Embarrassed by Christ?Dr.
James Mayfield
September 14, 2003
Text: Mark 8:27-38 Jesus asked the disciples the fundamental question that in one way or another is addressed to each of us who come in contact with Jesus: "Who do you say that I am?" "You are the Messiah," Peter said, and then Jesus began to teach him and the others just what this correct answer meant. Being the Messiah would involve suffering, rejection by people thought to be important, and death. But then there would be resurrection. When Peter had said: "You are the Messiah," this is not what he meant. He wanted Jesus to be the Messiah many, if not most people, wanted and expected, a Messiah who would change the world by getting rid of Roman rule, a Christ who would heal all the sick, bring sanity to all who are insane, food to all who were hungry, justice to all who had been wronged, happiness to any who were sad, and not least of all, at long last the bad guys in this world were going to get what they deserved. Peter was convinced, this is what was involved in being the Messiah. Jesus had it all wrong. Who wants to follow a Messiah who tells you from the outset he is going to be rejected, made to suffer and killed? It would be embarrassing to follow a leader who was going to be such an obvious failure. So, Peter took Jesus aside and tried to straighten him out. I can just imagine Peter saying what I probably would have said: "Quit talking such defeatist talk. You need to be more positive and upbeat. You are the Messiah. God is not going to allow you to suffer such terrible things. You are the Messiah; you are going to triumph; you are going to take over things; you are going to make things better. God would not allow the Messiah to look like a humiliated, rejected failure. Jesus, you've got it all wrong." What Peter had to say, was an echo of the temptations that had tortured Jesus in the wilderness. Little wonder Jesus responded using the most harsh and / My mission in life is more than giving you whatever you want. The truth of the matter is, that in order to have the life I am offering, you have to forget about yourself. Those who spend their days focused on themselves and all they want for themselves and theirs, are going to end up with nothing. Oh, they may make a lot of money. They may even obtain some power and get some applause and recognition. But they will have wasted their lives. Applause fades into everlasting silence. Recognition evaporates as yesterday's news is forgotten. Even the most powerful person in the world cannot make life be the way she or he wants; just ask anyone who has been Caesar -- or even President. And as had been said so often it is a cliché: 'Money cannot buy happiness.' "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, After all, what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their lives -- their souls, their very being?" By the way, the Greek word that is translated "cross" literally means "an upright stake or pole." This is because poles were fixed more or less permanently in the ground where Romans crucified offenders of the state. The person being crucified, usually carried the cross piece to that place. There he was nailed and tied to the cross piece, and then both were lifted in place -- sometimes to the top, making the shape of a "T" at other times into a notch just below the top making the shape of the cross now used as the symbol of Christianity. Having the stake in place was practical in at least a couple of ways: -- it was in place when needed and being visible, it was a constant reminder of the power of Rome, and a threat of terror to help keep the people under control. In the passage Jesus told us that we must pick up our cross, if we are to follow him. Certainly he had in mind the cross of crucifixion, the cross of sacrifice and burden. But remember, the word we translate as "cross" also means "pole" such as the pole that holds up a tent, or "stake" like the stake used to tie down the tent, or to which an animal is tied. The language of the Bible is layered, like a layer cake. The top layer is part of the whole cake, but so is the second layer, and so is the third. One does not just eat the top layer saying, "Well, that is all that is really cake." When Jesus said, "Pick up your cross, your stake, and follow me," his words had layers of meaning. To be sure, he was talking about the burdens, the sacrifice and even the suffering that all too often accompany faithfulness. But he was also saying, "Pick up whatever is tying you down. Pull up the stake to which you are tied, and follow me." As Mark tells the story, Jesus was speaking layers of the truth, and each layer is true. From personal experience, I know that some days, for me to be faithful, the cross I must pick up and carry is some sort of burden, some sort of sacrifice. On other days, for me to be faithful, what I need to do is pull up the stake that is tying me down so that I can move on with Christ. God knows I can be so tied to my pride, or tied to my greed for more than I need, or tied to my fear of losing what I have, or tied to old hurts and resentments that I cannot follow Christ. I have to pick up what is tying me down, and move on away from that place in life in order to follow Christ. At times, doing this seems like a terrible burden and an awful sacrifice. "Pick up your cross of crucifixion and the stake to which your tied and follow me," Jesus said. In the midst of what Jesus said, he declared that if we will do that, even though it may look to others as if we are throwing our lives away, the truth of matter is we are being saved, made whole, rescued from failing to be the persons God created us to be. It was at this point Jesus spoke directly to Peter about the embarrassment that motivated Peter to rebuke Jesus for talking about rejection, suffering and death. And it is at this point Jesus speaks directly to us about our being embarrassed by him, embarrassed to allow even those with whom we spend our days at work to know we believe in Jesus Christ, embarrassed to say his name, except as profanity when we hit the ball wrong or drop a hammer on our toe. And it is not just speaking his name in a meaningful way that embarrasses us. It's kind of awkward and embarrassing to go against the flow of our friends and do what our hearts tell us Christ would have us do. It is not only that at times we are afraid we will lose the sale or the promotion or our job. Usually what we are afraid of is being teased. We are afraid that if we take the camouflage off and allow people to see we follow Christ, the people who say "keep Austin weird" will think we really are. In the passage Jesus said: "Those who are ashamed of me (that is, embarrassed because of me) are the ones of whom I am ashamed and embarrassed." I do not know about you, but these words not only make me uncomfortable; they sting the way only truth can sting. Where is the balm in Gilead? Where is the word of comfort and hope in all this. Where is the Gospel, the good news in the midst of this bad news? Where it usually is - overlooked. In the passage Peter overlooked the good news. He was so focused on what Jesus had to say about suffering, being rejected and killed, he failed to notice Jesus also said: "and after three days rise again." When the world has done its worst to defeat the Son of God, even when it appears the worst that could happen is what happened, God is not defeated. And when we allow ourselves to lose ourselves in the embrace of God's grace, we are not defeated either -- even if we are crucified and the world calls us a failure or even worse - a fool. When by God's grace we lose ourselves in the grace of God, regardless of what others think or say, the truth of matter is we have found true life; we are made whole; we experience that peace that is beyond understanding. We are rescued from failing to be the persons God created us to be; we are saved. God, give us faith in the promise of resurrection so that trusting your grace and embraced by your grace we are able to pick our cross and follow Christ. Amen. God, last Thursday we remembered once again that day of horror in September, 2001. Comfort us in our reawakened grief, and rescue us from crazy hates and angry revenge. May the justice we seek be your kind of justice. Show us as persons and as a nation how to deal with the current realities of threat as you would have us do. Show us what it is to be faithful in our day. God, bless the children to whom we are giving Bibles today. May this book that is so special we call it holy be much more just another item in their accumulation of things. As they mature physically, emotionally and mentally, may they also mature spiritually. As they grow taller, enable their understanding of the Bible to grow deeper, so that the holy wisdom it contains will increasingly shape the way they live. In the midst of all that keeps us so busy, push us to develop a regular routine of prayer, Bible study and worship. Help us mature in our faith and in our understanding of the Gospel. All this we pray in the name of the one who was teaching us to live when he taught us to pray: "Our Father ...." Pastoral
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