Good News in blunt words
Good News in blunt words
3rd September 2023
Matthew 16: 21-28
Today’s reading carries on from what we heard last week.
Although, there is an obvious shift in tone…
in the previous passage…
• Peter accurately identifies Jesus as ‘the Son of the living God’, and
• Jesus identifies Peter as ‘the rock on which he will build the church’.
But in today’s passage, Peter becomes a stumbling block to the way Jesus needs to go.
“you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” (v23)
Then in a very blunt way, Jesus makes it clear what it means to go the way he is going…
‘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, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” (v24-25)
Jesus talks bluntly, so I’m going to do the same today!
Jesus talks bluntly about his own destiny of suffering obedience.
Jesus talks bluntly about his followers sharing in this destiny of suffering obedience.
Jesus talks bluntly about giving up your own preferences.
And that this, in fact, is the way to find new life.
Here is a narrative that differs from that of our culture.
Like Peter, it’s not easy for us to put aside the values of our culture.
We strive to be independent, self-made, and self-reliant.
Getting ahead and getting enough to live comfortably is the goal.
We live in a context that rewards these values.
The central figure in this narrative is the self.
This narrative differs from that of our culture.
Do we find ourselves drawn more to rugged individualism, rather than an old rugged cross?
Jesus puts it bluntly:
The cross is at the heart of his way,
and it stands in stark contrast to much of what our surrounding culture encourages.
This morning I want to highlight three aspects of our surrounding culture that are potential stumbling blocks to the way of Jesus –
• consumerism,
• materialism,
• careerism (I assure you it’s an actual word!)
Consumerism:
The thing about these ‘-isms’ is that we just don’t realise how much we are influenced by them.
They are sneaky like that.
We are all influenced by the greedy jostling of the world around us.
I see our young people have a sense of the spiritual life;
it is recognisable by their play.
But this is eroded by a culture of opportunism and cynicism.
We become crushed by burdens of acquisition – where our self-worth becomes powerfully shaped by money and pleasure seeking.
Moments of pleasure to be captured in an Instagram photo.
We are all influenced by the deception of the advertisers.
And yet when compared with the example Jesus gives and the way he invites us to follow, they seem so obviously vulgar; so hollow and unsatisfying.
Materialism is a dominant philosophy in our culture that assumes physical matter is the only ‘reality’ in the world and denies the existence of God.
In this view, materialism is incompatible with Christian faith which ascribes existence to immaterial realities.
I fear that, the assumptions made by the philosophy of materialism reduces humanity to a collection complex, living cells. Which, via the intricate wiring of the brain, creates a mind.
Many suppose that this brain causes self.
But self is far more than a body, or a mind which the brain creates.
We are a profound soul. A spiritual entity.
There is more than meets the eye.
The Bible reminds us: ‘no eye has seen, no has ear heard…’
(1 Cor 2:9)
Careerism: What I had mind here is how culture rewards effort; incentivising advancement in one’s work with
• remuneration
• titles
• power
• and stature.
It turns out it’s a real word!
The Collins Dictionary defines ‘careerism’ as:
devotion to a successful career, often at the expense of one's personal life and ethics.
I went to a parenting seminar the Saturday before last.
Lots of good advice (much needed)
But I was shocked at the blatant goal stated:
“we must help our boys see ahead to what really matters:
education pass exams able to train get a job make money.”
We are familiar with this focus;
with those incentives of remuneration, titles, and status.
…but (I think you’ll agree) it feels pretty far removed from the way of Jesus.
We know junk food is bad for the body.
Junk food with all its fats and sugars and artificial flavours can reduce the efficiency of the body, clog our veins, damage our liver, kidneys and heart.
There is also a junk food that clogs the spirit.
• Consumerism characterised by selfish desire for more and more possessions, will consume us.
• Materialism settles too quickly (and greedily) for that which can be grasped;
leaving us in despair when these things cannot be grasped, or it slips through our fingers
(health, relationships, security).
• Careerism that obsesses with being ‘self-made’ is a fragile identity indeed.
Like junk food that can reduce our life span,
these are junk that will kill your soul.
Jesus invites us to follow him, not our own selfish wants, and to find our real life.
I’m reminded of what else Jesus said about deciding to follow him:
“the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it.” (Matthew 7:13)
I picture the concourse for the Sky Stadium – walking across that massive bridge after a game at the stadium, you just get carried along win the mass of people.
That’s an image of living in our surrounding culture.
Rather than settling for the status quo Jesus invites us to embrace a life that is much greater.
And this necessarily means letting go of somethings;
choosing to actually reject some aspects of the culture.
But hear this as Good News.
Jesus isn’t laying on us a task or a burden to live a certain way of austerity.
Jesus is inviting us to a new life.
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)
So, Jesus asks us to join his way;
the way of the cross;
the way of costly transformation.
We dramatize this as a practice at the centre of the Church’s identity as a community:
Baptism expresses our participation in Christ’s death and resurrection.
In Baptism we recognise we die with Jesus, and that we rise with him in new life.
Remember; the context of this teaching by Jesus was that Peter was suggesting another way, an easier way; and self-centred and self-protecting way.
We probably all can understand Peter’s thinking.
But Jesus knows that his life is destined for the way of the cross – where his suffering and shame and death demonstrates the depth of God's love and compassion.
This is the way God exercises power to save and redeem.
Therefore, in the cross we discover that the way to self-fulfilment is the way of self-denial.
To follow Jesus (to be a disciple) is to make the way of Jesus (the way of the cross) our way of life.
Following Jesus shows what we believe about God,
and about ourselves.