Then Jesus called the
crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to
come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For
whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My
sake and for the gospel will save it.
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of Me, and ashamed of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38)
Jesus then
says, “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life
for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it.”
When Jesus said
these things to his disciples, he was actually preparing them for the fact that
he was soon to be crucified. He told them, “The Son of Man must suffer many
things. He must be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and He
must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
But Jesus was
doing more than preparing his followers for that particular event. He was also
teaching them the way of a true disciple in this present life. He is talking
about things to which you and I should also listen. He is speaking of a life of
self-denial. After all, he also asks the rhetorical question, “What does it
profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? What shall a man
give in exchange for his soul?”
Then Jesus says something that may be particularly disturbing: “For whoever is ashamed of Me, and ashamed of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Jesus is talking about commitment. He is talking about true discipleship.
The Big Picture of Commitment to Christ
It was because
of the teachings that Jesus brought that he was crucified. Jesus was preparing
his disciples for this inevitable and immanent conclusion to his earthly life,
but he also knew that his disciples would themselves soon face severe
persecution as well. For this, he knew that they would need to be prepared in
their faith.
We still live
in a world where many Christians face severe and life-threatening persecution.
You and I may not see it in our safe, secure and insulated lives here, but in
the wider world, it is a disturbing fact. Actually, as events are developing,
it is difficult to say whether we may also see this type of persecution in the
not-too-distant future.
But
it is the situation right now in several countries of the world. The Christians
living in those places are facing increasing danger. The lives of the
Christians are in constant peril, and their faith is continually tested. The
pressure put upon them to deny their faith in Christ is intense. Perhaps when
Jesus is preparing us for persecution, it is this kind of persecution that he
had in mind. Perhaps this is what Jesus was talking about when he warned us
about denying him.
If we have
thought about this issue at all, the consideration of ourselves facing this
type of choice must have at least entered our minds. What would we do if we
were to be in a similar situation?
Maybe we have
determined in our minds that if we would personally be confronted with a Taliban
threat (for instance), we would never deny Christ, even at the cost of our own
heads. Being as it is unlikely that any of us here today will face that
possibility, this seems like a pretty safe thing to say. But even if you or I think
that we may not face that threat, the way that events are moving in the world
in these days, it would not be inconceivable that some sort of threat might
happen to either our livelihoods or even
our lives much sooner than we may suspect, and even very near to our
beloved northwoods.
Perhaps we have
brave words in mind. Perhaps we would say as did the Apostle Peter just before
the time of the trial of Jesus, “Even though all may fall away because of You,
I will never fall away! Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You!”
(Matthew 26:33, 35)
But it is one
thing to say brave words, and quite the other to carry them out. Afraid to
admit even to a servant girl that he had any association with Jesus, Peter
denied that he knew Jesus. In fact, three times he denied Jesus.
We may also
speak brave words in the enthusiasm of the moment, but if we have not
internalized our commitment, we may also find ourselves denying Christ at a
critical point. We may find ourselves ashamed to admit any association with
Jesus.
As did Peter, we may hear our own rooster crow in the morning.
The Little Picture of Commitment to Christ
When thinking of
being ashamed, I do not know your own level of boldness about speaking up for
the Lord, but quite frankly, there have been times when I did not speak up when
I thought that I should. There have been times when I did not want to face
ridicule or rejection because of what I believed about Jesus and the gospel—or
simply about truth in general.
Instead of
imagining what brave words we would say if we were forced to renounce our faith
to an executioner, perhaps it would be better to imagine what we would say to a
servant girl. Instead of imagining ourselves in an intense scene of some epic
movie where we picture ourselves making a bold statement for Christ—accompanied
by a soundtrack of dramatic cinema graphic music, perhaps it would be better to
bring ourselves down to our own workplaces or social gatherings.
For that
perspective, we move to something that the Apostle James has written. James
talks about commitment in the small things in life—even in the things that we
often think relatively unimportant or inconsequential.
“For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well” (James 3:2).
Bridling Our Bodies
The first thing
that I need to do is to clarify the phrases in this sentence.
Of course you
all know what a bridle is. A bridle is a type of harness that we put around the
head of the horse to help us control its movements. In this case, James is
using this word in a verb sense when he talks about our ability to control our
own bodies—we are to bridle our bodies so that we can control our actions.
I think we can
all understand this. It is basic and fundamental. But quite honestly, not many
people really do have this ability. That is, not many people actually have the
ability to have control even over their own bodies. We engage in habits or
activities that we do not want to be part of our lives, yet seemingly cannot
help it. When this is the case, it means that we have not learned to bridle our
bodies. Perhaps every one of us here can relate to this at some level in our
lives.
The second
phrase is when James speaks of a “perfect man.” In saying the man is perfect,
he does not mean that this man has no faults. This level of perfection, of
course, is unattainable to us in this lifetime. When James speaks of a perfect
man, he is simply saying that this man is mature
in his walk with the Lord; he is complete.
This also does
not mean that this complete man or woman lacks absolutely nothing, because in
this life we are still bound by limitations. But the person who has learned to
bridle his or her life no longer is plagued by those inconsistencies of a new
believer in Christ. He or she has learned to bridle their bodies.
How does one learn to do this? Does he learn to bridle himself by resolving that even if he were ever to be faced with decapitation, he would never deny Christ? Does he gallantly say, as did Peter, “Even though everyone else should fall away, I will not fall away!”
Spiritual Maturity
Actually, this
is not the way to reach maturity. It was not the way for Peter and it is not
the way for us. To say that “even though everyone else should fall away, I will
not fall away,” this may be a statement or a sentiment of someone who has reached maturity, but it is not how
we get there. A small boy does not become a man by grabbing a chainsaw and
going out to the woods to cut down trees like his dad, or by taking a briefcase
and going to the office. There are many things he must learn first. And he of
course must also grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and in other ways as
well.
To be
spiritually perfect, or spiritually mature, there are many things that we must
first learn, and also many ways in which we must first grow. This is what James
means to teach us.
He continues:
“If we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, we will
direct their entire bodies as well. And look at the great and massive ships. Although
they are very huge and are driven by strong winds, still they are directed by a
very small rudder, which in turn is the hands of the pilot, maneuvering the
ship wherever he is inclined.”
In talking
about horses and ships, James is talking about large things, even massive
things that are controlled by something that we might think very small and
insignificant. In using these examples, James is showing us that it is
sometimes to the small things where we need to place our attention. If we can
control these small things, we can do the large things that Jesus talked about,
like “denying ourselves,” and “taking up our crosses.” We can even “lose our
life for the sake of Christ” and thereby find our true life.
What are some of these small things? James focuses on one of the most important of these, but also mentions others along the way. Actually, the entire book of James is almost a treatise on these small things that we need first learn to control and to do.
Controlled by our Small Tongue
In speaking
about the small things that control large things, like the bit in the mouth of
the horse or the rudder of a great ship, James continues, “So the tongue is a
small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.”
I don’t think
that I need to elaborate on how our own tongues can get us into trouble.
Probably we all can think back at our own personal lives and see the time when
something that we said got us into trouble. Some of us may not even have to
look back very many days.
And in recent
summers with the massive and unprecedented forest fires in the western states
and provinces of Canada (this year being among the worst), the illustration of
James is especially appropriate. “Behold, how great a forest fire is set aflame
by such a small flame!”
Then James
makes this startling statement: “The tongue is a fire, the very world of
iniquity.”
Perhaps none of
us would place such a great importance on the role of the tongue in controlling
us, but these verses tell us that it is our tongue that can set the course for
our entire lives!
“How is this possible?” we might ask.
An Indicator of Health
I am not sure
if doctors still do this, but back in the old days, when you went in for a
physical examination, they would ask you to stick out your tongue so that they
could take a look at it. I suppose with all the advanced medical equipment that
they have now they may not still do this, but the fact is; a trained doctor can
tell quite a lot about your physical health by the appearance of your tongue.
In much the
same way, the words that we speak are an indicator of our spiritual health.
Jesus tells us that “The good man, out of the good treasures of his heart,
brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil brings forth what
is evil, for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart” (Luke 6:45).
But it even goes beyond that. Once a word is spoken, not only it is an indicator to others what is inside of you, but the thought that you allow to find voice becomes more established within you. It is no longer a fleeting thought. Your voice has given the thought life. With your spoken word, the thought takes up residence within you.
Words that Tear Down
That is why the
Apostle Paul says to us, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but
only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the
moment, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).
“Funny, isn’t
it,” James says, “that we have learned to tame every sort of beast, but we
cannot seem to master our own tongues?”
James
continues, “With our tongues we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse
men who have been made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come both
blessing and cursing.”
We often think
nothing of sitting in church and using our tongues to sing songs of praise to
God, read the confession and the responsive readings, and then go home and
speak evil of someone. Does this seem acceptable to you?
“Brothers,”
James says, “it should not be this way.”
He brings up
the example of water coming from a fountain. When you bend down to take a drink
from a drinking fountain, you expect the water to be good. It does not bubble
up fresh water, then half way through your drink, change quickly to bitter
water. This would not be acceptable to us.
Neither should
we find it acceptable within ourselves to live such a dichotomy. Paul says that
our words should be used for edification.
What does that mean? Edification means that our words should be used to build
someone up, not tear someone down.
You probably
have heard it said, “That man brings out the worst in me!” You may have even
said it yourself. There are some people that just seem to rub our fur the wrong
way. These are the people who we think have wronged us in some way or have been
unkind to us, or who have a personality that just seems to irritate us.
After we have
had an encounter with that individual, or even if we just hear his or her name
or merely think about them, we replay in our minds all that we see as being
wrong with that person. Then, after all of this negativity that we have
expended in thinking about this person, when we next see him or have contact
with him, those thoughts come flowing out of us. The bitterness spills forth.
We say something that we should not and probably regret it immediately, or at
least soon will.
This is the untamed tongue. This is the tongue that controls us instead of we controlling it.
Words that Give Grace
Paul says that
our words should instead be used to give
grace (Ephesians 4:29). We need to define this. Exactly what does it mean
to give grace?
Grace is
something good that we do for another person that they do not deserve. The
other person may not deserve to have something good said about them, but if we
are looking to build that person up, we find a way to give grace.
I am not
speaking of flattery, or of ignoring something about that person that really
does need to change. Speaking or acting in this way would not actually be
acting with grace, because it is not for the ultimate good of that other person.
I am talking about finding words and actions that help that person deal with his or her problems. The fact of the matter is, we are all works in process. There is something about all of us that needs work. One of the reasons that we gather together as brothers and sisters in Christ is so that we can help each other along the way. When someone stumbles, we do not trample over them in our rush, but we stop to help them up.
Small Beginning, Impressive Finish
When we think
of the things we should do if we want to be a follower of Jesus, it is good to
think in terms of “denying ourselves,” or “picking up our crosses.” It is good
to think of giving our lives for the gospel’s sake. But perhaps we should think
first of the small things. If we get the small things right, the major things
will follow along.
We would do
well to pray the prayer of David: “Let the words of my mouth. and the
meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my
redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
Do you want
your life to improve in big ways? Concentrate on the small things, and the
great ship of your life will be turned on course toward the kingdom of heaven.
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