Take Up Your Cross And Follow Me / Another Prospective

For those not familiar with an Anglican Service there are four Scripture readings before the Message. Today's readings are Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 105; Romans 12:9-21 and Matthew 16:21-28

The story is told ... that a man living out on the edge of town ... heard a commotion in his back yard.

He investigated and discovered ... there was a very hostile gorilla up in his tree.

He immediately called 911, and it wasn't long until an animal control officer was on the scene ... with a big ferocious dog, ... a pair of handcuffs, ...and a shotgun.

Turning to the homeowner the officer said, ... "Here's what we have to do.

I will climb up the tree and shake it as hard as I can.

When the gorilla falls out, ... the dog will leap upon him ...and with his powerful jaws ... clamp down on the gorilla's neck ... paralyze him.

While he's paralyzed, ... you put the handcuffs on the gorilla ... and we'll have him."

"Okay," the man said.

So, the officer started climbing the tree.

Suddenly the man hollered, ... "Wait a minute.

You forgot to tell me what the shotgun is for."

"Well," the officer said ... "when I start shaking the tree, ... if I fall out instead of the gorilla, ... you shoot the dog."

Well ... What I'm going to do this morning ... is to try to shake ... some trees.

To hopefully look at our text in Mathew ... from a different perspective.

Hear again God's Word: ... BIBLE "...... Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let them deny themselves ......and take up their cross and follow me...... For whoever would save their life will lose it, ......but whoever loses their life for my sake...... will find it.'" END (Mathew 16:24-25)

Beloved ... These verses ... can often make your head spin.

Upon first glance ... they do not seem ...too difficult ... to understand.

Yet ... the longer you hang around them, ... the dizzier you will get ... and the more ......they start to play tricks ... on you.

Deny yourselves.

Take up your cross.

Those who want to save their life ...will lose it.

Those who lose their life ... for my sake ... will find it.

So... If I am selfish with my life, ... I will lose my life.

But if I am generous ... and give up my life, ... I will gain it.

Therefore, ... I will be generous with my life, ...... ......Because I know ... that I want ... to gain it.

But...wait.

Then am I simply being generous ... for my own gain?

Am I simply being generous ... to save my own neck?

It can be indeed ... a dizzying text. (Long Pause)

And Sadly ... most people ... interpret this text... in ... one of two ways.

(1 Finger) Some hear it ... as a call ... to live a meager life.

Denying themselves of joy ... denying themselves ... of an abundant ... and full ... life.

It is an attempt to delay joy ... And to delay gratification ... until ... they reach heaven.

They are convinced ... that the more I deny myself of life's comforts here and now, ... the greater my reward will be ... in heaven.

In essence ... the old adage ... No pain, no gain.

(2 Fingers) On the other hand ... Others hear this text ... as a justification ...or a reason...... for the suffering that has already burrowed ... into their own life.

They may say when faced with suffering ... "This must be ... my cross to bear,".

It paints a picture ... of a drill sergeant God.

A God ......who is in the business ...of giving you more and more obstacles.

Giving you ... more and more struggles in your life ... to see ... how long ...you can ... endure them.

I am convinced ... that because of these interpretations ... many have endured hardships... for years ... that they should never... have endured.

Terrified each day, ... they endure ... they hang on... believing it is a cross.

A cross ... that God has called them ... to bear.

So, ... they just grin and bear it.

Trying to trust in a God ...who can seem ...so cruel. (Long Pause)

Yet... what if ... what if ... there is another way... of hearing ... this text?

It seems to me ... that our Gospel reading ...is not about a call ... to a life of ... suffering.

It's not about denying one's self ... the pleasures in life ... in order to receive ... a future joy ... in heaven.

And It's not about a God ... who is simply playing a game ...with us.