Scripture
37“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. Matthew 10:37-38
Observation
Jesus repeated this phrase many times in the Gospels as a heart check. It’s not that we aren’t supposed to love family members and friends it’s just that there’s only room for one on the throne of our hearts. Speaking of thrones, Jesus may have been trying to prepare his Disciples and other First Century believers for what was coming. During the church's first few hundred years there were times of intense persecution. Most historians believe all the Apostles other than John were executed for their faith. Jesus didn't sugar-coat this reality for His disciples. He made it clear that we are called to lose on purpose. Lose your plans, hold loosely to your stuff, surrender your relationships, realistically count the cost of following Christ. I just read recently that when a Christian was called before a Roman tribunal, you could save your life by basically denying Christ and offering a little incense to the Emperor. Many people did give in because they were clinging to their life more than they were clinging to their life in Christ.
Application
Since I was a young man I’ve wondered if I would have the courage to die for my faith. A good indicator of the answer is if I’m willing to die to my self. Every year Cyndi and I pray for a word from the Lord for the next year. Towards the end of 2019, God kept speaking the word “surrender” to us over 2020. I prefer words like “victory”, “prosperity”, “overcoming”, etc. The word surrender was the Lord calling me to lose on purpose and I don’t like to lose. The inversion of the Kingdom of God to the kingdom of this world is what Jesus was pointing out. What’s popular in this world is pointless in the Kingdom of God. What’s celebrated in this world needs to be surrendered in the Kingdom of God. I remember my friend Phil Manginelli sharing at Foursquare Convention last year about this struggle to cling to only Christ in our current celebrity culture. I took copious notes because he was calling me out along with every other pastor in the room. “We are no longer prophets to Israel but prophets in Babylon. We have traded our birthright for significance. Jesus had a plan for the cost of ministry- His presence. Calling has to be stonier than the need for significance. American consumerist and celebrity culture calls to us. I have had to die to the false motive of being impressive. An idolatry called knowing and status and wrapped is often wrapped in Christian language. How many parts of us are driven for significance? We can’t pursue great things out of false things. I’ve lied to Jesus my entire life. "You plus me is not enough." Jesus put me in a hidden place and I wanted to be seen by others. I must remember I didn’t sign up for greatness. I signed up for death. Jesus is calling us back to self-sacrifice over self-preservation. Significance refuses to self-sacrifice. Have we traded in what Christ has for us because we want greatness for our own name?” This reminds me of a question Pastor Wayne asks often. Every time he asks this I want to think the best, but it reveals all that I’ve been clinging to other than Christ. “Would you be ok with ministry in obscurity if it’s what God called you to do?” I’m really wrestling with that. The fact that I’m wrestling with that means I have some pride that needs to be crucified in Christ. I need to get to the place where being loved by Jesus is enough whether I get likes on my social media post or not. The truth is that if people forget my name they’ve lost nothing. If they forget the Name of Jesus they’ve lost everything. I am here on this earth to make Jesus famous. I am here to lose my life on purpose so I can live out His purposes. If this Pandemic has revealed anything, it’s everything that I was clinging to other than Christ. Everything this out of control right now. The only thing I control is how quickly I’ll surrender to the One who is in control.
Prayer
So, as the sun rises this morning I’m reminded I had no control over that, but I had no doubt that it would do so. The God who made this new day is making me new in this moment as I freshly lose my life to follow You. I lay down my plans, my longing to be liked, seen, noticed and applauded. I’m surrendering my reputation, my relationships, my timelines. If I have You I have everything I need. I lose on purpose so I can step into the purposes You have for my life. It hurts Lord, but I can also hear Your heartbeat again and that’s a really good thing.
Comments