“What’s In Your Heart?” Part 3 Sermon by Pastor Betsy Perkins

“What’s In Your Heart?” Part 3 Sermon by Pastor Betsy Perkins

Sermon:  What’s In Your Heart? Part 3

February 23rd, 2020                                                                                                    Rev. Betsy Perkins

First Baptist Church, Delavan WI

Scripture passage:   Mark 8:27-38, Philippians 2:5-11

I don’t know if it was the frigid temperatures this week, or the additional snow and ice we got, but I’e been thinking about the summer I learned how to swim.  I was in awe of my big brothers as they dived in, how they could swim underwater the full length of the pool.  I tried to imitate them on the surface, my arms making the motions of a crawl, but under the water my toes bounced along on the bottom of the pool.  I can remember even now the fear that filled my heart – not so much that I might drown, but that I might get a nose-full of water, that it might sting my eyes, that I might flounder or perhaps look foolish. It became even scarier when we took an outing to a stream that had some pools that were too deep to keep my toes on the bottom.  What about you?  Can you remember how you learned to swim?  Was it in a pool or a pond? From a riverbank, a beach, or off a boat?  Were you afraid?

The past two Sundays, we have focused on examining our hearts.  First, we read the story of how Jesus’ family and hometown rejected him and were not open to his miraculous work.  We thought about the ways in which we resist and reject Jesus because we think we have Jesus figured out, we think we know everything about him and don’t expect the new, the miraculous, the life-changing invitations to continue.  Then last Sunday, we heard Jesus’ words about the genetic heart condition all humans have, our tendency to hypocrisy, to selfishness, to evil, unloving thoughts that come from within us.  We prayed a prayer of confession, washing our hearts, as we do our hands.  We did that again in the opening prayer this morning – washing our hearts to prepare us to worship.

As we look at Jesus’ words and warnings in today’s passage we are invited, as those first disciples were, to look into our hearts again as we too answer Jesus’ questions, “Who do people say I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?” Those questions come at the very middle, the dead center of Mark’s book.  Jesus and his disciples are in Caesarea Philippi, the most northern region of Israel.  Their answers prompt Jesus to share with them for the first time what is going to happen to him.  And from that point on, as Mark tells the story, Jesus turns south and begins his journey to the cross.

In some ways we are at that point today – this week is Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of the 6-week Lenten journey to the cross, the journey toward Good Friday, and through that to the Easter resurrection celebration.  So it is fitting today that we start the journey where Jesus and the disciples started the journey. 

Up until now, Jesus has been opposing all that oppresses God’s people – illness, hunger, evil spirits, evil thoughts – with wonders and victories; signs of God’s kingdom rule breaking in.  So perhaps it’s not so surprising that Peter declares, “You are the Messiah.”  You are the Christ – it means the anointed one, God’s promised king.  With Jesus’ demonstrations of wisdom and power and authority, the disciples think they have the Messiah thing figured out.  But just as their geographical journey is about to take a U-turn to head to Jerusalem, their discipleship journey of understanding Jesus and his mission is about to take a U-turn as well. 

“Jesus then began to teach his disciples,” it says in verse 31.  He began to teach them what it meant to be Messiah, what it was going to look like to be God’s anointed one.  And none of them can believe it, especially not Peter.   Peter thinks once he recognized Jesus as the Messiah, he had the whole deal figured out.  He thought he knew how it would go down.  It would be about defeating the enemy like they were already defeating disease and demons.  It would be a conquering victory march to positions of power with everyone finally acknowledging that they were right.  So Peter scolds Jesus for not describing the right kind of future.  Suffer many things?  Be rejected? Be killed?  How could that possibly achieve God’s plan and purpose?

I wonder if we scold God, too, at times when we look at a world that contains so much suffering, rejection and death.  God you sent your Son, your Savior, already.  Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, conquered sin, defeated evil, and won the victory over death – the Bible says it, preachers preach it!  So there shouldn’t be wars and genocides, God, there shouldn’t be refugees.  There shouldn’t be hunger and homelessness. There shouldn’t be cancer. There shouldn’t be depression and addiction.  Yet I believe if we listen closely, we will hear God saying to us, as Jesus did to Peter, “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”(NLT) 

So Jesus takes the opportunity to teach about discipleship – what it means to follow Him in this world, what it means to follow the kind of Messiah that he is.  For as Jesus turns and heads down the road to Jerusalem, down the road to confrontation and to suffering, and death, and ultimately to victory, so do the disciples.  They also start down that same road with Jesus – and not just the Twelve, for Mark tells us that as Jesus began to teach them about what it meant to follow him, he called the crowd to join them.  Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple…” Whoever. I want to be Jesus’ disciple. Do you?  Then we are ‘whoever’. 

Jesus began this lesson by asking, “Who do you say that I am?” because it matters who we understand Jesus to be.  Jesus’ identity shapes our own.  That’s what being a disciple means – taking a lifelong journey of allowing Jesus’ identity to gradually shape our own.  And these next verses show us the shape of that life.

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves.”(NIV) “Must say no to themselves.”(NIrV) “Must give up their own way.”(NLT) “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me take the lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am.”(Msg)  This is not a denial of our God-created self, the beautiful person that God created you to be.  This is not punishing yourself by withholding joys and pleasures.  Rather it a rejection of allowing the world around you dictate your actions or letting society determine your sense of self-worth.  It is an embrace of God’s vision of who you are as a beloved child, and it is committing yourself to God’s purpose and plan for your life. 

Jesus models this for us when he set aside his own divine privilege and power, and allowed His Father’s plans and purposes to determine what he did and said.  Jesus let our need for rescue to be more important than his own.  The hymn of faith in Philippians 2 says it so beautifully: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage, rather he made himself nothing, by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by being obedient to death – even death on a cross! (Phil.2:5-8)

Our passage today is marks the first time in Mark’s gospel that the cross is mentioned.  The interesting thing is that it isn’t Jesus’ cross.  “Whoever wants to be my disciple… must pick up their cross.”  The cross was a brutal reminder of the most shameful and excruciating form of capital punishment known to the people Jesus was addressing.  But Jesus is turning that around and saying that it is no longer the court of public opinion or the power of a government that will decide what is shameful and what is honorable.  It will be God who determines what is honorable.  And what is honorable is following Jesus.  That is why, as that Philippians hymn continues: God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.(Phil.2:9-11)

The Christ-following life will involve suffering. It will involve difficult and at times unpopular decisions.  It will involve letting go of defending our own rights in order to advocate for the rights of others.  It will involve standing up for truth even if those who don’t like that truth hurl insults.  It will involve guarding the poor, the innocent, the vulnerable even if costs you to do so. 

Following Jesus will cost everything and give everything. There are no half measures on this Christ-following journey. It’s going to be like learning to swim: if you keep your foot on the bottom of the pool you’ll never figure out how to do it. You have to lose your life to find it. And what’s the use of keeping your feet on the bottom when the water gets too deep? For it will get deep – each one of us will encounter deep water in life – deep water of illness or loss, deep water of temptation or rejection.  You have the choice: swim or drown. Apparent safety, walking on the bottom, isn’t an option any longer. (NT Wright) 

But here’s the thing: once you start swimming, once you trust the water to hold you, there is joy!  I’m sure you have already discovered that giving a gift provides much more joy than a purchase where you get something in return.  Perhaps you have experienced that only by loving another do you feel truly loved, that taking the time and effort to be a friend is the best way to find a friend. That sacrifice brings unexpected rewards, that difficult tasks bring a greater sense of accomplishment. Once you take the risk of picking your feet up, swimming is fun!  There is joy in the Christian life!

So take a look at your heart today and answer the question Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?”  Does your image of Jesus include his journey of suffering and shame, or just the miraculous and victorious?  Does your image of Jesus include his relinquishing control rather than bargaining for the best deal?  Who is Jesus to you?  Who are we becoming as we live into his identity that resides within us?  If you have chosen Christ, then why?  For His sake, or for yours?

There is an apocryphal story that Tim Keller shares in his book, The Prodigal God.  That’s a story about Jesus that is not actually in the Bible, but has been written down later.  It goes like this:

One day Jesus said to his disciples, “I’d like you to carry a stone for Me.” He didn’t give any explanation. So the disciples looked around for a stone to carry, and Peter, being the practical sort, sought out the smallest stone he could possible find. After all, Jesus didn’t give any regulations for weight and size! So he put it in his pocket. Jesus then said, “Follow Me.” He led them on a journey. About noontime Jesus had everyone sit down. He waved his hands and all the stones turned to bread. He said, “Now it’s time for lunch.” In a few seconds, Peter’s lunch was over. When lunch was done Jesus told them to stand up. He said again, “I’d like you to carry a stone for Me.” This time Peter said, “Aha! Now I get it!” So he looked around and saw a boulder. He hoisted it on his back and it was painful, it made him stagger. But he said, “I can’t wait for supper.” Jesus then said, “Follow Me.” He led them on a journey, with Peter barely being able to keep up. Around supper time Jesus led them to the side of a river. He said, “Now everyone throw your stones into the water.” They did. Then he said, “Follow Me,” and began to walk. Peter and the others looked at him dumbfounded. Jesus sighed and said, “Don’t you remember what I asked you to do? Who were you carrying the stones for?”

Who are you carrying stones for?  In the Christ-following life there will be joy, there will be love and acceptance and celebration – but it will come in the midst of the challenges, in the midst of carrying stones and as a result of carrying stones. Jesus has walked this road ahead of us, and he promises to walk the whole journey again with you. 

If today you would like to make a new commitment to a Christ-following life, I invite you to come and join me in the front as the Praise Team comes up to lead us in the closing song, or join me while we sing.  We go forth in grace alone, grace upon grace!

Closing Song:   “Grace Alone”

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212 South Main St. Delavan, Wisconsin 53115
Worship: Sunday 10:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM