Pastor Dismer’s sermon from Sunday, Aug. 31:

“Learn how to take up the cross and follow him.”

Matthew 16:21-28

Many of you may recognize the name Evel Knievel, who was an American daredevil motorcyclist. Knievel raced his motorcycle up steep ramps and over obstacles such as the fountains in front of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, and a row of 13 double-decker buses at Wembley Stadium in London, England. He often crash-landed, breaking dozens of bones.

Knievel’s most famous stunt was his attempt to jump over the Snake River Canyon in Idaho on a rocket-driven motorcycle. His parachute opened prematurely, and he fell to the canyon floor, where he was again injured but fortunately not killed.

For a time Evel Knievel had a touring company of cyclists. Imagine for a minute that you are one of them. Now Imagine that Knievel has just told you he has permission to jump the Grand Canyon, and if you want to continue in his performing group, you will need to jump the canyon too!

What would you say to him? You’re crazy? Surely this time you will kill yourself? If we follow you in this stunt we will probably all be killed? Would you desperately try to persuade Knievel not to do this?

It is possible that Jesus’ disciples felt equally desperate when he announced to them that it was his intention to go to Jerusalem; that once there he expected to suffer many things and in the end be killed.

“Never, Lord!” the disciple Peter declared! “This shall never happen to you.”

Jesus’ answer to this must have been shocking. “GET BEHIND ME SATAN. YOU ARE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO ME; YOU DO NOT HAVE IN MIND THE THINGS OF GOD BUT THE THINGS OF MEN.”

And before the disciples could close their mouths, which were surely hanging open in their surprise, Jesus went on:

“IF ANYONE WOULD COME AFTER ME, HE MUST TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME. FOR WHOEVER WANTS TO SAVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT, BUT WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR ME WILL FIND IT. WHAT GOOD WILL IT BE FOR A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD BUT LOSES HIS SOUL?”

Evel Knievel’s followers had to decide to follow Knievel and risk injury, or death, or leave his daredevil troupe and lose their paychecks.

Jesus’ disciples had a decision to make too: Follow Jesus and risk death, or leave him and lose their very souls! They chose to follow. Some did, eventually, die on a cross.

Could this lesson actually apply to us, today? Is it that serious? Do followers of Jesus actually get killed today? Yes, in some parts of the world Christians are still persecuted and some are killed. But in the United States? No. So, what do we do with this text?

What is required of us to follow Jesus? What do we have to deny? What do we have to risk? Isn’t it enough to join a congregation, and worship somewhat regularly?

Jesus said to his disciples, “WHAT CAN A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?”

Do we have to give anything? Isn’t forgiveness a free gift? Aren’t we Lutherans especially clear about grace and faith and their role in salvation? What did Jesus mean when he said: “FOR THE SON OF MAN IS GOING TO COME IS HIS FATHER’S GLORY, AND THERE HE WILL REWARD EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO WHAT HE HAS DONE.”

Are we saved by faith or good works? Or both? That is the question hardest to answer.

Different Christian churches answer it differently. Lutherans have always insisted that it is faith in Jesus that is necessary for salvation. So I ask again, what do Lutherans do with this text?

If we take a look at this text from a slightly different point of view, perhaps there is an answer for us. Jesus may not have said this because God requires that we carry a cross to please God – to earn salvation – or to earn anything.

Rather, Jesus may have urged his followers to pick up their cross and follow him because he knew that without commitment, without action, without involvement, faith is in danger of drying up.

“Faith without works is dead,” we read in the New Testament letter of James; the letter he wrote to “the twelve tribes scattered among the nations;” James, who is believed to be the brother of Jesus. “Faith without works is dead.” Faith, without works, becomes only lip service – going through the motions. Attending worship – but not worshiping God. Giving – but without love. Saying the words by rote. Singing the songs because they please us. Communing without thought – without repentance beforehand or undying gratitude afterward.

Take up your cross and carry it and you will build muscles: spiritual muscles. Show love and you will understand love. Give generously of yourself and you will receive even more generously. “Lose you life to find it” Jesus advised.

So how might we “lose our life” since Christians are not being put to death in our nation?

Here are my humble thoughts on this. It might start with the losing part: we need to lose our selfish point of view that always asks: What’s in it for me? Let me share two examples: Two women who helped with Vacation Bible School a few weeks ago.

One took a week’s vacation from work so that she could come and help in VBS. She wasn’t asking, “What’s in it for me?” She was thinking about how important it is to nurture the faith of our children.

The other woman spent the week at VBS even though she is battling a serious illness. She didn’t ask, “What do I need this week?” She asked, “What do the children need.”

After letting go of our self-first point of view, what else do we need to do to take up our cross? I’ll use the letters of the word cross to answer that.

C: the word is choice. We have to choose. Jesus had a choice, and he chose to save us.

Sometimes we have to jump in with our feet even when our heart isn’t ready, and our mind is uncertain.

R: the word is respond. Picking up a cross is responding to a need. Jesus saw that we needed saving. What do you see that needs to be done, and can be done by you, if you give up some of your time, use your talent, share your resources?

O: the word is order. Order your priorities. WHAT CAN A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL? Jesus asked. Is anything more important? Is your soul important to you? What about your children’s souls? Your friends’ souls? Your spouse’s soul?

Before you pick up your cross each day, pray. Ask God to use you to bless the lives of every person you encounter. Carry Jesus’ love in your heart and on your back. Carry enough to share all day.

S: the word for this first “S” is sacrifice. That is at the heart of cross-carrying. Jesus sacrificed his life. It’s as plain as that. We sacrifice our self-interest; we sacrifice whatever it takes to respond to the needs we see each day. We sacrifice the pleasure of putting our own needs first. We sacrifice all that, we deny it, to be ready for something more, something eternally important.

S: the last “S” I’ll leave up to you. It could be service. Did you ever think why we refer to the military as “Service?” Choosing to serve, responding to your country’s need, putting your own life’s goals on hold, being willing to die for something so important – truly that should be called service.

What kind of service could we choose? We might each challenge ourselves to commit to service in four arenas: (1) what can I do for someone in my family? 2) What can I do for my church family? (3) What can I do for the community I live in? (4) What can I do for people in other countries?

Jesus carried the cross he died on – for us. Today he invites us, again, to choose to carry a cross until our death. In the process we will grow. Our faith will not shrivel from lack of use, and our faith-full–ness will prepare us to receive the gift God intends for us all, the gift Christ died on the cross to achieve for us: forgiveness and salvation. Amen.