I'm with Peter!

In the 16th c. the Pope sent Jesuit missionary’s into China in order to evangelize the huge population. He had them take art work with them that depicted scenes from Jesus’ life. He thought this would assist with the obvious challenge of the language barrier. Interestingly the Chinese people took an instant liking to paintings of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child. However, when it came to depictions of the crucifixion and the missionary’s explanation that this was the same child that Mary was holding, they were shocked. The Chinese people were even more disturbed that this Child was the Christian God and that was treated so repulsively. They were horrified to see how Jesus was made to suffer and ultimately die. This was extremely counter cultural to them, so the Chinese people decided they would rather worship the Blessed Mother Mary, since she was pictured in love and adoration for the child.

None of us likes suffering do we? It is counter cultural to our need to survive and live. When Jesus tells the disciples that he must be delivered into the hands of his enemies, suffer and die by crucifixion, they naturally were appalled. Peter, who had just identified Jesus as the Messiah (after all Peter is the guy in the bunch who most often spoke first and thought later) – he was the stunned enough to actually rebuke Jesus. Think about it for one moment and put yourself in Peter’s shoes (or sandals). He and the rest of the disciples had witnessed Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons and work miracles. Jesus was their hope; Jesus was their leader; Jesus was their inspiration. Yet, Jesus must die.

Well, I don’t know about you all but I’m with Peter! I would have had the same reaction. I would have been just as confused, protective and ready to argue with Jesus as Peter. I would have been ready to keep my dear friend safe and secure. Friends protect friends; that is the way love and friendship work! There would be no reason for useless suffering. Look at all the good Jesus was doing for his people. Like the Chinese, I would have been repulsed had Jesus revealed his hideous fate on the cross; one that was reserved for thieves, murderers and rebels.

Jesus reaction to Peter was even harsher than Peter’s reaction to him. The Greek word Mark used for ~ rebuke ~ is the exact same word he uses when Jesus casts out demons. This was a very serious rebuke! It was a direct command with the authority of God. Jesus would not be tempted. He knew this was one of those moments that the Adversary seized to try and derail his divine mission; even though the temptation came in the form of concern from an innocent and loving friend.

Jesus mission was one of love and sacrifice. In the process he redefined discipleship. Jesus says, “Set your mind on divine things, not human things.” And here is the real kicker, he says, “Be ready to suffer!” Suffer! That’s right, you heard me correctly. To be a follower of Jesus means that we must become willing to suffer. What Mark is telling us is that self-sacrifice, self-abandonment and self-empting are at the very core of God’s divine love for all creation. Jesus is telling us that in order to follow him, we are called to suffer through the same self-sacrificial acts. This is what he means when he says, “In order to save you life you must lose it.”

One January afternoon in 2007, 50-year-old Wesley Autrey was waiting with his two young daughters to board a train at Broadway’s 137th Street station in Manhattan, when the unthinkable happened. According to cbsnews.com, Cameron Hollopeter, 19, fell onto the subway tracks while suffering a seizure, just as an oncoming train was approaching. In a split second Autrey, a construction worker and Vietnam War veteran jumped onto the tracks to save him. As the train barreled toward them, unable to stop in time, Autrey realized he could not lift Hollopeter to safety. So he threw his body on top of the still convulsing young man, pinning him down in the shallow drainage trough, roughly a foot deep, between the tracks. The train’s front two cars rolled over them with just about two precious inches to spare before the operator was able to bring it to a stop. Hollopeter and Autrey emerged largely unharmed. Cheers erupted and Autrey was hailed as a hero. But Autrey, as humble as he was brave, told The New York Times, “I don’t feel like I did something spectacular; I just saw someone who needed help. I did what I felt was right.”

Wesley Autrey provides us with an incredible example of what it means to deny ourselves of our self, and give to others (even those we do not know) in unconditional love and sacrifice.

In this season of Lent we often give up things, by denying ourselves chocolate, coffee, sodas, TV or something important to our daily lives. While this act is an important reminder of the act of sacrifice, God’s call to follow him is far deeper and demanding than these (often inconvenient) but small reminders. Jesus wants us to give to God ~ our complete selves: our thoughts; our dreams; our egos; our goals; our burdens and problems. God wants every single little piece of us.

The path to sacrifice is what leads us to God and allows us to identify with God. While this is counter culture to the world, God made the world and God put his unconditional love and labor into our very existence. Therefore we should really flip this around and say, “The world is counter cultural to the original way God created and brought it into existence.”

Mr. Autrey understood something that the Chinese culture of the 16th c. had not yet learned: Jesus defines true discipleship as a way of life that imitates God. Since God made himself vulnerable to the extreme (ultimately allowing the Son to perish on the cross) he calls us (you and I) to the same life of vulnerability. Our God loves us so much that he longs to be in communion with us, and will go to what ever length required to show us. God gives so completely of God’s self (to us) that nothing is ever held back in reserve.

So, whether it is leaving the comforts of home and traveling all the way around the world on mission; whether it is jumping on a train track, using our own body to shield and protect a complete stranger from the train; whether it is saying the blessing before a meal in the restaurant in order to give God thanks, at the expense of a few stares – Christ is calling us to a life of self-sacrifice; one that demands all of us (heart, mind, and body). God holds nothing back and neither should we.

As we follow this road of Lent together. I pray that we continue to keep our attention focused on Jerusalem and the cross. While the heavy burden and fear will only grow and become darker over the next few weeks, we shouldn’t over look one tiny, but major and significant statement Jesus makes at the very end of this mornings passage from Mark. After he tells the disciple of his fatal destination and fate, he says, “And on the third day I will rise again.” In all the shock, the disciples missed that one liner! God is reminding us that through Jesus’ suffering that we are promised life eternal. When giving of ourselves unconditionally don’t forget the beautiful reward that awaits us all.