and rise again. Perhaps the part about rising again was obscured by the emotion stirred up talking about his death. Peter scolded Jesus, the way we may scold a child who has done something wrong. Peter was misguided in his attack. I have heard many people criticize Peter for this action, because he was so misguided. The thing we have to remember is that the expectation of the Christ, or Messiah, was not one who would suffer and die. In verse 29 of chapter 8, Peter says to Jesus, “You are the Christ.” He understood Jesus was the Christ. Christ and Messiah mean the same thing.
What Peter is telling Jesus here is, “Hey, wait a minute, buddy. You’ve got it all wrong. The Christ is supposed to be a conquering hero, not a someone who will be rejected and put to death.” Peter loved Jesus, and he wanted to make sure he was on the right track. He didn’t want to see Jesus miss the opportunity to be the Savior of the nation of Israel. Peter is telling Jesus to play it safe. That is one of the biggest temptations we face. Playing it safe.
When we decided to move here, it was a huge step. I had thoughts like, “What if I fail?” “What about the kids? Will Victoria make new friends?” “Will she make it in school?” There were all these thoughts. They are all valid concerns. My family is extremely important to me. Most people I knew were very supportive, but there were a few who said things like, “Are you sure this is the right thing?” My thoughts and the questions of others were valid points, but the reality is that God had called me. I couldn’t deny that. I had to put those temptations to play it safe out of my mind. I understood the task ahead of me. I understood that the people who had concerns were looking out for my best interest. It is nice to know that people care. I appreciated their concern, but the fact is that their concern and advice was temptation to go against the will of God for my life.
We cannot be tempted to play it safe. God is with us. God will take care of us. Jesus confronted the temptation by informing Peter that God’s way is better than our way. “You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but the things of man,” Jesus replied. Our response to “good” advice should always be, “We have the things of God in mind.”
Commitment
Jesus then turned his attention to the crowd. Jesus makes a bold statement. He tells the crowd that if they want to be his follower that they are to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow him.
The idea of self-denial is almost a foreign concept anymore. We are rugged individualist in America. We are self-made. We are pioneers. We don’t help. We can do it on our own. We are driven by self-interest.
Jesus is saying that we have to lay that aside to follow him. The great thing about Jesus is that he doesn’t ask us to do anything that he didn’t do. He put himself aside for the mission that the Father had planned for him. He was willing to go to the cross for our salvation. When Jesus said, “Take up his cross,” he was saying, “You must be willing to give all of you to me.” The people listening understood this to mean that he was asking people to follow him until death. There were many standing listening to him that day that wound up giving their lives for him and the gospel. It was as if he said, “You have to through the switch on the electric chair.”
Again Jesus led by example. John Cheney is the basketball coach at Temple University, and he has been for many years. One of the things he requires of his team is 6:00 A. M. practice. If you don’t show up, you don’t play. Players come to play for him knowing that they have to get up before everyone else just to go practice. Every year, Cheney fields a competitive team. He is one of the more successful college basketball coaches. Would he be successful if he told the players to show up for 6:00 A. M. practice and not show up himself? What would happen to the team if he required them to be before dawn, and he was still at home sleeping? John Cheney has inspired his players because he is willing to subject himself to the same things that he is asking his team to undergo. He could easily allow his assistant coaches to run early morning practice while he sleeps. No one could blame him for that. He understands that in order to motivate his players, he must be willing to put his money where his mouth is.
Jesus puts his money where his mouth is. He challenged people to give their all for the sake of the gospel, but he was willing to give his all as well.
John Cheney’s basketball players sacrifice sleep for the good of the team. Many years he doesn’t have the most talented players, but he molds them into a team that is successful. The greater good of the team is on the minds of the players. They understand that they will not be successful without that sacrifice. Likewise, the gospel of Jesus Christ will not be successful without our willingness to sacrifice our own comfort and ideas for the greater good of the team.
If we are willing to put aside our inclinations and desires, we can do great things for Jesus. Remember Jesus told Peter that he had to have in mind the things of God. When we have in mind the things of God, we can more easily understand the sacrifice that Jesus is asking of us.
Perspective
Jesus brings it all home with the statement, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?”
He was a genius. He revolutionized music. He was an icon. He was on top of the music world. He music spoke to people’s deepest feelings. His turbulent childhood led to music filled with despair and turmoil.
He was a conflicted person. His journals show a man who was lacking something. He made millions of dollars, but his music and journals reveal a man who was lost. He talked of suicide in his journal. He had a wife, and by all accounts it was a happy marriage. He had a daughter, and was determined to be a better father than he had.
He was a pioneer in music. He marked a turning point in the style of pop music. He brought about a revolution in music. He wasn’t the prototypical rock star. He owned one pair of shoes. They were stolen at a concert, and he showed up the next day in socks. He drove a Volvo because they were the safest cars, but he drove it the houses of heroin dealers.
Here was a man, Kurt Cobain, who had “gained the world,” but on April 5, 1994, he couldn’t take it anymore, and he forfeited his life with a shotgun. Success, money, and anything else the world has to offer are empty. This is what Jesus was talking about. Kurt Cobain had gained the whole world, but he forfeited his life. All he had was unfulfilling. His music had trapped him in the public eye, which is not where he wanted to be. His drug addiction held him down. His family was unfulfilling. His money bought him no happiness. He lacked the peace that Jesus offers. An excerpt from his journal reads, "I don’t care if it’s out-of-the-in-crowd, I just need a crowd, a gang, a reason to smile. I want to be accepted. I have to be accepted. I’ll wear any kind of clothes you want! I’m so tired of crying and dreaming. I’m soo soo alone. Isn’t there anyone out there? Please help me. HELP ME!"
It’s like the Monopoly game, when the game is over everything goes back in the box. When our life is over, everything we have is gone. The only thing that matters is whether or not we have a relationship with Jesus. We won’t take our money, possessions, or house with us. We won’t even take our friends or family with us.
In verse 35, Jesus says, “Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” What matters is our relationship with Jesus. If Jesus is really in control of your life, he is going to ask you to do things for him. They may seem crazy, but if we follow him, if we give up our life to him, he will save our life.
Conclusion
The reason for that is given in verse 38, “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man [Jesus] be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” When the game is over, will Jesus be ashamed of the way you played.
There’s nothing worse than not giving a 100% effort. Have you ever had a coach or music instructor tell you that you could have done better? In life, we often get second chances to play another game or play at another concert. But, in the matter of our life, we only get one chance. We cannot blow that chance.
Jesus is calling us to a radical lifestyle. Are you willing to give up our very life for the sake of the gospel? Or, are you to comfortable trying to “gain the whole world”?
