Do you know what a "EULA" is? It’s not a form of Hawaiian dance. It’s not what you say about a person at a funeral. It stands for "End User License Agreement." If you have ever installed a piece of computer software, you have encountered a EULA. It’s that huge mass of legal garbly-gook full of "party of the first part," and the like. You basically have two choices at the end - agree and continue with the installation, or disagree and have the installation terminate. If you are like me, you never read the EULA - you just click "yes" and go on.
But did you ever stop to wonder what you are really agreeing to?
The following is an example (I’m told) of an actual EULA:
"I agree to avoid ruts.
And I agree to change my locker combination to include the number 1964
I agree to chase squirrels around the park every now and then and giggle like a madman while doing it.
I agree to be more adventurous and try to avoid homogenized restaurant chains.
I agree to name my first-born Cooper.
I agree to bare the soles of my feet to the earth and feel grass, sand, stones, and streams.
I agree to at least think strongly about learning to play a musical instrument.
I agree to consider painting the roof of my house in contrasting colors."
So I wonder - is there a EULA for the person coming to know Jesus Christ? In a way, there is. Here in Luke 9, Jesus makes this statement:
"If anyone would come after me, let him take up his cross daily and follow me." What are we signing up for exactly? What does "take up his cross daily" really mean - and what does it mean for us to "follow" Christ? Jesus does some practical explanation and demonstration for the disciples in this chapter - and it gives us clues as to what real discipleship is about.
(Verses 1-6)
Principal 1: I agree to go where Jesus says and do what He says using His power
Here Jesus sends out the 12 in a sort of trial mission trip. Mark’s gospel says they went out to preach repentance (much like John the Baptist) and they anointed people with oil and they were healed, and many demons were cast out (Mark 6:8). Matthew points out that they were not to go to the Samaritans, but only to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 10). The miracles backed up the message. Jesus’ kingdom is both spiritual - repentance is required to enter - but also physical in the sense that He will give us new bodies and heal us completely - it’s not just a Gnostic sort of spiritual only existence.
This was to be a short journey and they disciples were to travel light - depending on folks in the towns they visited to provide for them - and not to appear as beggars (carrying bags) and not receiving any money. Now, this doesn’t become the normative for all missions everywhere - this is a specific training mission for the disciples.
In our discussion today I want to focus on the principal of going. It doesn’t have to be to Africa (or if you are in Africa - to the United States). It could be to help serve food the homeless in Portland, or just to befriend that neighbor that always seems alone - and eventually share your life and the gospel. The point is - are you willing to go?
And notice that Jesus gave them power - and He gives you power too - power to do the things He wants you to do. It might not be healing or casting out demons - it may be providing money to you to give to the ministry, or words of comfort at a time when someone really needs them. The principal is "I’ll go" and "Empower me."
Another thing - when someone rejects your ministry, they reject the One who sent you. Don’t keep going back and back and back if there is no fruit - just move on and pray.
(Verses 7-9)
Principal 2: I will not try to harmonize what I do with the world around me
Mark tells us that this is the place where Herod Antipas had John the Baptist beheaded. It’s a gruesome story from a brutal tyrant of a king. Here Herod is troubled because Jesus’ disciples are doing much the same things as the man he beheaded. "Could it be that John has come back to life?" Herod wonders - and wants to see Jesus.
Jesus never appeared before Herod voluntarily - but only after His arrest. At that time He kept silent (Luke 23).
I think for us the lesson is that the world around you will not understand what you are doing - and taking the time to explain it actually keeps you from doing the work. If someone is earnestly interested in the gospel then by all means take the time - but that’s not what Herod was interested in and that’s not what the world is interested in.
(Verses 10 - 17)
Principal 3: When Jesus asks me to do something I am not capable of, I won’t try to solve the problem in my own way, but by tapping into His resources.
So the disciples have had a taste of what it’s like to go out in Jesus’ name. Now He’s going to show them how low their sights really are. He purposefully puts them into a situation that they could never handle on their own. It’s one thing to heal or preach individually - but to actually have to feed 5,000 people?
There are many lessons from this miracle - the disciples were using their senses and logic to show how a problem couldn’t be solved - Jesus was busy enlarging their scope of what is possible. Our tendency when faced with a dilemma is to break down the problem into its constituent parts, use logic to determine the possible outcomes - then give up.
This is the pattern with Jesus: give what you have, let Him bless it, break it, and give it back out.
(Verses 18 - 20)
Principal 4: I will always recognize Jesus as the Lord of my life and my situation.
I wonder what Jesus was praying about. Whatever it was, suddenly He looks up and asks this probing question. The disciples give what the people have been saying. Notice that the crowds came up with only three options - a resurrected John the Baptist, Elijah - who was supposed to be a forerunner of the Messiah, or another prophet. But they missed THE answer - that He was indeed the Messiah.
Who do you say Jesus is? A good man, a prophet, even a god? Unless you believe, like Peter, that He is the Messiah - it means "anointed one" - the One sent to save us - you cannot be saved.
But for our purposes today it is also an important declaration for us to make each day and in each situation in which we find ourselves. At work Jesus might just be a distant acquaintance. In church, of course, He is Lord. But in some places or with some actions - we might as well not even know Him. Is He Lord in all your life?
(Verses 21 - 27)
Principal 5: I will willingly lay down my life to Jesus and let Him raise it up again in newness of life each day.
Part of being Lord for Jesus was to suffer for our sins on the cross. But His statement that each one should take up a cross and follow Him would have been incomprehensible for the disciples to understand. Carry around an instrument of torture, shame, and capital punishment?
But Jesus tells them that everything you thought you would gain here in this life will be lost - but if you give up those hopes and hope in Him instead, you will gain the most important things.
Are we willing to lay down our hopes and dreams - let them die on the altar? Are we willing to have Jesus resurrect us to do His will? Are we willing to die to self and let Him raise us up to new life with each day?
(Verses 28 - 36)
Principal 6: I acknowledge that all this obedience, pain, misunderstanding, trial, and transformation ends in something incredibly wonderful.
This is an amazing story - some things to notice:
1. Jesus must have been in prayer for some time because the boys start falling asleep - maybe after a long climb they were tired (remember the Garden of Gethsemane?).
2. Why Moses and Elijah? They represented the Law and the Prophets, they both died in an unusual way, some supposed that they would return and herald the Messiah. It’s also possible these are the two witnesses of Revelation 11.
3. They are discussing Jesus’ departure (neat way to think about death).
4. They are glorious just like Jesus. This proves that they trusted in the Messiah and in heaven they are saved - it is a preview of what we will be like - and that’s like Jesus in glory. Wow!
5. Why did Peter want to build tents? He may have thought that this was the beginning of Jesus’ kingdom as the Messiah. But it wasn’t time for that.
6. In a way, God the Father is saying - the Law and the Prophets are good to lead you to Jesus, but He is the ultimate One we must listen to be saved.
7. Peter, James, and John didn’t say anything about this until after Jesus’ death. Would you?
But look at the principal - Jesus is giving them a sneak peak. Before they movie starts most theaters show "coming attractions" - movie trailers. They are designed to make you want to see that show. If we knew that all the rotten stuff we have to undergo as disciples here on earth was going to give way to something beyond explanation - isn’t it worth it?
Conclusions
Principal 1: I agree to go where Jesus says and do what He says using His power
Principal 2: I will not try to harmonize what I do with the world around me
Principal 3: When Jesus asks me to do something I am not capable of, I won’t try to solve the problem in my own way, but by tapping into His resources.
Principal 4: I will always recognize Jesus as the Lord of my life and my situation.
Principal 5: I will willingly lay down my life to Jesus and let Him raise it up again in newness of life each day.
Principal 6: I acknowledge that all this obedience, pain, misunderstanding, trial, and transformation ends in something incredibly wonderful.
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