Cost – what are you carrying?
Mark 8:31-38
In the beginning of this chapter we see 4000 people fed with 7 loaves of bread and a few fish. Jesus told his disciples to feed the people and when they said, “yes, but how?” He provides a miracle. Now it should not have been a shock to the disciples, he has done it before. But they seem, confused, like they can’t figure out this Jesus guy. Later some Pharisees wanted to see a sign – some miracle, as proof. Jesus refused them a sign to this generation and he leaves the area.
They get to Bethsadia Jesus healed a blind man. It is the only miracle in scripture that has two steps. At first he sees people walking around like trees. The Jesus touches him again and he is completely healed.
He continually ministered to the crowds AND to the individual. All of these events were leading up to the cross. There were so many things people did not understand. It seems that their vision of what was happening was blurry and needed clearing up. Not just the crowd, the disciples themselves.
Jesus asks a safe question. He asked the question, “Who do men say that I am?” He got various answers:
John the Baptist
Elijah
one of the prophets
It is a safe question because they were asked to share what the people – the people thought. There are no traps in that right. Bobby Joe over at the bakers, says you are John the Baptist…making a way for the one that is to come.
Ralph over at the sandal shop is telling every body you are Elijah returned from heaven.
You can ask almost any body and they will call out a prophet’s name.
Then Jesus asked --”Who do YOU say that I am?” This is not a safe question. It is directly asking the hearers to make a personal statement.
Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
Peter is declaring that Jesus is the promised messiah. The risk of looking foolish is huge. In another description of this same event Jesus tells him that “God revealed that”. Peter’s response is bold and insightful and marks the turning point in the journey to Jerusalem and ultimately crucifixion.
From this point on, Jesus started to teach them about things leading up to His death.
- The Son of man must suffer many things
- be rejected of men
- be killed
- rise on the 3rd day.
Peter strongly objected. Basically, You know Peter just wanted to encourage Jesus. Come on buddy, why the long face. Listen to me. I promise you it’s going to be just fine. I know God is with you and who ever picks on you picks on me too.
Stop all that negative talk, it’s bad for the troops. It scares them.
There is no way that God will let you suffer and die, what good would that do, your kingdom is about you. God has given you amazing powers. Use them.
Jesus recognizes the same temptation coming to him as he had heard in the wilderness. It is a temptation to take a short cut in his mission. He told Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!", "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Before peter could respond with anger or hurt, if he could. Jesus spoke to the large crowd and the disciples. They all had the same opportunity to hear and to respond. He said to all of them. “If anyone would come after me he must do three things:
- deny himself
- take up his cross
- follow me
To DENY Oneself: Means more than giving up something for Lent.
Some people will say, “I’m giving up chocolate candy for Lent or I’m giving up smoking or I’m giving up sweets. Some even pick out something that is not difficult to give up--something they never do anyway--like “I’m not wearing my work boots to bed or I’m giving up skydiving for Lent.”
Although you could deny yourself something such as this, Jesus was talking about something different.
He was talking about the process of becoming His true disciple. IF anyone wants to be my disciple then he has to be different from what he is now.
Who is really going to deny themselves? He has turned to the crowd that is there to hear teaching and perhaps want to see or even receive a little miracle.
But, the people in the crowd had no real commitment to him. They aren’t ready to really respond.
His disciples were on the way, they had nearly three years of instruction and witnessed lots of cool stuff. But even Peter who I believe would really have given his life for the teacher and was given the words – “ you are the Christ” had a lack of understanding.
What does the word DENY mean anyway?
The Greek word used here is the same one used for when Peter denies Jesus in the courtyard--it means to state that you have no connection with something. Deny here is not the same as what we usually mean by self denial when we are giving up something for a diet.
It is to clearly state that I don’t know you. I don’t know what you are talking about. I was never there; I did not take your candy bar!
Jesus is talking about giving up our preferences and desires and opinions --our right to handle our life by ourselves without any regard for what God wants.
An example might be, When the wife says, Honey, take out the trash. Not only is the husband willing to do it but, offers no grumbling about it interrupting what you are watching…oh I mean working on. I am talking about fully giving up our preferences completely and doing what Jesus directs.
I Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “You are not your own; you are bought with a price.” Jesus is saying, “if you are going to follow Me, you no longer own yourself.” He has ultimate rights. He has Lordship of your life.
That is some of that strange language that we sometime spout. None of what I have is mime.
It’s all God’s….What, Jesus, you want me to give something away, uh wait, let me think, I mean pray about that.
People say, I don’t want any one telling me what to do. Not even God.
What makes us like this? The writer of a book called The Art of Being a Big Shot says it is our PRIDE that makes us want to be independent of God. We want to run our own lives, call our own shots and do our own thing. We say, “I’ll do it MY way.”
My wisdom,
My Choices
Hey it is my stuff I earned it…I am in control
However Jesus says, “No, if you intend to follow me then, I’m in charge.
God, not self must be at the center. They would need to quit making self the object of their life.
Folks, replacing God in the center of our decision process is a dramatic break in the relationship tat God offers. While we think we are able to make decisions and choices they are very short term and powerless.
The real danger is we don’t see the problem. We know Jesus, we know the code words and language. We know how to act and dress and of course We talk about our brother Jesus every Sunday at church. But, we think we control Jesus and can tell him what we want to do and all too often wonder why he is not responding to our needs our instructions.
We totally miss the point, we are not really in control.
Our only power is free will. I am not goanna do anything except show up on Sunday and break in the seat cushion. No one is going to talk me into or make me do anything I don’t want to do.
Jesus told them, “If anyone wants to follow me he must say, “NO” to the things he wants and “YES” to the things I want.
Take out the trash, give your time, give your money…do what ever he wants.
When Jesus said that those who would follow him must deny themselves, he was asking no more of them than he was willing to give himself.
Our question this morning is, “Where does Jesus’ way conflict with my way?”
Are we willing to make the pursuit of God more important than the pursuit of what we want?
Maybe yes, maybe no.
This is one of the mile markers in the Lenten journey. --”if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself--giving up the right to run his life as he pleases and allowing the Lord to take over.”
We have to realize that we are not in charge.
No matter how hard we work, how mush we spend and much power we can muster…We are not really in charge of anything that will make a difference in 500 years.
If we want to be assured of more, we have a manager, a shepherd. We need to listen to his voice and accept his guidance and protection. But that means we no longer go our own way.
The second instruction was - Take up his cross:
What does take up the cross mean?
Some people think they are taking up the cross when they are suffering with sickness and disease. Perhaps that is part of the picture especially if their fait his helping them to hold firm
Others think it is suffering some trial or hardship. People will say, “That’s my cross.” But, We all want the CROWN without the CROSS.
Peter and the others wanted Jesus to be King without having to go to the cross. They didn’t want him to suffer pain or rejection or die. They wanted to see him lifted up in a popular rise to power, some miraculous building of the people to the ushering of a new kingdom. Peter was ready to receive the glory but not the persecution.
Peter only saw part of the picture.
That’s the way we are too. We want to be with Jesus when things are comfortable and going good or at least Ok and we start really talking to him when thing start going bad.
Jesus gives his followers a heads up on the things that were going to happen. A private revelation to keep them from going into shock or at least remove the surprise.
Jesus used carrying a cross to illustrate the submission required to follow him.
He was not saying we should seek out pain needlessly but that we would be willing to carry our own cross one day at a time to do his will even when the work is difficult. Even when we are humiliated, rebuffed, or treated unfairly. Even when our pride is hurt.
Folks, I believe that carrying the cross today is to do what is right for others. If we are disciples or followers of Christ then we have already been assured of an eternal reward. The cross for today is to share what Christians are really supposed to be like and not like we often are.
I think it is as simple as keeping the vows you made when you were baptized and joined the church. Taking care of the people on the inside, supporting the church with our time, talents prayers and service. Supporting and training our church family to understand what being a Christian means. Then empowering thoes that God will send into the world to be trained and free to go.
Jesus Christ demonstrated a Cost of being faithful to the mission of God. He demonstrated it by carrying a cross and calls his disciples to do the same.
What cost have you paid, what cross are you bearing. The cross is a daily event. It happens every day we live in this fallen world with no days off.
But in comparison to what Christ did for us it seems very light. Compared to the suffering as a alternative the mission seems a little too easy.
In today’s steps of our Lenten journey, we need to look at our lives and make sure who is really in control.
If it is God “fantastic.” If it is you, then I hope you have the power to avoid hell. You see that is the full demonstration of power, sparing us from something we deserve.
The last instruction was to follow me … this means obey him. Let following him become your way of life--not just when you feel like it, but daily.
Doug said to his friend, Joey, “My Sunday school teacher said I should follow Jesus---but I’m not even allowed to leave the yard.”
How old are you in your faith?
I will assure you that you are old enough to leave the yard. Jesus doesn’t expect you to just sit in the protection of the yard with nothing to do. If you are in the yard, you are to be building up the body and when you are in town you are to be a real Christian and not some kind of undercover agent sent to spy on thoes people out there.
Following Christ is never easy because he never just sits around. He is busy doing his father’s business and he needs Christians like you and me to be willing to follow one day at a time.
What happens when we do choose to follow Him? He says whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and the gospel will save it. (vs. 35). You will not waste your life by following him. Can you be a Christian and not be a disciple? Probably not a very happy one or productive one.
Where does Jesus’ way conflict with your way today? What do you stand to lose by following Jesus? What do you stand to gain?
Let us Pray:
