Sermon -- 2nd Sunday in Lent (February 25, 2024)

MARK 8:31-38

CHRIST COMES WITH A CROSS.

In the name + of Jesus.

      We all have expectations because of our Christian faith.  Many of those expectations are valid.  At the conclusion of the Nicene Creed, we confess, “We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”  We expect this for one reason: Our Lord told us.  We also know what to expect in the life of the world to come.  Jesus promises to everyone who believes in him, “(God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). 

     We also have expectations for what life here and now should be like for Christians.  Unfortunately, our expectations are often based on our assumptions rather than anything that God has promised.  We know that God is good, and he loves us.  Therefore, we assume that he will make our lives good, comfortable, easy, and prosperous.  That is appealing.  Who wouldn’t want that?  Everyone wants life to be whether they are Christians or not.  But God has not promised that.  To expect it, then, is setting yourself up for disappointment.  You may even conclude that God has failed you.

     Such assumptions are not unique to you.  The apostles had some expectations of what life as a Christian is supposed to be like.  They based their assumptions on what they were seeing with Jesus.  He was wildly popular with the crowds.  They came streaming to him.  He healed their sick and brought relief to those who were suffering.  He spoke compassionately to those who despised, forgotten, and broken-hearted.  Everything seemed to be wonderful for Jesus and his disciples.

     But then Jesus informed his disciples what was coming.  Christ comes with a cross.  “He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.  And he said this plainly” (Mark 8:31-32).  Jesus was not throwing out suggestions, as if the next course of action were up for grabs.  He spoke plainly.  It was necessary for these things to happen.  This was the plan.  I suspect that the disciples did not grasp that last part, rising from the dead on the third day.  They heard suffering, rejection, and murder.  That is the polar opposite of the popularity they were enjoying.  Why would they forfeit this glory for suffering and shame?

     That is why Peter rebuked Jesus.  This is not what he had in mind for Jesus, for himself, or for any of Jesus’ disciples.  He had higher expectations.  But Christ comes with a cross.  Perhaps Peter suggested, “If this is what happens when we go to Jerusalem, let’s just not go to Jerusalem.  If you don’t go to Jerusalem, you won’t suffer, be rejected, or be killed!”  The Law required them to go to Jerusalem for religious festivals.  Avoiding Jerusalem was not an option.  None of it was.  It was necessary.  Christ comes with a cross.

     If Jesus had listened to Peter and avoided the cross, he would not have paid for our sins.  Our guilt would remain upon us.  The devil, who had overcome the world by leading it into sin, would still rule over all things in this world.  We would die under God’s curse.  We would receive the punishment we deserve, and we would suffer eternal torment in hell.  Jesus was sent into the world to save us from all that.  To turn away from this mission was a Satanic plan, which is why Jesus rebuked Peter so harshly.  Peter wanted and expected ease, comfort, and popularity.  Jesus, however, was focused on what God the Father had given him to do.  Christ comes with a cross.

     Then Jesus gathered many disciples around him to teach them that belonging to Christ also comes with a cross.  He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).  Once again, Jesus was not making a suggestion or tossing out some options.  All three verbs are imperatives: You must deny yourself.  You must take up your cross.  You must follow him.  These are necessary, too.  Christ comes with a cross.

     What is a cross for?  It is for killing things.  So, what needs to be put to death?  Our sinful inclinations and desires.  Our self-glorifying goals and lust for personal glory.  Our assumptions that being a child of God means that God will always grant us ease, comfort, popularity, and success.  God never promised any of these things to us.  He may grant them to some extent, but they are not a right.  In fact, ease, comfort, popularity, and success can tempt you to abandon Christ, especially if this is all you want.

     Jesus calls on you to bear a cross.  It is not a punishment, although it may feel like one.  Some crosses come because this is a broken, sinful world and bad things happen in it.  We are well acquainted with a world of broken bones, broken hearts, and broken homes.  For some, it is more crushing than others.  Can you imagine the pain that Job and his wife felt when the Lord took from them all their flocks and herds, all their servants and workers, all their wealth and prestige, and all ten of their children?  Even if a few servants escaped to deliver the horrific news, Job had no work for them anymore.  It was all taken away.  This was the cross that the Lord had Job bear.  And, by the way, in chapter 2 it got even worse as the Lord let Satan inflict a crippling blow to Job’s body and health.  No matter what Job felt, no matter how bad his situation got, no matter how heavy was the cross that Job had to bear, Job believed that his Father in heaven was still good.  God took from Job almost every earthly blessing he had, but God never removed the promise of salvation from him.  And in the end, that is all Job or any of us really need.  Was life easier with all that wealth?  I would think so.  But Job lived on the opposite end of Jesus’ question: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul” (Mark 8:36)?  Job lost his whole world, but not his faith.  Christ comes with a cross, but you do not have to carry that cross without Christ.

      We may become envious of people who look like they have gained the whole world.  But you don’t see what their hearts and minds are like.  You don’t see their fears, doubts, or suspicions.  Most people don’t share or admit them.  They show you see the image they want you to see.  It may look like they have no cross, but if they have no Savior, why would you envy them?

     Christ comes with a cross.  Every day, we need to deny ourselves all our natural, sinful cravings.  While we could go on and on listing thoughts, words, and actions that stand in rebellion of God’s word—and they all need to be put away—we will limit ourselves this morning to our false expectations.  We know that life is full of struggles and problems—not just for God’s people, but for everyone.  We know people who are suffering.  We know the stress and pressure of trying to meet all our responsibilities.  There are victims of war, oppression, poverty, and injustice.  And we know that these things are not right.  Even the efforts to correct the problems are flawed: Why that group and not this group?  Why address that problem and not this problem?  We know it is broken, and we want it fixed.

     All these things happen because this is a sinful world.  But then we add to our sins: We blame God—as if he introduced these problems.  God did not bring sin into the world; man did.  God does not sin against you; other people do, and you sin against them.  Nevertheless, we believe we are owed better from God.  But now ask yourself, and be honest:  What does God owe you?  Why does God owe you?  Do you deserve better from God?  Well, we answered that question in our confession of sins: “I deserve your punishment both now and forever.”  Those may be hard words to say, but they are honest.  This is why we take up our cross—to put those sinful, selfish assumptions to death.  Whatever good gifts we receive from God are given because he is good, not because we are.  Even when we bear our cross, God it still good.  He never withholds all blessings.  But when our cross gets heavy, we are forced to turn to God for strength, comfort, and hope.  Where else can we turn?  What other hope do we have.  If the cross we bear teaches us to despise this world and long for the heavenly kingdom, then the cross is good, right, and salutary.  The goal of the Christian faith is not to enjoy ease, comfort, and prosperity in a dying world.  “We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” 

     Christ comes with a cross.  The cross you bear is necessary.  It is even good for you.  Every day is a battle against the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature.  Every day is a struggle to align our mind and our will with God’s.  To cast off the cross is to cast off Christ.  To forfeit the battle against your sin is to surrender to it and to forfeit your soul.  Therefore, the cross is necessary.  It may prove to be heavy.  You may fall under it.  But it is not your cross which saves you.  Jesus’ cross does. 

     The Christ had to go to Jerusalem and suffer.  He suffered the punishment you and I deserve for our sins.  Jesus had to by rejected, not just by the religious leaders but especially by his heavenly Father.  He was rejected and disowned as one cursed; for he was cursed for us.  Jesus had to go to Jerusalem to die.  For that is the wages of sin.  It was necessary for Jesus to do this to save us.  By giving himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all, Jesus gained the whole world.  For what can God give in exchange for the world?  He gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.

     Christ comes with a cross.  But do not forget the last part: “after three days [he will] rise again” (Mark 8:31).  It was not enough that Jesus tended to the sick and diseased and healed them of their ailments.  That brought relief, but not forgiveness of sins.  That brought comfort, but not eternal life.  Jesus secured that by his death and resurrection.  He lives, risen with a body that cannot perish or suffer, and whose glory does not fade.  Jesus took on a human body to secure these things for our human bodies.  This is why we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. 

     Jesus has given us great expectations for the life of the world to come.  All things will be made right.  All suffering will be relieved.  All sickness put away.  All death will be undone.  There will be no war, poverty, oppression, or injustice.  Through Jesus, we get everything we long for.  We get it better than we imagine, and we get it forever.  You have every reason to expect this; for Jesus has told you so.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.