Praise the Lord For He Is Holy!

Psalm 99

Introduction

            This morning I would like to begin a series of messages on the Psalms that will take us until Christmas. Of course, since there are 150 of them, we won't look at all of them. There are a variety of Psalms and I have chosen a number of different types of Psalms, with different themes and styles which have spoken to me.

            The Psalms are wonderful because they do some very significant things. They are poems or songs that draw our attention to God, however, they also express the full range of human experiences and do so in the presence of God. This makes them very valuable not only to direct our worship, but also to help us think about how we live our life as people who follow God through all the experiences of life.

            On Sunday, Carla and I attended the final concert of the summer series at the Lyric Theatre at Assiniboine Park. It was a marvelous concert and at the end of it the whole crowd stood up and expressed appreciation for what they had just heard. We had appreciated it so much that we clapped loud enough to get another song. After that the clapping continued because we had appreciated the musicality of the musicians and the songs they had played and sung. We were letting them know that it was good.

            Psalm 99 does that for God. The Psalmist helps us to see who God is and to acknowledge what has been experienced in relationship to God. It invites an enthusiastic response to God.

            There are three parts to the Psalm and each of them focus on a different part of who God is. The first two verses focus on God's reign. Verse four focuses on God who is the just judge and verses 6-8 focus on God as the one who answers prayer. Each of the three sections ends with a call to praise God and if you look at the verses you will see the similarity between verses 3, 5 and 9.

            One theme which unites the whole Psalm is the idea that God is holy. If you look at verses 3, 5, 9 you will notice that besides the fact that each of these three verses call us to praise God, each verse also declares God's holiness.

            Holiness refers to God as one who is separated. We used to talk about our "Sunday best" which referred to clothing that we set apart to be worn only on Sunday. That is the major idea behind holiness. It is something which is set apart. When we read that God is holy, this idea is magnified. When we speak of God as holy, we acknowledge that he is separated from everything else. He is unique and different in every respect. He is perfect in purity, complete in justice, absolute ruler over all other rulers and one who listens to all people at all times. Holiness speaks of the complete and perfect separation of God from all other things and all other beings. It is what makes Him so worthy of our worship. As we examine God in the three respects mentioned  in this Psalm, let us remember that He is holy in each of these respects. Waltner says, "Holy becomes the key word, directing attention to the essential nature of the reigning Lord."

I.     Worship the Lord Who Is King

A.   He Is Our Holy King

            Canada was in a somewhat unstable situation politically for a number of years because of minority governments. Don't get me wrong, I think that sometimes minority governments are a good thing, but they also leave some question about who is really leading the country. The majority party has to be very careful to do only those things which will be acceptable to the other parties. As a result, they are not completely in charge.

            That situation does not pertain to God. He is the only and complete ruler over all. The Psalm begins by declaring, the Lord is King! This means that God is the ruler of all things. He rules all of creation to the very farthest reaches of space. He rules over all the nations that have ever reigned or ever will reign. Kim Jong-un may be the president of North Korea, but God is the Lord over Kim Jong-un. Mitt Romney may want to be president of the USA, but God reigns over Mitt Romney.

            The next phrase, "He sits enthroned upon the cherubim" is an interesting one and we may wonder exactly what it means. If you look up cherubim in the Bible, you will notice that the most frequent mention of it is in reference to the cherubim which were placed over the ark of the covenant in the temple. They represent the glory of God in heaven according to Isaiah 37:16, "“O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, you are God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth." Their image in the holy of holies represents God's heavenly presence among the people because God was present with His people in the temple. Expositors Bible Commentary says, "The imagery of the cherubim derives from the ark of the covenant, whose lid was a gold slab on which two cherubs with spread wings stood. The significance of the cherubim becomes clear in the traditions of Israel, as they spoke of God’s dwelling between the cherubim…" If God sits enthroned upon the cherubim, it not only meant for the people of Israel that God was the Lord, but also that He ruled over them from among them. Waltner says it is a "poetic way of dealing with the transcendence and presence of God…" It emphasizes God's reign, but also that His reign is among His people. The next line affirms both of these ideas when it says, "The Lord is great in Zion." What it meant was that God ruled over them, but also for them. The last line of verse 2 expands God's reign and announces that He is the one who reigns over all people.

B.   Praise Him

            This is significant. We can't just pass over this truth and let it fly through our brain without recognizing it. We have a king!

            But formal recognition or even personal acknowledgement cannot be where this stops. There is something so worthy, so significant and so important here that there must be some response to this truth.

            Last year we went to a football game with some friends. It was rather funny because Carla and the other fellow's wife were quite animated in their reactions to the game. They were cheering, jumping up and down and clapping and making lots of noise throughout the game. On the other hand, the other fellow and I sat there quietly. When the Bombers scored we got up and clapped for a little while, but mostly we just sat there quietly.

            There is no doubt that there is a difference in personality when it comes to our feelings and how we show them, but when it comes to recognizing that God is the King over all people and the one who reigns over all, we cannot react like the other fellow and I did. We cannot leave the truth that God is King lie in silence! We must do more than acknowledge it in our heads as true. Something must happen in our hearts. We must feel something about this.

            The response which is invited first of all in verse 1 is that we must tremble. If God is the ruler over all things, that means that He is also the ruler over our life. Whether we recognize and acknowledge God or not, the day will come when we will face Him. Even today He is Lord. The Bible speaks about fearing the Lord and trembling is a part of fearing. It does not mean that we have to be scared of God, but we must feel a deep and profound awe and a recognition of His power and sovereignty.

            Praise is also encouraged because of the greatness, awesomeness and holiness of God. Praise is not just singing a song quietly without being heard. Praise involves feeling, it involves emotion. Many of us as Mennonites are like I and the other fellow were at the football game. We do not like to show emotion. I remember a fellow who had grown up in Trinidad who sometimes came to a church we were involved in. He could never understand how we could sit still when we were singing. It was part of his culture to be much more demonstrative. I think we need to learn from these kind of people. To obey the command to praise God means that we cannot just acknowledge without emotion that God, the one we call Lord, reigns over all. It requires some feeling. As we allow the truth of the fact that the Lord is King become real to us, let us not withhold the appropriate feelings that come with that amazing truth. Spurgeon encourages that we should "feel a solemn yet joyful awe."

II.  Worship the Lord Who Is Just

A.   He Is A Holy Lover of Justice

            In the next verse another aspect of the holiness of God is declared. The key word in this verse is the word righteousness. There are four words in this verse that communicate the same concept.

            Earlier I spoke a little bit about the instability of our government when we have a minority government. Part of the reason for the instability is that we have different political parties who have different views about what should be happening. This seems to cause a lot of arguments and debates because of differences, but there is something important about this system. Because no one has all the knowledge and wisdom and no one is completely just and fair, the different political parties provide a system of checks and balances so that an unjust ruler doesn't stay in power. When the Liberals were in power the last time, they had such a strong majority that they began to think they could rule with impunity, but their arrogance has left their party decimated so that today they are not only not in power, they aren't even the official opposition. Wouldn't it be nice if we had someone rule who had all wisdom and who was completely just and fair?

            Our Lord who is the King who reigns over all is such a ruler. The first phrase lets us know that He has no rivals. He is a Mighty King. That means that there is no one who has power over Him. Nations come and go because power is greater and lesser, but God's power is eternal and He is the Mighty King whose power and authority will never be taken away. Satan has tried to take power away from Him, but through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has established that He is the one who has eternal power.

            He is also a King who rules with justice. We don't trust most political leaders because we have seen too many situations in which they have abused power. Spurgeon points out, "The annals of most human governments have been written in the tears of the downtrodden, and the curses of the oppressed." In contrast, I love the phrase that says that God is a "lover of justice." If you have ever gotten into an exercise program, you know that sticking to the program varies depending on our situation. If we are committed because we want to accomplish a certain goal, we will no longer be committed when we accomplish the goal. For example, I don't like walking on a treadmill, but I have done so at certain times to stay in shape when the weather was not good enough to do something outside. On the other hand, I love cross country skiing and I look for every opportunity to do it. As a result, there is no problem getting myself to do that activity. So to say that God is a lover of justice is great encouragement. He acts justly, expects justice and will judge all things justly because He loves justice. Sometimes we wonder where His justice is. This was the question in Abraham's mind when God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. In Genesis 18:23 he asked, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?" Yet Abraham knew that God was just and his hope, expressed in Genesis 18:25 was, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”"

            The text says that he has "established equity." Wherever God reigns, He sets up systems that are right and just. We see this in the way in which He has brought salvation. Paul says in Romans 3:26 that "He himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus." Christ paid the penalty so that God is completely fair in forgiving sin and giving sinners eternal life.

            God is also said to execute justice. He deals fairly today and in the end will judge justly. Today we see a lot of injustice and we even wonder how God can let such injustice go. But one day God will execute justice and when all is complete we will be able to look at every life, every situation and every event and realize that it has been handled fairly and justly by God. This hope is what allows us to experience persecution, to love our enemies and to proclaim the gospel of salvation to sinners.

B.   Extol Him

            Verse 5 encourages us to "Extol the Lord our God; worship at His footstool. Holy is He!" Once again such an amazing truth about God must be recognized. We must make a mental note of it. We must contemplate it and acknowledge the truth of it. We must firmly establish that we understand and see this truth that God is the powerful and just ruler of all the universe.

            But once again our response cannot remain a mental note filed away in the back of our minds. The words "extol" and "worship" are words which invite a response.

            To "worship at His footstool" indicates a response of humbling ourselves before the sovereign Lord and acknowledging that He has every right to reign in our lives. There are churches in which kneeling is a regular part of worship. Even in our church, I remember times when we have knelt as part of times of prayer. I believe that kneeling is a very important way of responding to the king who is our just ruler. Kneeling is a way of not only acknowledging in our minds that God is our Lord, but also declaring it with our bodies. There is something significant about a physical act of response to God. Sometimes it makes a difference for us to not only think something, but to respond physically. I would encourage you to consider, as part of your devotions, to spend some time on your knees in worshipping the Lord.

III.          Worship the Lord Who Answers Prayer

A.   He Is The Holy One Who Answers Prayer

            In verse 6, the Psalmist introduces three leaders from Israel – Moses, Aaron and Samuel. What was their experience and how does it tell us about God? What the Psalm says is that they "called on his name" and "he answered them."

            Moses told the people to obey God's law and not to build images or worship idols. Then he went back up the mountain into the presence of God to receive more instructions and as he came down the mountain he saw that they had made a golden calf and were worshipping it. In Exodus 32:30-35, we read Moses' words to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” Then Moses returned to the Lord and prayed, " if you will only forgive their sin…" This was one situation in which Moses called on the name of the Lord. As a consequence of his prayer, God did not abandon the people. He punished their sin through a plague and those who were guilty died, but he continued to lead the people.

            Korah and many of the people of Israel rebelled against Moses and Aaron. God judged the people through a plague, but we read in Numbers 16:47, 48, "…Aaron… ran into the middle of the assembly, where the plague had already begun among the people. He put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stopped." This was one occasion in the life of Aaron when he prayed and God answered his prayer.

            Samuel's story has many examples of prayer. On one occasion the Philistines attacked Israel. In I Samuel 7:7-12 we read that "The people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, and pray that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” In answer to Samuel's prayer it says in verse 10 that "the Lord thundered with a mighty voice that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion; and they were routed before Israel."

            Each of these stories tells us about another aspect of who God is. When people who follow Him cry out to Him, He hears them and answers their prayer. In each of these stories, the people had not been righteous but had done something to deserve God's judgment. The prayer of a righteous man was effective in each case and God acted. There were two parts to God's acts. He was "an avenger of their wrongdoings." In other words, God does not allow sin to go unpunished. How could He if He is a righteous God. On the other hand, he was a "forgiving God to them." We see this repeatedly both in the history of Israel and also in our life. Over and again, God has forgiven us, especially through Jesus, yet He does not overlook wickedness. Waltner reminds us that "God forgives and God punishes. The tension reminds the hearer that forgiveness is not leniency, nor is one to take it for granted."

B.   Worship Him

            Once again we are invited to recognize what God is like. He is a gracious God who forgives sin and blesses His people. As we think about that, it is good for us to make that recognition a personal experience. How has God forgiven you? How has He blessed you? How has he held you responsible for your wrongdoing? How wonderful to experience God's forgiveness after we have sinned! To feel guilty is horrible. To know that we are forgiven when we repent is a wonderful experience of His grace.

            In verse 9, the Psalmist once again invites us to "Extol the Lord our God, and worship at His holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy."

            When we experience God's answers to prayer, particularly His answer to forgive our sins, we cannot remain silent. A response is expected and another aspect of what it means to "extol" the Lord and "worship" Him is that we must declare to others what He has done. Testimonies and expressions of praise are wonderful ways to do this. We are invited to affirm and declare what comes from our hearts. How often we remain silent about what God has done. We cannot do that. When we declare His praises, let us be bold to say, "This is what God has done." Scripture gives us so many examples of how this is done and we must not be shy to extol Him when we experience His forgiveness, His goodness and His blessing!

Conclusion

            In this Psalm we have seen three different aspects of who God is. He is the holy King who rules over all. He is the holy judge who is just in all His ways and He is the holy and gracious one who forgives sin, but punishes those who remain in wickedness.

            We have also been invited to respond to God by worshipping before Him, extolling Him and praising Him.

            I hope that these words have given you some encouragement for your life. Each of us may need to be nudged toward God and towards responding to God in a different direction. Perhaps there is something about God that you have not understood. I hope that as you reflect on this Psalm you will understand it a little better. Perhaps there is some way of responding to God that you have been reluctant to do. Perhaps you need to allow yourself to feel something, or to be more expressive in worship or to raise to expression some aspect of what God has done for you.

            The Psalms invite us to see God. They also encourage, and even command us to not let that just sit in our brains, but to respond. May we gladly declare the wonder of our holy God and praise Him.

Life Principle: Let Life Go To Really Live

Introduction

            When we were on vacation we met all kinds of different people. At a rest stop in Montana we met a couple who were probably about our age who had just retired and were traveling around with no specific destination in mind. Although we didn't pursue the conversation very far, I wondered if their plan was to spend the rest of their life doing that.

            We also met a very nice young man who was our guide on a kayak expedition in Clayoquot Sound. As we chatted with him we discovered that he grew up on a farm in Ontario and had come to Tofino to surf. It seemed as if his purpose for living was to surf and the guiding job was just something he needed to let him live there and surf.

            In both of these cases, it seemed as if the purpose for living for these people was their recreation. There is nothing wrong with vacations or recreation. We all need times of rest and refreshment, but I wonder about how people can make that their reason for living? Yet I know that we have to be careful not to be too critical because as I look at my life and reflect on the life of other people I know, I sometimes wonder what our purpose for living is. What is the life principle by which we live? As I ask that question, I don't mean the life principle by which we say we live, but the one we really live. The purpose and principle of life by which we live is revealed by what we actually do. If someone was to look at how we use our time, how we spend our money and what occupies our mind, what would they say our purpose for life is?

I.     Jesus Gave His Life

            We call ourselves Christians and the term Christian implies being a follower of Christ. As we think  about our purpose for living, as Christians, it would be good to look at the purpose for living that Jesus had. How did Jesus live His life? By what principle did He live?

            Luke 9:22 gives us one statement of His purpose when it says, "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”"

            When we read this we discover first of all that Jesus life was focused on God's project. The word "must" is often used in Scripture to describe a divine necessity. Since the beginning of time, God has had a project to bring the people He created to Himself. Jesus came into this world in obedience to His Father and so His life was focused on God's project. He wanted to do whatever was necessary in order to do what God wanted. In order to do so He was willing to suffer. The purpose of Jesus was not suffering, but if suffering was needed to accomplish God's purposes, he was willing to suffer. And He did suffer when he was mocked and beaten. He was willing to be rejected. His purpose was not to be rejected, but to accomplish God's purposes. Yet if it was necessary for him to be rejected He was willing to be rejected because He came to do God's will. And He was rejected by the Jewish religious leaders. He was also willing to sacrifice his own life. His purpose was not to die, but to bring salvation to all people and the only way for Him to accomplish that was to die. And so Jesus died on a cross. Jesus' life was about God's will and doing what God wanted Him to do. He was willing to let go of his own life and agenda in order to accomplish God's. In the end, through the resurrection, He did accomplish God's plan and was glorified.

            Jesus' life was about serving His Father. He did not come to this earth to be born, to procreate, to gather as many toys as possible and to live as long as possible. He came to offer Himself to do God's will.

II.  Being A Jesus Follower

            As we read that, we are thankful that Jesus came to accomplish God's purpose. Yet in a way we recognize that He was a unique individual and expect that Jesus would be totally focused on God's purposes. Because of that thinking, we are tempted to disconnect what Jesus did from what is expected of us, but we can't do that because the very next thing Jesus says in this passage is, "If any want to become my followers." Being a Christian means belonging to Christ and it means following Christ. It is not simply about accepting the gift of salvation, saying thank-you and going on our own merry way. If we accept the gift of salvation, it comes to us by being followers of Jesus and we realize that the example of Jesus is an example for us to follow. If we call ourselves followers of Jesus, then we need to follow the example of Jesus as well. In Luke 9:23, 24, Jesus tells us what following Him will mean.

A.   Deny Yourself

            If we are to follow Jesus, the Bible says that we must deny ourselves. Jesus denied Himself when he left heaven. We can perhaps understand the willingness to leave our air conditioned homes to go work at camp and stay in a non-air-conditioned cabin, but that is a far cry from leaving heaven to come to earth as a baby as Jesus did.

            What does it mean for us to deny ourselves? It doesn't mean buying everything at the dollar store or picking the poorest quality or not enjoying life. It is much more difficult than that. It means that our life isn't ours any more. The questions we need to answer are, Are we living for ourselves? Is Christianity our life or just a part of our life? Is Jesus at the center or are we? If we are followers of Jesus we do not belong to ourselves, but to Him who gave His life for us. LABC says, "Believers must be willing to make the pursuit of God more important than the selfish pursuit of pleasure."

B.   Take Up Your Cross

            But denial of self is only the first step. The next step in following Jesus is to take up our cross daily.

            Jesus very literally took up His cross. He was given the cross to carry to His place of execution and then he was placed on the cross and died there. We have no question about what it meant for Jesus to take up His cross, but we do wonder what it means for us to take up our cross.

            Marshall suggests that taking up our cross includes a "daily readiness for martyrdom." At the Canadian Conference we heard a missionary to China speak about the church in China. He spoke about some of the reasons why the church in China is growing so fast. Among others it is because of a willingness on the part of the believers in China to die for their faith. They live in a country in which Christianity is illegal and many of them are threatened with arrest and imprisonment. Sometimes they are even threatened with death and many are willing to die for Jesus. A few weeks ago we had Trevor speaking in our church. After the service I had a chance to talk to him and he told me that if it was God's will he was prepared to give his whole life for the cause of the gospel in Turkey. The way he actually put it was that he was willing to die in Turkey. If we are to follow Jesus, then we must also be willing to do what He did. Marshall says, "Jesus calls his followers to be prepared for death by crucifixion."

            Most of us, however, will not be called upon to do that. Does this passages still mean something to us even if potential martyrdom is far from us? Can we really engage with this passage if crucifixion is such an extremely remote possibility? Does it mean anything to us if it isn't a decision we will ever have to make?

            I think there is another way of looking at this. Jesus took up His cross because that was the task that God had for Him. When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane He asked for God to remove the need for His death. But it becomes clear that the cross was the only way that God could accomplish His plan through Jesus. Repeatedly in the gospels, including in the verse we just read in Luke 9:23, Jesus indicated that He had come in order to die. That was God's purpose for Jesus.

            We will likely not have to take up a cross in the literal sense of the word because that is not the call of God on our life. For us to take up our cross means to do what God wants us to do. The first step of being a follower of Jesus is to say that our life is no longer our life. The second step is to let God know that we are prepared to do whatever He wants us to do for Him. To take up our cross is to commit to God's will for our life. For Jesus that was taking up the cross, for us, it will be something else, but the intention is the same. Are we willing to do what God calls us to do for Him? Is it the purpose of our life to accomplish God's will for our life. If we do that, we will be doing what Jesus did.

            It is interesting that the text says that we need to do this daily. How realistic and how helpful to read the word "daily" because we know very well that it is a decision that must be made daily. If Jesus re-evaluated His purpose in life in the Garden of Gethsemane then surely it is not surprising that we also need to make this decision to choose daily to accomplish God's purpose for our life. Ellis says, "Luke stresses the need for a daily renewal of such an attitude."

C.   Follow Jesus

            The final way in which we imitate Jesus is that we follow Him. How do we follow Him?

            We follow Jesus by doing the things we just talked about. Jesus denied Himself and if we deny ourselves, we follow Jesus. Jesus was committed to the task God gave Him, even going to the cross. If we focus on God's purpose for our life, we will also be following Jesus.

            But there are other ways of following Jesus that we should probably mention as well. We follow Jesus by doing things the way Jesus did them. Jesus lived a holy life and if we seek to live a holy life, we will be following Jesus. Jesus was filled with compassion and grace and demonstrated that compassion and grace in all His relationships. If we exercise compassion and grace in all our relationships, we will be following Jesus.

            We will also follow Jesus if we rest in Him. Several times in the last week, I have heard a word of encouragement to rest in Jesus. The were based on Matthew 11:29 where we are invited to take His yoke upon us and to discover that He is gentle and humble and that in Him we will find rest. As we read these verses, we read them as a hard thing. But we need to be careful to understand that following Jesus does not mean working harder and harder to hand more and more of our life over to Jesus. It is rather trusting Him, having given our all to Him and recognizing that in Him we will find rest. Following Jesus means having the relationship with Him that He had with the Father. A relationship of trust and hope.

III.          The Importance Of Living This Principle

            This is the point which is actually made in verses 25, 26. Our attitude may be "Such a life is so hard, how will I be able to deny myself and take up my cross." As we read on, we see that Jesus puts a completely different perspective on it.

A.   To Gain Abundant Life

            In verse 24, Jesus said, "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it."

            Have you ever seen the T-shirts with the message, "He who dies with the most toys wins." One response I saw to this was, "He who dies with the most toys is dead." Based on this verse, my question, would be, "If accumulating toys has been the pursuit of your life, have you ever really lived?"

            When we were on vacation, I took the book on Harry Lehotsky's life out of the church library and read it. It is really an amazing story which illustrates this verse. Harry grew up in New York and early on developed a passion for ministry in the inner city. Most of us would think that purchasing a house in inner city Winnipeg and giving your life to ministry in the inner city was a major sacrifice. Yet this was what he was called to and as I read the story, I never got the impression that he felt he was making a huge sacrifice or suffering. The impression I got was that he was exactly where God wanted him and that he had joy in serving where he was.

            If we pursue safety, abundance and pleasure and that is what our life is about, we will not find life. I believe that we will eventually find boredom because we have no eternal purpose for living.

            If we are willing to deny ourselves and take up the life that God intends for us, then we will find life. I have personally discovered this in my life. Several times I have gone where I did not at first really want to go, but have found that going where God wanted me has brought great meaning and joy.

            If we are willing to give up our life, the life we will find is a life filled with purpose and joy and hope. If we give our lives to Jesus, we will find life because we will be doing what God has created us for. How great it is to be doing what God has created us for.

B.   To Gain Eternal Life

            But as we read verse 26 we discover that there is another very serious way in which we lose our life if we don't give our lives to Jesus.

            The other day Jeremy told me that at Drive Through Prayer he had observed the reaction of a person who cycled by. The cyclist had noticed those sitting there, then saw the signs explaining that they were praying and then cycling away shaking his head. This was unusual because most people who pass by are encouraging and supportive. Jeremy mentioned that his initial reaction to this was to feel self conscious. I can certainly understand that reaction. Identification with Jesus is a way of sacrifice. It is sacrifice not only in the sense that we need to deny our own way and follow Jesus' way. It is also a sacrifice in the sense that it is not the most popular way in the world. Recently someone mentioned people they knew who are vigorously anti-religious. Representing Jesus to them will not be a popular thing to do. Most people around us do not assume that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. To follow Jesus will definitely be a counter-cultural thing to do. All of us face the challenge of being followers of Jesus in this context in one way or another. There are times when it is just much easier being quiet about our love for Jesus. There are times when we would like to point to Jesus, but we are afraid of the consequences and so we remain silent. There are times when the church has given up on Jesus and simply tried to present a message of niceness and helpfulness and love.

            Following Jesus means that we must not be afraid to live for Jesus, represent Jesus and speak for Jesus no matter how unpopular it is. Of course, we still need to earn the right to be heard, we need to be loving and sensitive and all of that, but when our life is put on the line, following Jesus means that we stand with Jesus.

            If we do not, our very eternity is in jeopardy. That is the message of Luke 9:26, which says, "Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels."

            For some of us it is actual persecution which may cause us to be ashamed of Jesus' name. For some of us the possibility of mockery may cause us to be ashamed of Jesus name. For others of us, adopting the values of having fun and seeking safety may cause us to be ashamed of Jesus' name. But the message of Jesus in this passage reminds us that denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following Jesus is the only way that we will gain eternal life. If we reject that way, if we are ashamed of His way of sacrifice, ashamed of His name or ashamed of Him, we will lose our life in the sense that we will lose our eternal life. Marshall says, "A person who wishes to preserve his own way of life by avoiding self-denial or martyrdom will lose his life, i.e. at the final judgment, and will not enjoy it in the age to come."

Conclusion

             So what we have here is a principle of life. Jesus was focused on the will of the Father and therefore was willing to deny Himself by coming to this earth and willing to suffer death. As a consequence he was raised up to reign eternally. The principle, as lived by Jesus, is that if we are willing to give up our way and give ourselves to Him, God will accomplish great things and give us life.

            The disciples of Jesus faced similar decisions. In the context of a passage that speaks about how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, Peter commented in Luke 18:28, "Look we have left our homes and followed you." Jesus responded by affirming their decision and promising blessing and life including eternal life for their decision.

            Paul certainly had made a decision to live by this principle. On several occasions he expressed this. For example, in Philippians 1:21 he wrote, "For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain." Kent writes, "Christ had become for him the motive of his actions, the goal of his life and ministry, the source of his strength." In Philippians 2:17 Paul wrote, "But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you—"  

            What decisions do you make as you contemplate what it means to deny yourself and take up your cross to follow Jesus? It will mean different things for different people because God's call to each of us is different. For some it will mean going to Africa. For me it has meant coming home. The key is "What does Jesus want me to do and am I willing to do it?" I would invite you to such a decision.

            The principle of the kingdom is that God has gained by sacrificing His life in Christ. He calls us to gain by sacrificing our life for Christ.

            As I have thought about these things, I have wondered if it is a principle that pertains to the church as well. I believe it would be an appropriate application of this verse to suggest that if we as a church want to save our church life we will lose it. If, on the other hand, we are willing to sacrifice our church life in order to be loving servants to those who are lost, we will gain it. I recognize and share the sentiments I have sometimes heard expressed that we need to get more people to come to church. If our motivation for that sentiment is so that we can preserve the church we have always had here, it seems to me we are going in the opposite direction of this passage. It is a way of trying to save our life. I believe that the way forward for our church is to follow the principle of this passage and be willing to lose our life as a church in order to follow where God wants us to go. We need to be willing to make the sacrifices necessary in order that God can give life to our church. I would invite us to make that choice. What would that mean to do so? I believe that instead of saying "we need more young people to come to our church" we should say, "who are the lost and broken we can serve." I believe it would mean instead of saying, "come and see what we have going at our church" we would say, "how can we go and love the broken of this world?" I think this may be a very radical way of thinking and living, but I also believe that this is one way of reading this text and following Christ. I also believe that it is the way of God for our church.

            At Christmas 2010 we were enjoying our family gathering at our home in Rosenort. As usual, when there are people who are highly involved in church in the family, we were discussing the church and also discussing things that were happening at Portage Avenue Church. Anemone had just turned 3 years old and while we were discussing these things she said, "Let it go and it will grow." We thought it interesting that she said this and asked her, "Are you talking about the church?" and she said, "yes." I have never forgotten that. I don't know if it is guidance, or prophecy or a random statement, but I do believe that the text we are looking at today says the same thing. Willingness to sacrifice ourselves and serve God brings life from Him whether personally or in the church.