Mark 8:27-38 September 16 2012
“Who do people say that I am?” asks Jesus. Maybe he's overheard people talking about him, maybe he's just curious. He wants to know the latest gossip about himself. And what do his disciples say? John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets. Heroes of the faith. People can see that Jesus is somebody special, that he has what it takes to be a hero.
We have heard a lot about heroes lately. Of course last Tuesday there was much remembrance of the heroes of nine eleven, you know, the fire fighters and first responders who went into harm's way in the Twin Towers, and never came out. They gave their lives trying to help others. That makes them heroes in our eyes.
And think about who your own personal heroes are. Was it your mother, who always thought of the rest of the family and made sure everybody's needs were met, before even thinking of her own comfort or pleasure? Was it your grandfather who came to a new land and worked hard through terrible conditions so that his family could thrive? Or is it a friend who, although struggling with a life-threatening illness, always has a cheerful word and a smile for the people who encounter her. Heroism comes in many forms.
And Jesus starts to tell his disciples just what form his heroism is going to take. Jesus is telling them that he must undergo great suffering, and be rejected, and be killed. It is as if he is accepting the definition of the crowds, that he is John the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the prophets. Okay, he is saying, I AM one of the heroes of the faith. But you know how those people got to be heroes? They had to suffer for it. And I am going to suffer too. Like Elijah who underwent great suffering. Like Amos and Jeremiah who were rejected by the religious authorities. Like John the Baptist who was killed. Like... well, like no one else ever, who rose again three days later.
And what does Peter do? He takes Jesus aside and tries to talk him out of it! It is as if he is saying, “No, Jesus, you don't have to suffer to be a hero. In fact, you don't have to be a hero.” No wonder Jesus lashed out at him! Called him Satan! That's pretty strong. But Satan is a tempter, and no doubt Jesus, deep down inside, didn't want to go the way of suffering. Nobody wants to suffer. But sometimes, if we do the right thing, we know that suffering is going to find us. That doesn't mean we should turn aside from doing the right thing.
And Jesus said, “Get behind me!” The Greek words for behind me are “Opiso me”. And Jesus says exactly the same words, “Opiso me” in the very next sentence... “If any want to become my followers.” Literally, the words are, “If anyone wants to come behind me.” That was Peter's problem. He was getting ahead of Jesus, trying to lead Jesus in the way he thought best. But Jesus calls us to get in behind him. Follow him. Do what he does.
That means that Jesus is calling us to be heroes like him! Now, you may say, “Oh no, I'm not cut out to be a hero. I'm not brave like that. And besides, I like my comfort zone.” But people, this is not optional. This is how to be a disciple. And that's what a Christian is. A disciple.
So this is a hard thing that Jesus is saying. “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, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”
There has been research done into what makes people happy. And the the results show that it is not money, or fame, or family, or a good job, that make people feel really happy. The happiest people are people who feel that their lives have meaning, who have given their lives to a cause that is bigger than them, who have devoted their lives to serving others. “Those who lose their life for my sake, and the sake of the gospel, will save it.”
Look at it this way: Jesus is offering us a chance to become heroes. As we said before, there are many different ways to be a hero. And there is a way that is perfect for you.
Mostly we don't have to go looking for our crosses. Life puts all sorts of suffering in our way. I learned of an interesting prayer the other day, it's called the welcoming prayer. This is a prayer you pray when life hands you something you would really rather not face; you know the kind of thing: the illness, the pain, the difficult person, the awkward situation. This prayer welcomes whatever it is into your life, so that you can work towards acceptance of it. What? Acceptance? That does not means saying something like, “well, I have cancer, I guess I'm going to die.” It means the acceptance of the challenge that this unwanted situation presents. It means acceptance of the work that it is going to take to get through it. It means taking up your cross.
But what if your life is just fine, thank you, and you have many blessings and everything is going well for a change? There are still crosses out there for you to take up. There are crosses that are borne by other people, who could really use some help. There are situations of pain or injustice where you can walk beside a person and be God's hands and feet and voice, sustaining the weary. There are always things, large and small, that each one of us can do to make the world a better place.
One of my favourite heroes was a man named Maximillian Kolbe, a Roman Catholic priest in Poland. During the second world war, he was imprisoned in Auchschwitz for his anti-Nazi work. One day some prisoners escaped, and the guards chose at random 20 other prisoners to be put to death in retaliation. The man standing next to Father Kolbe was chosen, and broke down in tears because he had a wife and children. Father Kolbe was in the habit of helping others, so without even thinking he said to the guard, “Take me instead.” And that is how he became a martyr.
Because it is the little things we do every day, that make us the people we are. Little acts of giving, all add up, day by day, to make us heroes. So when the big sacrifice or the big challenge comes along, we are able to step up to the plate and bat it out of the ballpark.
Only God knows what you are facing right now. Only God knows what you will have to face tomorrow. Luckily, only God can work within us to make us the kind of hero that can deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. Thanks be to God.
“Who do people say that I am?” asks Jesus. Maybe he's overheard people talking about him, maybe he's just curious. He wants to know the latest gossip about himself. And what do his disciples say? John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets. Heroes of the faith. People can see that Jesus is somebody special, that he has what it takes to be a hero.
We have heard a lot about heroes lately. Of course last Tuesday there was much remembrance of the heroes of nine eleven, you know, the fire fighters and first responders who went into harm's way in the Twin Towers, and never came out. They gave their lives trying to help others. That makes them heroes in our eyes.
And think about who your own personal heroes are. Was it your mother, who always thought of the rest of the family and made sure everybody's needs were met, before even thinking of her own comfort or pleasure? Was it your grandfather who came to a new land and worked hard through terrible conditions so that his family could thrive? Or is it a friend who, although struggling with a life-threatening illness, always has a cheerful word and a smile for the people who encounter her. Heroism comes in many forms.
And Jesus starts to tell his disciples just what form his heroism is going to take. Jesus is telling them that he must undergo great suffering, and be rejected, and be killed. It is as if he is accepting the definition of the crowds, that he is John the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the prophets. Okay, he is saying, I AM one of the heroes of the faith. But you know how those people got to be heroes? They had to suffer for it. And I am going to suffer too. Like Elijah who underwent great suffering. Like Amos and Jeremiah who were rejected by the religious authorities. Like John the Baptist who was killed. Like... well, like no one else ever, who rose again three days later.
And what does Peter do? He takes Jesus aside and tries to talk him out of it! It is as if he is saying, “No, Jesus, you don't have to suffer to be a hero. In fact, you don't have to be a hero.” No wonder Jesus lashed out at him! Called him Satan! That's pretty strong. But Satan is a tempter, and no doubt Jesus, deep down inside, didn't want to go the way of suffering. Nobody wants to suffer. But sometimes, if we do the right thing, we know that suffering is going to find us. That doesn't mean we should turn aside from doing the right thing.
And Jesus said, “Get behind me!” The Greek words for behind me are “Opiso me”. And Jesus says exactly the same words, “Opiso me” in the very next sentence... “If any want to become my followers.” Literally, the words are, “If anyone wants to come behind me.” That was Peter's problem. He was getting ahead of Jesus, trying to lead Jesus in the way he thought best. But Jesus calls us to get in behind him. Follow him. Do what he does.
That means that Jesus is calling us to be heroes like him! Now, you may say, “Oh no, I'm not cut out to be a hero. I'm not brave like that. And besides, I like my comfort zone.” But people, this is not optional. This is how to be a disciple. And that's what a Christian is. A disciple.
So this is a hard thing that Jesus is saying. “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, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”
There has been research done into what makes people happy. And the the results show that it is not money, or fame, or family, or a good job, that make people feel really happy. The happiest people are people who feel that their lives have meaning, who have given their lives to a cause that is bigger than them, who have devoted their lives to serving others. “Those who lose their life for my sake, and the sake of the gospel, will save it.”
Look at it this way: Jesus is offering us a chance to become heroes. As we said before, there are many different ways to be a hero. And there is a way that is perfect for you.
Mostly we don't have to go looking for our crosses. Life puts all sorts of suffering in our way. I learned of an interesting prayer the other day, it's called the welcoming prayer. This is a prayer you pray when life hands you something you would really rather not face; you know the kind of thing: the illness, the pain, the difficult person, the awkward situation. This prayer welcomes whatever it is into your life, so that you can work towards acceptance of it. What? Acceptance? That does not means saying something like, “well, I have cancer, I guess I'm going to die.” It means the acceptance of the challenge that this unwanted situation presents. It means acceptance of the work that it is going to take to get through it. It means taking up your cross.
But what if your life is just fine, thank you, and you have many blessings and everything is going well for a change? There are still crosses out there for you to take up. There are crosses that are borne by other people, who could really use some help. There are situations of pain or injustice where you can walk beside a person and be God's hands and feet and voice, sustaining the weary. There are always things, large and small, that each one of us can do to make the world a better place.
One of my favourite heroes was a man named Maximillian Kolbe, a Roman Catholic priest in Poland. During the second world war, he was imprisoned in Auchschwitz for his anti-Nazi work. One day some prisoners escaped, and the guards chose at random 20 other prisoners to be put to death in retaliation. The man standing next to Father Kolbe was chosen, and broke down in tears because he had a wife and children. Father Kolbe was in the habit of helping others, so without even thinking he said to the guard, “Take me instead.” And that is how he became a martyr.
Because it is the little things we do every day, that make us the people we are. Little acts of giving, all add up, day by day, to make us heroes. So when the big sacrifice or the big challenge comes along, we are able to step up to the plate and bat it out of the ballpark.
Only God knows what you are facing right now. Only God knows what you will have to face tomorrow. Luckily, only God can work within us to make us the kind of hero that can deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. Thanks be to God.
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