Just a heads up that there will be few new posts (and no new sermons) here on UnashamedSermons until after the first week of January. My church is doing a lot of special seasonal services and I’m not speaking during this services.
Archive for December, 2007
Things will be quiet around here…
Thursday, December 20th, 2007outcome
Sunday, December 9th, 2007Podcast: Download
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
INTRODUCTION
Read John 1:1-18For the past three weeks I’ve been sharing with you a series of messages entitled Christmas Potential. I began the series by talking about how we can learn to recognize this potential by focusing on Jesus Christ. It is a potential that was created in the incarnation – when God sent His son to earth to dwell among us, “God with us” so that the possibility of having a one on one relationship with Him would be initiated.
In the following week I then talked about how the incarnation occurred in the perfect timing of God and that embracing God’s pace (or timing) in your life involves patience. Embracing the potential of Christmas produces the test of trust in us as we learn to be patient in living at God’s pace. As our priorities become realigned there will be times where we simply have to trust Him for the outcome.
Last week we visited the story of the Shepherds, the Wisemen and King Herod to learn about the different responses that existed during the events of the incarnation. Compared to today there are similar responses found among people during the Christmas season. There are those who will reject the potential Christmas brings, those who will ignore it, and then of course those who will believe and receive the good news Christ brings. Embracing the potential of Christmas will result in a change of identity because you become a child of the King and Christ is your life.
The thing about potential is that the word describes something that could be but not necessarily something that is. In other words, potential can be lost if it is not enabled. If I held up a match and a candle I could describe the match as having the potential to ignite something. I could describe the candle as potential energy in the form of light and heat that could be released if it was ignited. However the potential will mean nothing unless it is enabled. Once I strike the match and light the candle then the potential that was in each becomes something real.
We enable Christmas potential when we receive the gift God sent to this world and when we embark on the journey of becoming more like Christ. Today I want to conclude this series by describing the outcome of that potential. What happens when Christmas potential is allowed to run its’ course in individual lives? What happens when Christmas potential is enabled and curried in the life of the church?
REAL FORGIVENESS
The first real outcome of enabled Christmas Potential is forgiveness. The angels announced to the shepherds,
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11 (NIV)
John in the introduction to His gospel presents Jesus as the Word becoming flesh and as one who “came from the Father, full of grace and truth”. The nature of grace is that it is expressed regardless of whether the recipient deserves it. Because of God’s grace Jesus came as the Saviour of mankind!
Why do we need a Saviour anyway? Well let’s think about the word saviour for a minute. A Saviour is someone who saves or rescues someone from something. That means that if Jesus is given that title he must be rescuing people from something. What is it He’s rescuing us from? The Bible teaches us that He rescues us from the penalty of Sin which is death. In the eyes of God, death is so much more than mere physical destruction. Death is existing apart from Him. Those who exist apart from God have no contact with Him who is the source of life, love, joy, peace, and every good thing. Jesus was sent to rescue mankind from that existence which the Bible describes as Hell – a literal place that’s defining characteristic is the absence of God.
Jesus came so that it may be possible for us to be connected to the one who is our source of life and to be reconnected in relationship with our Heavenly Father who wants that connection to happen in the first place. He wants us to rescue us from the penalty of sin and restore us to a right relationship with our Creator. Here’s the thing, you can only be in right relationship with God when you are perfect before Him. Jesus took care of sin so we could be perfect before God.
A little boy wrote a letter to Santa Claus that said, “Dear Santa: There are three boys living at my house. Jeffrey is two, David is four, and Norman is seven. Jeffrey is good some of the time, David is good some of the time, and Norman is good all of the time. I am Norman”
You know the problem with that? Not one of us is a Norman. None of us bats a 1000. None of us are always perfect or right. In fact, if we were somehow able to project on the screen behind me everything we’ve ever though, said, or done, most of us would be extremely embarrassed. We all live with a sense of regret because none of us are perfect. That’s why we need a saviour.
“If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness, so He sent us a Saviour” (source unknown)
Enabling the potential of Christmas unleashes the forgiveness of God in your life. The most priceless gift anyone could receive is the gift of a clear conscience.
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)
We enable this potential by having a right relationship with Jesus Christ. The declaration is in John 3:16…
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NIV)
…and the explanation is in the next two verses…
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:17-18 (NIV)
Enabling the potential of Christmas produces forgiveness. A forgiveness that is made possible not because of anything you and I have done but because of everything Christ has done.
REAL PEACE
Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
Psalms 119:165 (NIV)
Peace is a word that our world uses a lot, but most people do not have the foggiest idea of what real peace is like.
• For some peace of mind means drinking until they’re so drunk and numb that they can no longer feel the pain in their hearts.
• For some, peace means hopping from one relationship to the next, to the next, to the next, hoping that somebody will fill the void in their life. But nobody ever does.
• For some, peace means staying busy all the time so that at night they just kind of collapse into bed and do not have to think. Because anytime they are quiet, those haunting thoughts, those fears, and that terrible loneliness come caving in, and they do not like that feeling.
• For other people peace means working and working, becoming a workaholic and overachieving, so they can get all these attributes of success to prove to the world that they are somebody! But inside they’re saying, “I don’t’ really feel like somebody.”
• For other people peace means trying New Age gimmicks, like gazing at crystals, or using aromatherapy, or sitting in a lotus position and going, “Ommmmm.” But that’s not peace either
Real peace is having a relationship with Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and becoming friends with God. Once Christmas potential is enabled…
• Real peace is knowing that no matter what I do, God will not stop loving me.
• Real peace is knowing that no matter what happens, God will never leave me alone, He will always be with me.
• Real peace means that no matter what happens in the New Year, or in the years to come, I know that God is going to be my strength in the midst of it.
• Real peace is living by God’s Word so I can avoid a lot of the needless hang-ups, hurts and habits that mess up my life.
• Real peace is teaching my children God’s Word as a foundation of life, so as they grow I can see them make decisions that build their lives rather than tear them down. That is real peace.
Real peace is knowing I have a right relationship with God.
There are four things that rob us of this peace and all four are glaringly obvious during our society’s Christmas season:
1. Guilt
Good guilt helps us recognize something that’s not right with us in what we said, or did. Bad guilt is accepting blame for something we had no control over.
Good guilt motivates us to change – bad guilt keep us locked in a cycle of feeling sorry for ourselves.
Good guilt is dealt with – bad guilt is dwelt on.
The thing about guilt is when it we dwell on “being guilty” rather than dealing with it – we’ll be without peace.
When it comes to our position with God we don’t have to walk around with guilt.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalms 103:11-12 (NIV)
2. Grief
Grief is another robber of peace. Some people are be in major pain right now, because Christmas brings up all kinds of hurtful memories. You may remember the loss of a loved one, or a parent who abandoned you, or a divorce you went through, or the death of a spouse or child. You have grief that robs you of joy and peace of mind. If that is the pain that you’re carrying then understand this morning that God cares about your hurt. He sees it, and He knows all about it. You were never meant to carry that grief all on your own. God says to cast all your cares on Him, and He will care for you. Give Him your worries and troubles, and receive the gift of peace.
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
Psalms 103:13-14 (NIV)
God knows our limits, as a compassionate god He is willing to lift our burdens if we have a relationship with Him.
3. Grudges
Grudges also rob us of peace. Grudges cause us to be resentful. We feel guilty when we hurt others, but we become resentful or grudging when others hurt us. The truth is – you will be hurt in life, whether its’ intentional or not. How you respond to that hurt will determine your level of peace in life. For your own sake and your own peace of mind, you’ve got to let go of those hurts because resentment and grudges hurt you more than the other person.
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.
Romans 12:17-18 (NIV)
4. Greed
Finally, there’s greed. When what you have just isn’t enough compared to what you want – discontent will forever be your friend. How do you counter this? Two ways – be content and be generous. Remember that God will always bless us with what we need and with what we can use to help others. It is a principle of the kingdom that our giving should always outdo our getting. The truth is that when you are bit by the greed bug you will always find yourself wanting more than what you have.
But just as you excel in everything–in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us–see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
2 Corinthians 8:7 (NIV)
REAL LIFE
Here are some facts of life:
1. We’re all going to die someday
Of course, that isn’t a very pleasant thought but it’s true. We don’t need to be morbid about it, or always be worrying about it, but the fact is that all of us, each one of us, is going to die someday. Tomorrow, next year, ten years from now – we don’t know – but we do have the certainty that it will happen.
2. We are going to spend more of our life on the other side of the grave than on this side.
We may get sixty, seventy, eighty or even 100 years her on this earth. However, on the other side of the grave time loses meaning because there simply is no measure for “everlasting”. Now, only a fool would go through life unprepared for something he knows is inevitable. It does not make sense to know that someday you are going to die and not be prepared for it!
Friend’s you are not ready to live until you are ready to die. Fortunately, the good news is, God sent His son Jesus Christ so that we could be ready. When we put our faith and trust in Christ we will find life…
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:17 (NIV)
God, in Christ clears up my past, takes care of my present, and secures my future. You will never find that in anything or anyone else anywhere.
In light of the everlasting life promised to us by Christ (for those who believe in Him), and the fact that we’re going to be spending more and that side of physical death than on this side – wouldn’t it make more sense that we invest in things that have eternal value than those that have temporal value? Probably one of the closest illustrations to the reality of this question is the demonstration of gift giving and gift value we see in today’s Christmas gift exchange. How many gifts given during the Christmas season have worn out, or been tossed out by the time Christmas rolls around again the next year? Canadians will spend over $20 billion dollars during the Christmas season. That’s a whole lot of money isn’t it? Imagine what a difference could be made in our world if instead of spending our money on gifts that won’t last we invested in things that actually made a difference. The potential list for those kinds of gifts is virtually limitless.
The truth is Christ has come that we may have life and have it more abundantly but we only experience that abundant life when we allow Him to transform what we live for and how we live!
CONCLUSION
Christmas is really the celebration of an invasion. God invaded earth over two thousand years ago as a human being. If God had wanted to communicate to cows, He would have become a cow. If God had wanted to communicate to ants, He would have become an ant. If God had wanted to communicate to dogs, He would have become a dog. But He wanted to communicate to human beings, so He became one of us – a human being. We can look at Jesus and say, “That is how God wants me to know and live life. That is what God is like.” By getting to know Jesus, I understand it is not about a religion, but a relationship with God. The Bible says Jesus came to seek and to save. You are the target of His pursuit. You matter to God. Your problems matter to God. Your pain matters to God. Your potential matters to God.
I challenge you this Christmas to recognize and discover the inherent potential God has created for you to find.
Church Shopping Online
Wednesday, December 5th, 2007Church consultant Tom Bandy says that as tools for reaching potential worshipers, church Web sites are growing in number and getting more sophisticated. One sign: 5 years ago, churches made up only 5% of clientele for StreamGuys, an Arcadia, CA-based provider of streaming audio and video services. Today, churches represent more than 20% of the company’s business. 82% of churches with more than 200 worship attendees have websites, vs. 29% of those with fewer than 100, found a 2006 Ellison Research survey. Efforts to leverage the Web for recruitment are paying off for congregations, says Hartford Seminary’s Scott Thumma, who says church shoppers increasingly make the process a largely online experience. “I hear from people in churches that they’re constantly running into folks who say,”I saw your website. Now I’m here.’”
USA Today 10/16/07
exchange
Sunday, December 2nd, 2007Podcast: Download
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
INTRODUCTION
Read Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 2:8-14
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:1-12 (NIV)
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
Luke 2:8-14 (NIV)
For the last two weeks I’ve been promoting the idea, the belief I have that there is amazing positive potential residing in the Christmas celebration that exists because of the foundation of Christmas which is the historical account of the incarnation – “God with Us”
It is a story that pretty everybody in this part of the world is familiar with to some degree. But what many don’t realize is that we each have a part in this story! You see the incarnation – upon which Christmas is based – isn’t a complete story. How it ends in your life depends on you. The chain of events that happened over two thousand years ago were initiated by God’s choice to make His salvation available to everyone including you and me. He created potential, the possibility for a relationship with Him. But our part is what we’re going to do with the offer.
In looking at the story of the incarnation, you can’t help but notice that there different responses to the circumstances that happened. Responses that are foretell similar reactions we find today with people who come face to face with the Christmas potential.
Let’s start by looking at the response of King Herod and Jerusalem when they heard the news of the special baby.
Response of King Herod and Jerusalem…
Some observations:
First, notice that the news of the baby was delivered to King Herod (and Jerusalem) by some wise men (who were perhaps unwitting messengers sent by God to the people of Jerusalem – notice that the star first led them to Jerusalem [vs9]) Ultimately it was God who was delivering this message to the people of Jerusalem.
Second, notice that scripture records them as being disturbed. There are many ways of translating or describing the meaning of this word: agitated, troubled, inward commotion, take away calmness of mind, disquieted, restless, stirred up, anxious or distressed, perplexed (Strong’s Greek Number 5015). Whatever way you choose to describe the emotional behaviour of the people of Jerusalem, it is important to note that there was something about the Magi’s search that set the presses rolling and the gossip mill running and this disturbance led to their response. Why were they so disturbed? Well let’s look at King Herod first.
King Herod’s response…
Recall the magi’s question, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
I think there’s some important background information we have to look at in order to understand why this question would be so disturbing to Herod.
Background information on Herod “the Great”:
The Bible records history. It has proven itself an accurate and reliable record of people, events, and places. Independent historical accounts verify the Bible’s descriptions and details of many famous lives. One of these was the father of the Herodian family, Herod the Great.
Herod is remembered as a builder of cities and the lavish rebuilder of the temple in Jerusalem. But he also destroyed people. He showed little greatness in either his personal actions or his character. He was ruthless in ruling his territory. His suspicions and jealousy led to the murder of several of his children and the death of his wife Mariamne.
Herod’s title, king of the Jews, was granted by Rome but never accepted by the Jewish people. He was not part of the Davidic family line, and he was only partly Jewish. Although Israel benefited from Herod’s lavish efforts to repair the temple in Jerusalem, he won little admiration because he also rebuilt various pagan temples. Herod’s costly attempt to gain the loyalty of the people failed because it was superficial. His only loyalty was to himself. (taken from Life Application Bible Study Notes – Character Study of Herod the Great)
Into the life of this man comes these men from the East with their question about the one who has been born King of the Jews. Note that they did not question if this king had been born but where he was. They spoke with absolute conviction that this king had indeed already been born!
So, why would Herod be disturbed then?
1. Herod was not the rightful heir to the throne of David and he knew it! Therefore many Jews hated him as a usurper. If this baby really was an heir – there could be a threat to his power.
2. Herod was ruthless and as is the case with people who are relentless and are careless about the enemies they make to gain power – there is always the worry and concern that someone is plotting to get him out of power.
3. Herod didn’t want the Jews, a religious people, to unite around a religious figure as that could further enflame the discontent in the territory he was overseeing and any rioting or rebellion that got out of hand could draw the attention of Rome and cause him to lose his place of power.
4. If these Magi were of Jewish descent and from Parthia (the most powerful region next to Rome), they would have welcomed a Jewish king who could swing the balance of power in the area away from Ceasar. The land of Israel, far from Rome, would be easy prey for a nation trying to gain more control.
In the end Herod’s response was to reject the news of the baby.
Notice I didn’t say that He didn’t believe that what the magi was saying was true. BUT Herod chose not to accept the news. Rejection is very much the response of people who don’t believe something to be true but it is also the response of people who don’t want something to be true – even though they know it is.
Of all the reasons I brought forward for why Herod would be troubled by this news there is one thing that stands out. And that is that this baby threatened Herod’s identity – He was king – and if this baby was king somebody would be going. Herod spent most of his life rising to power through ruthless and cunning and despicable means. Listen to me closely – Herod had built his entire life around His rule as King and in turn his life depended on his kingship. Without it, he was nothing and he would be defenseless against those he trampled to get there. Herod had defined himself by his title and position as king.
Ultimately Herod’s response to the disturbing news of the wise men was to try to cover up and actually prevent this baby from becoming king. When you read further in the story you find him sending his soldiers to kill every boy in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two and under.
APPLICATION:
- some people choose to reject the good news because it threatens their identity – now your identity may be based on your job, or your family, or your position in society, or your possessions…
- some people just don’t like the idea that they are a sinner or that they are lost or that they are doomed and will seek to cover it up any way they can…maybe it won’t be on the level of Herod’s cover-up but nevertheless their rejection becomes an active force in pushing away the good news of Christ.
People in Jerusalem’s response…
So there we have the first response – Herod rejected the news of the baby.
But Herod wasn’t the only one disturbed by the wise men’s question. I find it astonishing that verse 3 says, all Jerusalem with him was disturbed!! You would think that the people of Jerusalem who were predominately Jews would have been delighted at the news of Jewish King – one that actually deserved the crown. One that would lead them out of Roman oppression! Yet the Bible clearly says that the people of Jerusalem were disturbed. Why?
• I believe that it is because the baby threatened the status quo – it threatened their sense of security. It was not what they expected!! Perhaps the inhabitants of Jerusalem had grown comfortable with the way things were and became scared of the upheavals that would be sure to happen if there was a challenge to Herod’s kingship. Certainly they had experienced the wrath of Herod the Great in the past and maybe they weren’t anxious to go through it again. Whatever the case this baby threatened their sense of security. Isn’t it ironic that this baby actually was the security of God?
• I also find it interesting that the Priests and teachers of the law were the ones who gave Herod the location for the birth of the Messiah – they knew the truth and yet they chose to ignore it. How come they didn’t send anyone with the wise men to Bethlehem? Maybe because the figured they had God all figured out…
• This was the response of the people of Jerusalem THEY CHOSE TO IGNORE THE GOOD NEWS. (Let someone else deal with it…)
APPLICATION
Some people become so used to the way things are that they choose to ignore the good news rather than risk change even though they know the evidence verifies it’s truth.
Maybe they choose to ignore the good news because of their lack of understanding.
These are the people who keep putting off the decision to choose because their waiting for the right moment, or they’re not sure what’s going to happen, or they don’t fully understand yet.
These are the people who have questions about God that never seem to get answered to their satisfaction. These are the people who want a logical explanation for all the illogical stuff that happens in the world and a supernatural God just doesn’t fit in the picture.
There are some things that God does that we simply cannot understand and instead must grasp in faith. That is why the Bible says that faith is a gift from God. That is why Jesus said in John 6:29 that the work of God is to simply believe in the one He sent. Ultimately your relationship with God must begin not in understanding everything about Him but in trusting Him for and in everything and simply having faith in Him!!
The irony of this is that for Christians who have put their faith in God through Jesus Christ they find the idea of sharing the faith scary because they don’t have all the answers. The truth is that we don’t have all the answers only God does and all we are asked to do is to be His witnesses…
Maybe they choose to ignore the good news because of their arrogant “knowledge”
Some people ignore the good news because they feel they’ve already got God all figured all out. “After all, if we’re basically good people a loving God wouldn’t send us to hell would He?”
Some people are so sure that they’ve got God all figured out that they begin to come up with formulas to greater blessings or step by step plans for cashing in on the “manna” God can provide. They’re so sure that they know what to expect that they miss out on what God actually does in the unexpected (much as Priests and teachers of the law did in Jerusalem). Friends, there were some people who thought they had God all figured out in Jesus’ day and Jesus called them Pharisees.
The whole incarnation event (which includes the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ) is not about making your life better it’s about rescuing you from death to life. It’s not about making you richer in worldly wealth or health but about introducing the wealth of God’s kingdom into the poverty of the world. It’s not about condemning you to your sin and your sorrows and eternal destruction it’s about saving you from the depths, rescuing you from death, and making possible an eternal relationship with the creator of the universe, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Almighty God, the Alpha and Omega, our Heavenly Father – Hallelujah and Amen!!
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:17 (NIV)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10 (NIV)
Yes, there are those who choose to ignore the good news of the incarnation. But there is one more possible response that I’d like to look at today – and we learn about this response from the unlikeliest of sources – the shepherds…
Response of the shepherds…
(briefly recap the background of the shepherds receiving the news from scripture.)
Some observations:
• They believed that what the angels said was true (v15 – “…Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened”
• They hurried off (v16)
• They spread the news
• About what the angels had told them about the child (v17)
• All who heard them were amazed (v18)
• They returned glorifying and praising God for all the things thy had heard and seen.
What was the shepherds response? They believed and received. They didn’t reject the good news because it might change their identity. They didn’t ignore the message because it might change their life. But they believed and received what the angels said even though they didn’t fully understand, without the hindrances of false expectations and with a faith that is birthed in the hope of God’s salvation and the potential He created.
CONCLUSION
Friends, there is positive potential available in Christmas and that potential depends on what we exchange by our response. Let me clarify,
Believing the good news of Jesus Christ will redefine your identity
The shepherds left their flocks to go see the baby. Some fishermen left their nets to follow the man, Jesus. Maybe you thought you could follow Jesus without losing anything in your life – well guess again – there is an exchange that happens…
Take up your cross
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Matthew 16:24 (NIV)
What does this mean? It means – are you ready to…
Lose your family?
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:26-27 (NIV)
Lose your material possessions?
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Mark 10:21-22 (NIV)
Leave your job (fishermen, shepherds)
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-20 (NIV)
You see the thing is – we might not actually lose our job or lose our family or lose what we have when we decide to follow Christ – the point is that none of those things will keep us from following him. Like it was with Herod and the people of Jerusalem. Taking up your cross refers to the laying down of everything you do, have, and are in your life on the cross of Christ and taking up everything that Christ does, has, and is in exchange.
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?
Matthew 16:24-26 (NIV)
Christ died and rose again so that He might be your life!! And is that going to result in a change of identity?…you bet! Is that going to disrupt the status quo? Definitely.
The shepherds changed from sheep men to God’s men (his messengers), from keepers of lambs to heralds of the lion of Judah. They no longer had their identity based on being shepherds. They now knew they were privileged messengers of God! Even thought they went back to tending flocks you can be sure that they were ready to do whatever God asked them to do because being a shepherd didn’t define who they were. Just imagine what God wants to do with you!!