WHBC
09/08/2024 - Bro. Kason Kuykendall
And so many of us, we have bought into that hook, line, and sinker. But I want you to know this morning, there's more to life. There's more to life. There's more to life than going through the rut of what's around us. There's more to life than the money. There's more to life than having a nice home or having nice things. There is a way in life that every one of us can make our life count for things that matter for all of eternity. And the problem is, there's a lot of folks who don't care much about that. There's a lot of folks who don't care if their life counts for eternity or not. And it's a tragedy. And so I wonder, do you care? Do you care this morning what your life counts for? It's a serious message before us, it's a continuation of last week. But we're short on time. We're going to dive right on into it because it is of the utmost importance. The passage before us today is one of the most important in the gospels. From Luke 1 to Luke 8, we've seen Jesus as he ministers. Let me review a little bit for you. And he has gone out and he has ministered to thousands and thousands of people. He has preached in the synagogues. And he has preached with so much power and so much authority. He's driven out demons. He healed the paralyze. He's healed a woman with an issue of blood. He has brought life back when there was death. He has fed a multitude of people, thousands and thousands of people. As far as you can see in the Bible, it says they were all filled up. They had all they could want on that day. Jesus has met the needs of so many people. And because of that, the crowds are getting larger and larger and larger. There are people every time Jesus turns around. When he tries to take his disciples to find some rest and some solitude, they can't do so because the crowd sees them and they run on ahead of him. And so up until this point, the focus has been on the crowd of people. But in Luke 9, all that changes. In Luke 9, it seems like out of the blue, Jesus and his disciples are walking on the way and Jesus turns and he has a very odd question. He says, "Who do the people say that I am?" Just in passing. Who do the people say that I am? And they respond, "Well, some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, some say one of the prophets." All good things. He's speaking highly of you, and then Jesus turns and he says, "But who do you say that I am?" That's a good question. A direct question that every one of us will answer, "Who do you say that I am?" Well Peter responds, you'll remember, and he said, "You are the Christ." The first time a person has declared that in the gospel, "You are the Christ." He's right in his response, but he's wrong in what that means. He believes that Jesus being the Christ means that Jesus will set up this earthly kingdom and it will be unmatched, that the Messiah will be the new greater David and they will have power and they will have prestige and they will have authority and it's going to be set up in a wonderful, beautiful way. And then we see where Jesus begins to set the record straight. Jesus has not come as a warrior, but instead he's going to be beaten, humiliated and crucified. Jesus is entirely different from the one that they expected, the one that they thought that he was going to be. And so Jesus sets the record straight. Look at Luke 9 beginning in verse 23. Let me ask you to stand in honor of the Word of God and I'll read this over us. Luke 9 beginning in verse 23 says, "And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits from himself. For whoever is ashamed of me in my words of him will the son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the father and of the holy angels. Lord, we thank you again for this time. Lord, I ask that you would speak through me, through your word in a mighty, mighty way. God, that you would challenge us through this incredible scripture. Let us to see the calling that you placed upon our life in Jesus' name, amen. Last week, we covered self-deniable. And today we consider self-sacrifice. If you're not willing to deny yourself then you certainly will be unwilling to sacrifice yourself. The first point I want you to see is that we must consider the cross. Verse 23 it said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Today the cross is often reduced to a mere trinket, a fashion statement devoid of its profound meaning. For many it's become a fashion accessory, a piece of jewelry that is often worn. For others it's a decoration of military heroism from the Victoria Cross or the Iron Cross. Still others think of it as the cross they bear, which signifies a burden in their life, a problem amongst their family, a cross that they must force to live through day after day in their life. But as Jesus speaks, he's not referring to enduring pains of life, he's not speaking of heroism, and he's not speaking of a fashion statement. In the first century the image of a cross was a gross, gross image. The cross was a brutal instrument of torture. It was designed to inflict the utmost pain and suffering of its victims. It would strip them of all their dignity. The cross symbolized the Roman oppression. It was reserved for the lowest of the social classes. It was the most visible aspect of the power and the terror of the Romans. It was used in order to punish criminals and squash rebellions. In the day of Nero he would take Christians, and he would crucify them, and he would put them on these busy highways, these busy intersections. And as folks would go throughout their daily life and their daily living, they would see these crosses along the roadway. And they would see as the bodies would hang on these crosses. They would see the death, they would see the blood, they would see the agony that goes with it. It was a reminder of the power. It was a reminder of what would happen in your life if you rebelled against those in authority. It was a public warning. And in the midst of all of this, Jesus says, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." There's a sting to it. It's hard to listen to. More so in this culture, but if we can imagine it, we can understand the sting. They believe that to follow Jesus they would have great power, great resources, and they would be something to behold. But now Jesus says, "That's not the case. If you're going to follow me, you must be willing to carry your cross. You must be willing to follow me even to the point of death." Confessing Christ is not enough based on what he says. Being associated with Christ, being in the crowd, being in the group, being a part of the gathering. It's not enough. If Jesus is the Christ, then he expects us to follow and he expects us to obey me. Jesus has not come to make adjustments to my life or your life. He has come to completely overhaul our lives. That's why the Bible says, "If anyone is in Christ, he's a Christ." The new creation, the old is passed away, behold. The new has come. There's a lot today in churches who will get up and they will present the path of the gospel. And they'll say, "This is your way to personal fulfillment. This is your way to personal happiness. This is your way to health and this is your way to wealth and this is your way to prosperity." But listen to me, that's not what Jesus preaches. That's not the gospel message. That's not true. People like it. People want it. They grow a crowd preaching like that, but it's false. And so Jesus comes and he realizes that there are lots of people who are following him because they want the benefits. They want to receive. And so Jesus stops and he says, "Wait a minute. Let me tell you what it really is to be my follower." And he uses the strongest language you can imagine. And he says, "If you're going to follow me, it very well could cost you everything in your life." Jesus presents them with a cross. He doesn't invite them to try the cross on and see if they like it. He doesn't ask for volunteers to carry the cross for extra credit. He doesn't say the cross is for the elite. The cross is for the mega Christians. He said, "If anyone would come after me, he must take up his cross daily. The demand separates the disciples from the crowd. We are called not to survey the wondrous cross, not to glory in the cross of Christ, not to love the old rugged cross as the hymn say, but we are called to live our life in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ." So the disciples, they're to stake their life on the confession that Jesus is my Messiah and my life will back that up. So I wonder today, what about you? What about me? We live in a different world. We don't see the crosses on our roadways, but the calling is the same. The calling is the same for my life in your life. The standard of following Christ has not changed. And so then he shows us the paradox of this discipleship. Look at verse 24, "For whoever would save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Now, when you think about these verses, they seem quite ironic, especially for the day that we live in, a day that we are consumed with saving our life. We are constantly bombarded with new advertisements, new medical treatments, new supplements, new fitness activities, or wellness programs that we can apply to our life in order to extend life and avoid illness at all costs. Some of you, you go to the store and you buy organic food or natural food or clean food in order to protect yourself from harmful substances. Research is ample about slowing down aging and extending the lifespan. Some of you have creams that you apply to your face every single night. And the point of it is to slow down the aging process. There are creams and treatments and medications. We are fixated with safety to the point that it's humorous. I saw a baby stroller. These are real labels on things, a baby stroller, and it said, "Remove the child before folding." And there are people who really need that reminder. On a hairdryer, it said, "Do not use while sleeping." I don't know how you could do that. On a bag of peanuts, it said, "Warning, this may contain nuts." On a package of an iron, it said, "Do not iron while wearing shirt." And so some of you might do that. On a chainsaw, there was a warning label, it said, "Do not attempt to stop the chain with your hands." On a box of Christmas lights for indoor or outdoor use only. I don't know where else you would use it if it's not indoor or outdoors. On a 500-piece puzzle, warning, some are simply required. On a bottle of sleeping pills, warning may cause drowsiness. We prioritize minimizing the risk in our society. And if that's not the case, maybe you say, "Well, not me, I don't do those things." Maybe you just stockpile and you hoard. Some of you out here, you've got more guns and more ammo than many third world countries. And you are my people. And I like you. I like you out. We are ready. We are ready to defend ourselves. We are ready to do whatever it takes. But Jesus comes and he lays this down and he says something that is so different. He says, "Whoever would save his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for my sake is the one who will save it." You see, what's it come down to? It comes down to our priorities. If you live for yourself, you will not live for the kingdom of God. And if you live for the kingdom of God, then you will not live for yourself. Matthew 6, it says, "No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other." And so the question is, who are you living for today? Who am I living for today? Galatians 2, 20 says, "I've been crucified with Christ. It's no longer I who live, but Christ who lives within me." He is pulling his disciples aside and he says, "If you're going to follow me, it means that your life is going to be different." And for us, there may be several ways that we try to save our life. It may be that we avoid risk and we stay where it's comfortable. And the Lord tells us to get out. The Lord tells us to do something, but we say no because it makes us uncomfortable to move. You want an example of that? As believers, are we called to share our faith? Y'all nod your head, let me think you're awake with me, okay? Amen. We're called to share our faith. Most of us here did not do that this last week. We should have, but we didn't, why? Because we try to save our life by not putting ourselves out there for others. We're called to serve. We're called to do things. We're called to use our gifts, our talents, our abilities for the kingdom of God. But so many of us, we're so focused on ourself that we don't do anything for the kingdom of God. We seek worldly validation. We seek what others will think about us. The judgment of others and Jesus comes and he says if you're going to be my follower, it means that you're going to seek me above all else. And so I want you to think about it in your life. Don't give me that church answer, be genuine and real. What is the greatest good of your life? What gets you going? What makes you tick? What is it that you're really living for in this moment? What is it that gets you excited? What does it make you happy in life? Is it your job, maybe your family, maybe good things? Listen, are you excited about Jesus? Are you truly excited about Jesus? Did you come this morning because you want to be here? You're excited. You love singing the songs. You love opening the Word of God. Do you enjoy this? Or do we come because we're obligated? He's asking the question, what is the priority of your life? It reminds me of Matthew 1344 says the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that's hidden in a field which a man found and covered up and then in his joy he goes and he sells all that he has and buys that field. The kingdom of heaven is like a man who found this treasure in a field and it's amazing and so he goes home and he sells everything he's got. You can have my house. You can have my car. You can have my dog. I don't care. You can have all of it. I'm selling it. Why? Because I'm going to buy that field because that field is worth it. I know the treasure in it. If you follow Christ it's going to be worth it. And so it says the one who lives for himself, he very well could lose it all. Let me show you the reason for discipleship. We're moving too slow. Listen faster. Okay? Can you do that? Look at verse 25. "For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and he loses or forfeits himself?" Game the whole world. That sounds nice. That's what we want. The goal of most of us. We want to gain wealth. We want to gain possessions. We want the nice house and the nice car and designer clothes and the latest gadget and the nicest phone. And most people are under the belief that that is the key to happiness. And to get more we focus on climbing that corporate ladder, attaining that high paying job, wielding influence in our field. But what if in your pursuits of achievement, what if you get all that you could ever want? What if in your pursuits to reach the goal of having time off and relaxing and traveling the world? What if you get it? What if you truly maximize your life and you fulfill all of your hopes and all of your desires? What if you accomplish your goal for social validation? What if you get all the world has to offer? And it feels good for a little bit. It releases those endorphins in your mind and you feel good. But listen to me, the Bible teaches that it will not satisfy you. Has anyone here learned the world cannot satisfy you? It does for a little bit but then it's not enough and then you've got to have something else and we end up being that hamster on the wheel and we're running and we're chasing and we're going and we're striving and we're trying and we're putting all that we can in it. But it's like we're running in circles over and over and over again. The world and its riches and its pleasures, they were never meant to fill the void that's inside of your heart and my heart. At your funeral service, nobody's going to care how much money you had. Well, your kids might, I don't know, that might not be a true statement. It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter the car that you drove, it doesn't matter how successful you were at your job. There are many who have sold their soul for what is worthless and if we aren't careful, our quest to find satisfaction in the world will result in us losing everything. And so Jesus is crying out to his followers, don't waste your life, don't waste your life. There's a tendency, there's a tendency to find all of our pleasures in the world. In my life there is, this is me, that's why I don't start with a joke on this one because this is for me, I get it. I like nice things and I can find myself living for nice things and pleasing people. Maybe you can too, but Jesus calls, don't waste your life. If you gain all the world has but you die and go to hell, what do you really have? If someone offered you 80 years of amazing pleasure, 80 years of all the riches of the world, but eternity in hell, listen to me, you would be a fool to take that deal. You'd be a fool and there are a lot of folks who that's what they're doing. Well, look at the warning, the warning of disciples, verse 26, "For whoever is ashamed of me, and in my words of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the Holy Angels." Here's the warning to be ashamed of Jesus and his words has serious consequences. He's speaking of judgment in the end, judgment is coming and he says, "If you're ashamed of me, if you don't carry your cross, if you don't deny yourself and if you're ashamed of me in your life, then I will be ashamed of you also." Jesus calls us to look for the final verdict that is before us. We might be fearful of what the world can do to us, but think about eternity. Think about what is to come. It's a tough calling before us in the face of easy believerism where we belittle salvation to a church phrase or a decision card, "You and I must slow down and we must consider the cost." And here's what scares me a lot. There are many folks who are associated with the things of God and they go to church week after week and they sit and pews and they are part of the worship and they hear sermons preached. But the Bible says on the day of judgment there will be many involved in religious activities who will hear the words, "Depart from me, you worker of lawlessness, but I never knew you." There are many who are involved in the things of religion, but they have never denied themselves. They've never taken up their cross. They've never totally surrendered their heart and their life to the Lord Jesus Christ. And if that's true of my life, if that's true in your life, then that is the greatest tragedy we can imagine. Amen? There's a lot of things we're going to get wrong in life. I feel like I get being a parent wrong all the time. I lay in bed and I think I should have done different. I should have said something different. I should have, we cannot get this one wrong. We've got to make sure where we stand spiritually. And so the calling before us is radical. You'll notice he says, "Take up your cross daily." You see, if we're not careful, we will look to the world around us for our pleasure. I don't care how young you are or how old you are. We are so liable to find pleasure outside of God every day. So every day we must look to the Lord. Well, what's the key to it? What's the key to discipleship? We are corrupt. We like to live for ourselves. What's the secret? How do I make my life count? You may think about it. You might say, "This is the most depressing message I've ever heard in my life." It's not about a depressing message. It's not about the lowly Christian life. It's about joy. It's about loving Jesus with all that we are. It's about finding our satisfaction in Jesus. What Jesus tells us is pursue joy where it really is, not where it's not. If it's a good message that says, "If you want to find joy, I'll tell you where it really is." It's not in this world. What this world has is not joy. So what he's presenting to us is, "Find your joy, find your satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ." I can preach and I can yell at you and I can stomp on this thing all day and it will not be enough to make us carry our cross. It will not be enough to make us bold as we go out into our life tomorrow. Do you know what it will take for us? It will take a deep love and a deep satisfaction in Jesus. Let me give you an example of that. Psalm 63. Go ahead and open. We've got a minute. Go to Psalm 63. How do we do it? How do we become satisfied and guide? Psalm 63. Listen to verse 1. It says, "O God, you are my guide. Earnestly, I seek you. My so thirst for you. My flesh, it faints for you as in a dry and a weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary by holding your power in glory because your steadfast love is better than life. And so my lips will praise you and I will bless you as long as I live. In your name, I will lift up my hands." This is not religion for David. He's not saying, "I want to be a better guy." There's a yearning in his depths. There's a longing, an urgency. There's a desperation that says, "Lord, I've got to have you." So I've looked upon you in the sanctuary by holding your power in your glory because your steadfast love is better than life and my lips will praise you. And so I will bless you as long as I live and in your name, I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food and my mouth will praise you with the joyful lips." David is not noodling around with the idea of God. He is totally consumed by God. He continues. He says, "When I remember you upon my bed and I meditate on you in the watches of the night, for you have been my help and in my shadow of your wings, I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you. Your right hand upholds me." David is saying, "God, I've got to have you. I've got to have you." When we get to the point in our lives that we long for more of Jesus, that we find our satisfaction in Jesus, that we're excited about what Jesus is doing in our life. We'll find it's easy to deny ourselves. We'll find it's easier to carry our cross. We'll find it's not a checklist of roles that we try to live up to, but it's a heart that says, "I love the Lord so much. I want to do what He's called me to. I want to honor Him with all that I am. I want to make sure that I don't waste my life." There's a calling for my life and for your life. We can waste it if we want to. There's lots of options available to waste our life, but if you want to make it count, we realize that the world will not satisfy. It won't fill the void. Our satisfaction only comes through Jesus. Let me ask you to close your eyes and bow your head. I don't know how it applies to you. I know how it applies to my life. I've had all week to be thinking about this and praying about this. When you look at these scriptures and you look at the idea of carrying your cross, sacrificing yourself for Jesus, how are you doing? What are you living for? Maybe you're here and you realize that you're living for the world. You're not living for the things of God. You prioritize the things of the world and maybe there's a challenge in front of you that says, "I need to change some things in my life." Maybe you look at it and you say, "I've never been truly saved. I've been chasing after the world and I've been trying to find joy and satisfaction in the world, but maybe the Holy Spirit is calling you to salvation this morning." You can feel it. You can't explain what it's like, but you can feel it. Maybe it's the days that they have salvation. If you gain the whole world, but you lose your soul, what does it matter? What in your life needs to change so that you can focus more so on the things of God? You need to join this church, be involved, be active. Lord, I pray that you will show each of us what you're calling us to. Lord, I realize this has been a tough scripture to think about and apply it to our life, but I pray you've challenged us, God. I pray that we'll be obedient to what you've called us to. It's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. Stand and let's sing together.