Isaiah 50:4-9

James 2:1-5,8-10,14-18

Mark 8:27-38

Psalm 116:1-8

 

Pray for me, that the words I speak may be those God wants us to hear.

Today’s readings are about discipleship. We hear a bit about the difficulties of discipleship, and how following God’s voice is done at great cost…and with great reward.

In our Old Testament lesson, we have a passage known as one of the 4 servant songs from Isaiah. In this song, the servant explains that God has gifted him to be a teacher. Through this gift the weary are sustained. God wakens the servant’s ears each morning, teaching him, and the servant pays attention to every word and relates it faithfully. Because the servant is so close to God in this work, he does not fear the consequences, even when others ridicule him, hit him, insult him. He continues to listen to God every morning, and continues speak the truth. He continues to walk with God, and do the Holy work of sustaining the weary with a word.

In the Epistle, we hear how not to be a disciple, as well as how to be one. The writer insists that discipleship involves honoring and serving your neighbor, as well as honoring and serving God. Faith and works are inseparable. Attending to personal and corporate piety alone is not enough…Just going to church, or just studying the scriptures is not enough, although these things are good and necessary. Faith exists to be lived out, not endlessly examined and talked about. Earlier in this letter, the writer puts it another way: “…be doers of the word, and not merely hearers.”

In our Gospel lesson, too, we hear about being a disciple. Jesus rebuked Peter for trying to talk him out of following a path of suffering, rejection, shame, and death. You can’t really blame Peter for trying…Who among us would not try to talk a friend or loved one out of following the path to disaster? Yet Jesus is following the call of God from deep within him…and while the gift given by God to the servant in Isaiah was teaching to sustain the weary, the gift Jesus was called to give was his life, for the forgiveness of sins and the redemption of all of us.

Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” The disciples reply “John the Baptist, or Elijah, or a prophet”. You could ask this question anywhere in the world today, and you would get a similar set of answers…Jesus was “a good man” or Jesus was a prophet or Jesus was a heretic…OR Jesus is the Son of God, the messiah, the Lord, our Savior, Redeemer, the Word, the light of the world….etc.

Jesus asks them again: “But Who do YOU say that I am?” We hear Peter’s response, and we have heard many others give voice in answer to this question. But what if we ask this question of ourselves---who do I say Jesus is? Who is Jesus to ME?

The way we answer this question in our hearts and minds, and with our lives, sends us into our particular life of discipleship. And it is an important question for each of us to answer, because it has life changing consequences.

Jesus says “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

                            

I have never much liked this saying of Jesus. It is so harsh and difficult. I don’t know what you think of when you hear this passage, but mental image I have is of lines of people picking up big wooden crosses and trudging off up a hill after Jesus. In Luke’s Gospel, the word “daily” is added, which gives this passage more of a “way of life” feel. “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”Either way, I would love to ignore this passage. Which always means it needs further examination.

To be a disciple you have to deny yourself. Deny myself? Is that like what we do during Lent? Gee, I can do a little of that…but I get to pick and choose what I am going to deny, and when, and for how long…

Whoa! That may be denying yourself something, but that isn’t denial of self. Not that there is anything wrong with Lenten disciplines, or other spiritual disciplines. But I think Jesus is calling us to something different here. Denial of self means letting God be in charge of your life.  Not in control of every little thing, although you can certainly ask God’s help anytime…but in charge of your big picture. It doesn’t mean you aren’t going to be you anymore…rather that you listen to God as you go through life, and as you live and grow in God’s love you give up your natural self-centeredness to embrace the new life God is calling you into.

A disciple has to take up his cross. Take up my cross? What can that mean? Does it mean to lead a visibly Christian life, but be ready to endure shame, loss, being struck, spit on, insulted, even martyrdom? Ummmm….perhaps for some people, some time. But how are we to start? Well, why not  start by wearing a cross to remind yourself of who you are supposed to be, and who you serve. It can be a visual and tactile reminder for you.

When you look at the cross, what do you see? An instrument of torture and death, transformed into the symbol for Jesus, the symbol for redemption, eternal life, and God’s love. The life Jesus offers us is one of loving service to the world, bringing that cross with us wherever we go. Taking up our cross means we take our transformed selves, alight with the love of Christ, into the world.

 A disciple has to follow Jesus.

 Follow Jesus? The “follow me” part is the joyful part of this passage, I think. An invitation from the Lord! Who wouldn’t want to be with Jesus? The invitation implies a close personal relationship, a sharing in the Master’s work and life. What a rich life! Not rich in money or finery, but in spirit and truth.

Following Jesus will take you into risky places, to be sure. I heard a quote a few years ago, and have found it to be true: “If you really want to see Jesus, you will find him in the trenches of life.”

But if you follow the Lord into the trenches, he will also lead you into times of refreshment. The refreshment will not always look like a vacation at Lake Tahoe, although it might. I love this passage from Matthew, another invitation from Jesus, as expressed by Eugene Peterson in The Message:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on Religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”