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| (Updated 06/11/2009)
Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:21-28
Please read the reading before sermon.
Sermon
Last week we talked about Peter proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah the Son of the living God. Jesus was pleased with the confession and faith of his disciples and revealed to them that He must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
This was quite a shocking message. Of course the disciples didn’t like it. Why should their teacher and a good friend suffer and die on the cross? Peter takes Jesus aside and begins to rebuke him, saying: “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.”
We can’t blame Peter for these words for I bet all of us would respond in the same way. In our human perspective we can’t understand why someone would sacrifice himself for others. Why would someone willingly suffer and die? For what difference can you make once you lost your life?
Jesus’ response to Peter was: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Jesus is very clear and straight forward. He addresses here our biggest struggle. The struggle between human things and diving things. (pause) What are we setting our minds on, divine or human things?
Well I believe that for most of us the answer would be the human things. We live in a secular society. Our everyday problems are very much of a human nature. Dealing with work, family, school, friends, living busy lives… is there really time for divine things?
Well Jesus gives us an answer to this question: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer a German theologian who died during Second World War in a concentration camp said: “When Christ calls a man he bids him come and die.” Now what do these words mean? What does Jesus mean when He calls us to take up our cross and lose our life for his sake?
Our cross and our death are very closely connected. All of us are dealing with different crosses. Some of us are dealing with relatives that are causing us a lot of pain. Some of us are having problems with children. Some of us are having trouble at work, and some of us are struggling with finances. Some are struggling with illness, some with a handicap, some battle addictions and some depression in their lives. All of us deal with some kind of cross, all of us carry a thorn that we need to battle.
But how are our crosses connected with losing of our lives for Christ’s sake? How are the things we have to battle daily connected to our death? Well, there are different ways to look at this question.
One way is the human way, fighting things on our own, full of bitterness, anger, and unanswered questions. Seeing suffering and death as some kind of punishment, bad luck or something that doesn’t make any sense.
The divine way is different though. It is the way that leads us to finally letting go, to step back, to give that fighting “me” a rest, to turn things to God, to “die” to ourselves. Yes the cross is a sign of suffering and death, but at the same time the cross is a sign of God’s grace and hope. The one who takes up his cross also picks up God’s amazing grace and love. The one, who’s willing to give up his or her own life, will discover a new life in Christ. The life that’s filled with God’s love, compassion, peace and hope.
The Apostle Paul in his letter to Galatians says: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” When Christ revealed himself to the Apostle Paul, he was on his way to persecute Christians. Paul’s life had to be transformed by Christ from the beginning. An old Saul had to die, had to change in order for the new Paul to come to life. This change of course didn’t happen in a day, but as Paul obeyed Christ’s voice to follow Him, he was given a new life.
All of us who are gathered here today can begin a new life because of what Christ has done. For Christ Himself died on our behalf and because of His death and resurrection we can start fresh. In the mystery of the cross we can die and be raised to a new life with Christ.
In the 6th chapter of Romans the Apostle Paul talks about this very clearly. Please read this whole passage at home. In verse 4 he says: “Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”
We can walk with Christ in newness of life right now here on earth. It’s not going to be a perfect life yet, but for sure it’s going to be better life then when we tried to live it on our own. Jesus says to all of us, take up your cross, and let me carry it for you. I know you’re too tired to carry it by your self. It’s time to let go of the old, struggling, fighting “me” and let me make you a new person. (pause) Jesus says, to all of us today, let’s walk together, as a community of believers who carry their crosses for one another. For one who denies himself and gives his life with everything in it to Christ, is not only lifted up by Christ, but he or she can lift up those around them who are in need. For that is our calling… through Christ and in Christ to help to carry each others crosses. That’s the sacrifice of love, to give one life for the other.
Fro what will it profit you if you gain the whole world but forfeit your life? Isn’t your life the most precious gift of God? Are we willing to give up our old broken lives so that we can gain a new, eternal life with Christ? Are we willing to give up our old self-centered lives and help those who are in need?
These are the questions my friends that we as Christians face daily. And daily we’re challenged to take up our cross, hand it to Christ, and start a new journey with Him. Daily we’re challenged to take each others crosses and carry them together, as one community, as one body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen |
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