by Pastor Harlan Heier
Mark 8:34-38: He called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake and for the sake of the gospel will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of the Father with the holy angels.
“Have a good day!” We hear those words a lot these days. They seem to have become the twenty-first century equivalent of “Good-bye” or “God be with you” and for some businesses a cheap attempt at public relations with their customers. I don’t know about you, but when those words are spoken by someone I know and who knows me, they are meaningful and I welcome them, but when they are spoken by someone I don’t know and who doesn’t know me, they are empty and I may resent them. In either case, I can’t help but wonder, “What would it take for me to have a good day?” and “What would it take for that person to have a good day?”
In today’s text Jesus commands us to service that is sacrificial, service by which we deny ourselves in order to be free to serve others in his name. He says, “If any want to be my followers, let them deny themselves and take up his cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it; and those who lose their life for my sake and the sake of the gospel will save it.”
To put that kind of service into our every day world imagine being a checker in a busy grocery store. The people waiting in your line are wrapped up in themselves and, considering the load each is carrying, that’s not surprising. Each person is trying to save himself or herself, refusing to be spent or lost in service to another.
At the same time each of your customers in turn doubts your sincerity as you say, “Have a good day!” as your boss expects you to say as they leave your check stand. You don’t realize it, but instead of “a good day,” a young woman who must use food stamps because of her husband’s unemployment gets your scorn. Instead of a “good day,” a lady whose worries cause her to be forgetful gets your impatience. Instead of a “good day,” a young man who shoplifts to get even with your rudeness gets a guilty conscience. Instead of a “good day,” the lonely man who hopes for few minutes of conversation gets a “bum’s rush.” Instead of a “good day,” a woman who has just learned she has cancer gets your indifference. But at the end of the day none of the customers has reached out to help you have “a good day” either.
Years ago I received a little pamphlet entitled, “A man wrapped up in himself makes a mighty small package!” I don’t remember anything about that stewardship pamphlet except its title. That’s such an obvious truth I’ve never forgotten it. How easily you and I shrink our world until it no longer reaches beyond ourselves and our wants or needs! When that happens we become blind to the needs and hurts of others. And we betray the rule of Jesus Christ in our lives.
The only way you and I can break out of that “mighty small package” is to remember Jesus’ words and look to his life and ministry, death and resurrection for a demonstration of what that means. Again and again in his earthly ministry he spent himself in caring love for those around him. Even on the cross he prayed for those who had brought him to the crucifixion. He welcomed a repentant sinner into his kingdom. He provided for his mother and his best friend. And he did it all before he expressed any of the needs he was experiencing. It’s no wonder that love draws you and me to him.
Relying on that kind of love we realize Christian service isn’t always a money matter. Most of us would like to have “a million dollars” to demonstrate by some grand gift how much our faith means to us. Jesus didn’t have wealth or influence, but he used what he had and what he was to support those whose lives touched his. Later, in describing the conditions of discipleship, Jesus says, “For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of cold water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.” For the customers who passed through your checkout stand the “cup of water to drink” might have been a friendly smile, a bit of sympathy for people who must use food stamps, a sensitivity to people who are distracted by worry, an expression of understanding and concern for the difficulties of teenagers, and a few extra words for people who are lonely.
Nevertheless, how many times do you and I think, “If only I were rich, I’d certainly be generous!” How easily we excuse ourselves from serving others because we can’t make the big gift! At least we can’t make it without self-denial or sacrifice. We’ll never give “a cup of cold water to drink” if we’re continually worrying whether our thirsts will be met. We’ll never take time to let people know we care, really care about them, if we’re continually worrying what our caring might cost or whether we’ll have enough time for ourselves.
“The cross and our witness through service!” “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it; and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel will save it.” The Moravian Church has a symbol that is a good expression of two ways in which these words of Jesus can be understood. In the center of the symbol is an ox. On one side is a plow and on the other is an altar. Underneath are the words, “Ready for either.” Even in our day there are Christians whose service is a martyr’s death. But the service of the vast majority is by way of the plow, doing the daily tasks of serving love that often seem more dull or tiresome than exciting or dangerous.
As you and I stand at the foot of the cross. I’m not suggesting we abandon the wish, “Have a good day!” Instead I’m suggesting we fill it with meaning by asking ourselves, “How can I help the recipient of my wish have a good day? Is there some loving service I can offer to show something of the love of Christ that literally denied itself and took up a cross that you and I might live? In that kind of willingness to be spent each of us and the persons whom we serve in the name of Christ will have a better day!
