This summer, I’ve been reading and thinking through the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. I wrote a few posts about my study at the beginning – I’ve posted the links to those at the bottom of this note. The writing muse went on vacation – LOL – but I didn’t suspend the study. Instead, I pondered the radical sayings of Jesus. There are many. Here are just a few in no particular order:
Servant Leadership
“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.” Mark 10:42-44
True Discipleship
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” Matthew 7:21-23
The Law of Love
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Luke 6:27-30
The Cost of Discipleship
But the one I may have pondered the most was this one recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke about the cost of discipleship:
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23.
The Greek word used for “deny” is the same as when Peter denied knowing Christ. It is not just denying ourselves “things.” It doesn’t mean denying our personal desires and making ourselves miserable. Instead, denying ourselves means to become selfless. To lay no claim to our lives. To be fully and wholly under the Lordship of another. It’s losing our lives only to gain our real life!
Jesus goes on to say, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will find it (or save it!)” We find our true selves, our true humanity when we allow Jesus to reign.
Likewise, taking up our cross does not refer to the hardships we might bear. It’s not about our suffering but our dying to self. I don’t know about you, but I find that to be difficult, challenging, something I have to work at every day. The more I work at it, the more I realize how selfish I am.
It’s an act of our will to submit ourselves as living sacrifices to be used up by God however, whenever, and wherever He chooses.
The Apostle Paul writes to the Philippians –
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. … Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:7-14
At one point, Jesus turns to the large crowds following him, and reminds them to count the cost of discipleship. He doesn’t mince words. His words are radical. He said, “Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
The So What
Our pastor has been preaching through Luke. A few weeks ago, we were in Luke 19 where Luke tells us that Jesus was teaching in the temple and the religious leaders were looking for a way to kill him. They were stymied, afraid because the people were hanging on to every word Jesus spoke.
That’s our challenge … to hang on to every word! As you read the gospels, what words of Jesus capture your attention? And how are you submitting to the cost of discipleship?
Prayer
Father, you who preserve the scriptures
For us, for our good, our training, to renew
Our minds, to teach us how to walk in your ways –
Use Jesus’s very own words to stir our hearts
To present ourselves as living sacrifices,
Willing to bend to His Lordship,
That we might be salt and light pointing
Our neighbors to You, for Your glory,
Amen.
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