INTRODUCTION
The story is told about a small, country church where the pastor called a special meeting of the congregation to approve the purchase of a brand new chandelier. After some discussion pro and con, an old farmer stood up and said,
"Buying a new chandelier may seem like a good idea to you, but I’m against it for three reasons. First of all, it’s too expensive and we can’t afford one. Second, there isn’t anybody around here who knows how to play one. And third, what we really need in this church is a new light fixture."
In a way this story illustrates one of the basic points in today’s gospel. No matter how well-intentioned, sometimes even the best of Jesus’ followers get things wrong. But if they are fortunate, there will be a word from Jesus that puts them back on the right track.
WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THAT I AM?
Earlier in this chapter, Jesus had asked his disciples, "Who do you say I am?" Peter had answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." What an amazing and bold statement that was! Peter had been with Jesus for three years now. He had heard Jesus teach, had watched his interaction with people, had witnessed a number of miraculous healings, had seen the dead raised to life, had been impressed by Jesus’ prayer life, his close relationship to the Father, had observed his calmness even in a storm on the Sea of Galilee…Yes, that was the time… when they said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the waves obey him?" Having seen all that and thought about it, Peter has come to a conviction. He is quite persuaded that Jesus is the Messiah - the one God has long since promised to send, the one the whole Jewish people were longing for with eager expectation… But not only so. Peter has grasped something even deeper. Jesus the Messiah is "the Son of the living God". Peter was a hero. He understood who Jesus really was. He understood that Jesus was no mere man, but a living part of the God of creation, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus was the Son of God who came to this earth to show and to tell the people of God, the Israelites, about God in a very real and personally way. Peter had put it all together for that moment at least, he knew who Jesus was.
MAY IT NOT BE SO, LORD!
But now, just a few short days later, Peter quickly changes from the hero to the heel, from one who is expounding great truth, to one who is babbling and carrying on about things that he doesn’t understand, or even want to understand. Peter changes so quickly in fact, that Jesus equates him with the devil when he says, "Get behind me Satan" you are tempting me, you are hindering me, you are trying to make me change my mind about the course that I must take. What did Peter do so wrong to change so quickly from the hero to a dupe in just a few short minutes? Although Peter had confessed Jesus to be the Messiah, he didn’t grasp what that all meant. The Jews of Jesus’ day were looking for a Messiah who would bring political restoration and economic prosperity. The Messiah was expected to lead the nation, to renew a glorious kingdom. When they thought of the Messiah, they were looking for a King. They weren’t prepared for a suffering Servant. Neither was Peter. His hope was in a glorious leader, one who would whip the butts of all who stood in the way of God’s reign, and set up a kingdom of peace and prosperity. That was his idea of a Messiah. So when Jesus began to talk about his suffering and death (and resurrection!), Peter objected, "God forbid it, Lord! That must never happen to you!" It was impossible for one promised to bring glory to suffer, never mind being halted by the cruel judgment of a cross.
THE REASON THE SON HAD TO COME
In light Peter’s great confession, Jesus now had to explain the true nature of his Messiahship. Now that they knew who he was, Jesus needed to tell the disciples what he was about. He needed to let them know what truly lay ahead for him. The crux of the matter is that it is one thing to believe in who Jesus is, that is the easy part, it is a far harder thing to accept the purpose for which he came. Jesus told the disciples that he would suffer at the hands of the religious rulers, he would in fact be put to death by these ruler, but God would raise him on the third day. Jesus was explaining the concept of the lowly messiah, the Suffering Servant, to the disciples and that was not easy to hear! So Peter out of love and respect, out of his own ideas about the Messiah, out of his own sense of glory and righteousness took Jesus in his large arms and said, "God forbid, Lord. This shall never happen to you." Peter could not let Jesus suffer because he loved him so much. He could not let Jesus suffer because he could not believe in a Messiah that was nothing less than a conquering Messiah. He could not let Jesus suffer because that was n ot the dreams and the expectations he had of Jesus, and the dreams and expectation he had of himself as a follower of Jesus. No, suffering was not apart of all of this, thought Peter.
THE SUFFERING SERVANT
But Peter was wrong, suffering was a part of the plan that God had for Jesus. Jesus must suffer for the sins of this world so that our salvation would be secure in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus must suffer so that our arrogance and self-will could be redeemed. Jesus must suffer for sin to be put to death, that new life may come from the hand of God. Jesus tells Peter it is the will of God for him to suffer. He says "You are a hindrance to me, for you are not on the side of God, but of men." Peter was thinking in human terms, according to the plans and ideas of men, not God. People cannot understand the workings of God, humanity has its own thoughts about the plans of God, Jesus is saying, but God’s plans are that I must suffer so that you will not have to suffer. Jesus tells Peter in a sense that he must understand what is the will of the Father for his Son. Peter must understand that suffering is part of this plan; not glory, not riches, not a grand army, but suffering, death and the cross, then God will act to raise him on the third day. God will bring life where there was death, God will bring glory where their was suffering, God will deliver Jesus from the hands of the devil and exalt him to His right hand in the heavenly places. God will do all of this because he is a God of love.
IF ANYONE WILL COME AFTER CHRIST
This is the way of God. And so, Jesus goes on to tell Peter, and all his disciples that everyone must take up his cross to follow him. Jesus makes it clear that this is the way of the kingdom. This is God’s plan, and to be one of God’s people is to follow this way of the cross. Jesus is saying that being his follower is no easy matter. There is sacrifice, there is giving up and letting go, there is suffering, there is setting priorities in ones life, so that those things which really do count, eternal life, have the priority that is number one. Jesus is telling the disciple and us this morning that whoever looses ones life for him, will find it. Whoever forgets about the demands, the values, the standards of this world, whoever is willing to live totally for Jesus, that person will find life in Jesus; that person will know Jesus as the Savior of life. Jesus is saying that the Christian life is not easy, rather it is the most difficult life to live, because it is a life of sacrifice, it is a life living for him instead the demands of this world, or for ourselves. We don’t like that, it is too hard, so instead of living under the cross we make the Christian life easy. The rigor and discipline and cost of being Christian have disappeared. We constantly appeal to new members by saying how easy it is to join the church. We come to church when we feel like it or when we have nothing else to do. We pray when we need something, rather than praying to obey God’s will. We substitute self-assertion classes for God’s lessons of self-surrender.
COSTLY VS CHEAP GRACE
Another person has described the Christian life in this age in a similar manner. Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was a martyr during World War II in Germany wrote "Cost of Discipleship". In it he says that Christians today are living by cheap grace. He says,
"Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."
Bonhoeffer describes costly grace as the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.
“It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it give a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son. It grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God. Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus, it comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and a contrite heart. Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him."
THE LIFE OF COSTLY GRACE
Bonhoeffer is describing a life which is fulfilling the charge of Jesus when he says "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" Bonhoeffer is saying that we have lost sight of the grace which is so costly. We have turn the grace of God into some thing so simple, so watered down, something without meaning, that we don’t comprehend, or fathom what it means in this day and age to be a follower of Jesus. Bonhoeffer doesn’t want to turn the grace of God into a new legalism, but he does want his readers to understand that a responsibility goes along with the grace that God has given to us. He is pointing out that we have taken that responsibility far to easily. We have said that God is such a loving God that he would understand and forgive when we don’t follow through on our part of the covenant he has made with us. We have taken God’s love for us for grant. It doesn’t mean anything to us that God chose to have his Son die for us so that we might have eternal life. It doesn’t mean anything to us that Jesus sacrificed himself for us and our sins. It doesn’t mean anything to us that we are called upon by God to live in that same kind of lifestyle, that we are to live a life that reflects the same kind of love, compassion and concern that Jesus had for humankind.
CONCLUSION
What we are hearing from this text this morning is a challenge for us to live a life that is not centered on self, nor on the world, but a life that is given over to Jesus and his cross. A life that is willing to sacrifice something, some priorities, some worldly values, some creature comforts so that we might serve our Lord and others around us. I would like to leave you this morning with a story about how one young man chose to follow Christ. Ed was a graduating seminarian, who accepted a call deep in the heart of Appalachia, to a poor mining town. This particular field of mission would provide Ed with very little monetary compensation. He would have to be on guard to maintain his physical health. The nearest medical doctor or facility was two hours away. Disease and sickness common. There would be some risk involved, too. People there didn’t like "no strangers move’ in." He’d have to earn their trust and respect if he was going to serve Christ there. Ed was a guy with a lot going for him. He was skilled and sensitive and could serve the church almost anywhere. He could easily have gone to a nice suburban area, he didn’t have to settle for living in poverty. He could have opted for a classy parish and spare himself the grief and ridicule he was getting from his family about his call. Ed chose freely to give up many things when he graduated. Why?? "Because, he said, I believe Jesus meant it when he said I’d find real life, I’ll loose many things I enjoy and take for granted, but I expect to gain a fuller, richer life anyhow. When I consider what Christ gave up for me .... well .... do I have another choice?"
Do we have any other choice??? Amen