2003. 4. 13. Calling(6) / Palm Sunday - Rev. Young-Jin Cho

"If anyone would come after me,"

Mark 8:27-38

Today is Palm Sunday. Today, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a colt. Although the crowd cheered chanting, "Hosanna", this parade was minuscule. There were neither shining spears and swords, nor horses and orderly march of soldiers. All there were only the crowd who waved the palm branches, and unnoticable disciples following Jesus. A few days later, the "Hosanna" of the crowd soon changed into shouts demanding to nail Jesus.

The entrance to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday was the beginning of the week of Passion. It was the prelude for the ending of the short life of Jesus and his evangelism. He looked powerless, but our LORD courageously walked on his road to the cross. He obeyed God's will to the end. He loved the souls whom God loved till the end. He loved them enough to die on the cross for.

This is the last week of the consecutive sermons I delivered under the title, "Calling." We thought about God's calling in the Garden of Eden which prompts awakening of souls and returning to God. And I talked about the Calling to the gracious forgiveness which whitens the sins as red as scarlet as white as wool. And I also talked about the Calling for the weary and the burdened to rest in God. Then I talked about the Calling for the thirsty to the abundant lives in the Holy Spirit. And I talked about God's calling to invite us to the lives of mission. Today, as the conclusion of these consecutive sermons, I would like to talk about the Calling to the walk of disciples, to the lives of taking up the cross.

I

Today's scripture, Mark chapter 8, tells us about a significant event in short lived evangelism of Jesus. Passing through the villages of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do people say I am?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." Again, Jesus asked them, "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ." From thence, Jesus began to insight his disciples about the affliction he will face in the future. According to Mark, on their way to Jerusalem, Jesus talked about his affliction and resurrection at least three times.

And he told his disciples: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Jesus called his disciples to the walk to the cross. He helped them realize that if they decide to follow Jesus; they must go on the walk to the cross. He told them it is impossible to become a disciple without the cross.

Dear everyone, what is the meaning of denying yourself and taking up the cross in today's scripture? Does it mean that we also have to be crucified? We often misunderstand the meaning of taking up the cross. We tend to think of the hardships resulting from our own faults, carelessness, or unforeseen failures, as the cross. For example, when a person develops a stomach problem due to poor eating habits and diet, he considers this disease as his cross he should take up. And when the poverty is the results of his intemperance and dissipation, he often thinks it is his cross. Someone said; there are two kinds of crosses. One is the cross of misunderstanding and the other is that of the Gospel. The cross of misunderstanding is the hardship that comes from his own greed, sins, or faults. The cross of the Gospel is the hardship incurred by following Jesus Christ. I don't think it is even appropriate to use the word cross in 'cross of misunderstanding.'

A German theologian Hoeffer interpreted these words, 'denying himself and taking up his cross' as that he should think only about Jesus and take up the hardships from being bound by Him. That's right. The meaning of taking the cross is giving God the highest value and the highest priority. It is persistently pursuing the life of obeying God's will. The cross Jesus had taken up was the absolute obedience to God. He gave up all of his life to obey God's will. He yielded to God's will with his highest value and the highest authority of his life. There was no compromise or giving in. In any case of sacrifice, he first sought and obeyed God's will. He even gave up his life in order to obey God's will.

This is the life taking up the cross. This is the very life of denying me and taking up the cross to following Jesus. This is the life we, as the disciples of Jesus Christ, should live. Jesus is calling us to this walk to the cross. He is inviting his disciples in the 21st century to take up their cross and to follow him.

II

However, it is not easy to take up this cross and follow Jesus. This is never a broad highway. This is not a road you can go on easily without burden. It is a road followed by sacrifice, and hardship. It is also accompanied by being lonely outcasts. It is a very burdensome road.

(1) First of all, this hardship may be found within ourselves. Dear everyone, don't you have any difficulties when you try to obey God's will? Why do we have temptations which make us hesitate and try to avoid walking on this road within us? If it is God's will and when God's will is certainly far better and greater than mine, why is there a force that interrupts this road within me? If it is the will of almighty God, it is the safest way to follow his will. Why is the thought occurring inside us that makes us feel anxious about God's will and want to pursue our own will?

(2) The hardship of following God's will also comes from the world we live in, and our workplaces. Why do they laugh at us when we try to live honestly? Why do they criticize us by saying, "don't pretend to be so clean" Why is the force so unyielding to expel and exclude those who are trying to live honestly. Why is compromising spotlighted? Why is a proficient liar regarded as a man of ability?

(3) Dear everyone, isn't it strange? When God's will is the best and the highest, why is there a resistance against following the best and highest will? Why is there opposition? Why should we bear the loss? Everyone, why is that? Here, we can find the depth of our sins. We can see the problem of the sins spread inside of us humans, and over the world.

Dear everyone, is the kind of world where someone like Jesus is crucified on the cross really a sound world? Are they sound persons who are shouting to nail Him on the cross? Is the voice within me righteous, whispering to allure me from being honest? If the world hates and outcasts people who are trying to live honestly, is it a sound world? Isn't it another sinful feature dwelling within us, and in this world? Sin is neither an abstract notion nor is a mere theory. It is the reality of our lives and the world. There certainly is opposition and disadvantage against the life following God's will in this world. This world is truly infected with sins.

Why is it so difficult to go on the walk to the cross? Because, by doing so, it brings hardships to me and to this world today. It's because we bear losses and we have disadvantages to succeed in the society when we obey God's will. It's because we cannot go along with the majority, and we will be outcasts.

Therefore, a lot of self claimed Christians choose easy way of compromising faith without burden. They like to enjoy the glory and applause of believing Jesus, but they don't like being humiliated or being excluded. They like the many blessings by following Jesus, but they don't like losses due to following Jesus. Thomas A. Kempis wrote such features of the lives of Christians in his book titled, "Modeling after Christ" as follows.

Many people admire Jesus and his world,
But only a few are taking up his cross.
Many people want the comfort from Jesus,
But only a few are willing to share his sufferings.
Many people want to attend a feast with Jesus,
But only a few are willing to fast with him.
Many people want to share the cake with Jesus,
But only a few are willing to share the cup of his sufferings.
Many people admire the miracles Jesus performed.
But only a few are willing to cope with the humiliation of the cross with him.
Many people love Jesus,
Only when they have no hardship.
Many people praise Jesus,
Only when they receive comfort and blessing from Jesus.

III

To such Christians of today, our Jesus is calling: "He must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Dear everyone, even though it is hard, we have to take up our cross and follow him. Even though you are an outcast and lonely, you have to take up your cross and follow Jesus.

(1) First of all, it is worthwhile to walk on this road. It is worth risking everything of our lives, even the life itself. Dear everyone, I said that the walk to the cross is the life holding on the will of God to the end. If the will of God, who's calling us, is not worth risking our lives, what's the meaning of believing in him? We trust and follow God for he is worth risking our lives, don't we? If His will is less than mine, why would we want to believe in him? What's the purpose of believing in him? If a person turns away from the walking to the cross, he does not believe in the God of the Bible. He is admiring god who is lower than him, who has less value than his profits, rather, he is admiring an idol that is not God. If he does not take up the cross and follow Jesus, he is just insulting himself. He is admitting that his own God is valueless.

(2) Secondly, even though it is difficult, even though you might bear losses, or you may be lonely, you have reasons to take up your cross and follow Jesus. It's because taking up the cross and following Jesus is the way of life, and you can save your soul and the history.

The walk to the cross is the best way my life can pursue. It's the best way to love my life. And this walk to the cross is the way to straighten the world and the history. Dear everyone, whenever this world brings me hardship, whenever the people outcast me, if I give up the walk to the cross by holding on to the words of Jesus, there is no way for the world to be renewed. If I blow out my candle which is the only candle in the world because it's too dark, how can the world be bright? Even though it is hard and lonesome, we need people who light this world so it can be changed and transformed.

Satan uses three sentences when he tempts Christians. First, "It is just once, not even twice, just once!" Secondly, "It is the last time. You don't have to do it again. You do this just one more time for the last." Thirdly, "Everyone in the world is doing it, what's so hard? Look! Everyone is doing it!"

It is well known fact that Reverend Jae-Chol Lee had run a business before he served the Church of the LORD. He took a position at a foreign company after he graduated college. The first job they gave him was to bribe government officers for tax evasions. It was so frustrating for him that he promised himself that he would never evade taxes if he would run a business in the future.

In 1974, when he established Hong-Sung-Sa, which is a publishing company, and tried to avoid tax evasion, he had to confront many obstacles. When he ignored pressures from his business parties they even boycotted his products. Even the tax administration officers at IRS did not believe his reports with honest data of his transactions. He overcame this hardship and kept reporting his transactions honestly even if he had to bear losses. Consequently, his vendors started to trust him and the publishing companies started to make a trend of honest deals and paying correct taxes. Following Jesus, with enduring losses, can change the world. Therefore, to take up the cross is the way that can save me, the world, and the history.

(3) Thirdly, taking up the cross is the way to the eternal life.

Dear everyone, let's look at today's scripture. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Even though you suffer difficulties on earth, if you can obtain the eternal life, isn't it wise to take this way? Jesus clearly said: "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." Everyone, would you rather lose for now and win forever? Or would you win for now and lose forever? Wouldn't it be a stupid choice if our Lord turns his face away from you permanently because you turned away from the walk to the cross by choosing the worldly convenience? We all have no other choice but to go on the walk to the cross.

IV.

I said; let us go on to the walk to the cross. I delivered the Calling of Jesus saying, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Giving these words, I am heavy in my heart. Since my life is built around the church, I probably feel less pressure to live up to these words. But you are in the world, and spend five, six days, or the whole week at your workplaces, you must have an extremely heavier burden than I do.

"Reverend Cho, it is easier said than done. If I oppose against the worldly flow, I may have to close my store. If I take up my cross and follow Jesus, I may not be able to feed my family. And it will be so lonely." I know some of you would say that to me. Dear everyone, what shall we do? Are you going to give up the cross and compromise your faith? Do you want to live with easy cross or decorative cross? Dear everyone, do you know any way to follow Jesus without taking up your cross? Is there a way to receive the crown without the cross?

William Penn's words come to my mind; No thorns, no throne; no cross, no crown. Dear everyone, if it is the only way, shouldn't we go on that way? If there is no other way to be Disciples of Christ except taking up the cross, shouldn't we take it up and go.

Indeed, the walk to the cross is lonesome and tiring. But we do not walk on this road by ourselves. Our Jesus preceded us. And he helps us walk on it today. He is with us. Jesus' promise to keep us until the last day of this world remains unchanged today. Jesus' promise that he will not leave us like orphans still holds today. Dear everyone, it may be hard if we go alone, it may be lonely and painful. But we are not alone. We have our brothers and sisters in faith. And before anyone, our Jesus is with us. Immanuel Jesus is accompanying us. How can we give up? How can we turn away from this walk to the cross?

Our Jesus is calling every one of us this morning. He is calling us to the walk to the cross. This is a road worth risking our lives. This is the road to save lives and the history. And this road will take us to the eternal life. Jesus is calling us this morning: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." He is calling us to the road of walk to the cross. Dear everyone, what would you do? What would you do in response to this Calling? What would you answer when Jesus asks if you could take up your cross?