Roger's Postings

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Matthew 16:21-28. Standing at the crossroads!! 31/8/08

(21) From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. {22} Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" {23} Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." {24} Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. {25} For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. {26} What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his 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 he has done. {28} I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

This reading here today places us all at the crossroads of life. Do we here also want to take the easy and glorious road through life; just as Peter is suggesting to Jesus; merely wanting the easy and comfortable road? Or will we listen to our Lord when he tells us that we are to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow him? Are we going to listen to our Lord or are we going to allow Satan to direct our lives for us?

Might I suggest; by what I see around about, Satan has by enlarge, enticed much of the church today to follow the easy road. We don’t want to face the road and the theology of the cross and suffering: we want the easy and comfortable road that allows us to enjoy health, wealth and happiness: we don’t want to be challenged: and we don’t want to live a life of suffering, ridicule and rejection. In other words we would much rather travel on the wide and easy road that leads to Hell, along with the bulk of the people around us.

Sadly there are so many that seem to be wanting to gain the whole world no matter the cost. ‘We have to have all that the world is telling us that we need, or else we will not be truly fulfilled and happy.’ We don’t stop and think that a sinful, selfish world will only give us more and more heartache and disaster, no matter how hard it tries. At the end of the day we also need to consider what Jesus says here is the end result of this pursuit: this person forfeits his soul.

But I guess the challenging question then in this regard is: do we really care? It would seem that for most people, they have this idea that they can ‘have their cake and eat it as well.’ They seem to think that they can live as they please; allow Satan full reign; and yet at the end God will still allow them all into heaven. It doesn’t matter what God himself says about these things, as long as we think we are OK, then we are. Sadly this kind of thinking has come right into the heart of the church and all too often into our own lives.

For so many they are no longer at the crossroad, that have gone down the road that is broad and easy; the freeway of life; and there is little chance of them being able to get off. Jesus and the cross is not central; denial and suffering are not a part of the equation. They want life, but they want it their way; and are heading down the road of forfeiting their soul.

This being the case we need to carefully consider what our Lord is saying to us here. The first thing that he says is that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Here again he makes the point that it is absolutely essential for us and for our salvation that he dies on the cross. This is no incidental issue. He must die so that forgiveness of sins and eternal life can be ours.

Then at our baptisms we were joined to Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection and so can be sure that we have been placed on the road to eternal life. If we stay on the road that he has laid down for us, we can be sure that we will find life, even though we will suffer and have to carry our cross through this life.

It is here then that we need to take careful note, for Jesus says that if we now, as Christians, want to save our life: in other words, to have a comfortable, easy road where we do as we please, we will lose it. We will be turning our life off of the road that he has set for us and turning to the broad free way to Hell. Jesus here speaks in the strongest possible terms: we cannot have the way of the world without losing our life.

Instead he says whoever loses his life for me will find it. Whoever is prepared to give up getting their own way and doing their own thing, and then allow Christ’s life and what he says is good and important for us, be what is all important for us; then we will find life. We will have that sure and certain hope that nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

So we can deny ourself and take up our cross and follow him. Now in many ways this is a positive statement: it is something that we can do. It is so, because first of all, our Lord Jesus is suggesting that we follow where he himself has been before. We know that we would dearly like to be where he is now; in heaven with his Father. But at the same time we know that as we stick with him in the things he has told us are important, we are on the road to get there. As we follow the path he went down and that he tells us we are to go, we know that it will not always be easy. In fact he promises that ours will also be one of denial and cross-bearing.

However as we do follow we have his sure promise that he will never leave us or forsake us and that lo he with us always. In fact he promises that he will help us carry our burdens, as well as help us in our living as his people. Also as we follow him we know that we live under the joy of the Gospel: the Good News of Jesus Christ and what he has done for us in his life, death and resurrection. We know that there is forgiveness of sins there for all the mistakes that we make along the way.

So we can go forward in the midst of the difficulties and struggles of life. We can live boldly and confidently in the midst of what at times looks like failure. We can put aside our selfish fears and live for the benefit of others. We can take all the mud that is thrown at us and know that he will use it for good. We can follow the road ahead and know that because of Jesus Christ the destination is sure.

Also we can and will seek to live as we are encouraged to in the second reading from Romans 12.
(9) Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. {10} Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves. {11} Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. {12} Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. {13} Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. {14} Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. {15} Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. {16} Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. {17} Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. {18} If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. {19} Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. {20} On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." {21} Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Yes we recognise that this is not the way our world or our sinful selves want to live; but we deny ourselves and take up his cross and follow the Lord Jesus, because that is what he has called for from us.

Let us remember that it is there in and with him, as we go down that sometimes difficult and dark road, that we find that there it is, what life is all about. There it is that we find real meaning and purpose and there in the Lord Jesus we find life eternal. Yes with all this in mind we find that we have gone over the crossroads and are down that road that our Lord leads us on. Let’s not turn back! Let’s not listen to Satan’s lies! But instead deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. To whom belongs all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN

Pastor Roger Atze
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Toowoomba

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