Loving Jesus is Costly!

Take Up Your Cross
Matthew 10:34-39
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Who would pick these verses as a favorite Bible passage? These words are no less true than the easy words! Jesus said many shocking things during his earthly ministry. Not a few times he left the religious leaders with their mouths wide open, gasping for air. He also said some things to Believers which are meant to knock the breath out of us long enough for us to really consider what Jesus said. This is one of those statements.

(v.34) “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.”
Some people in Jesus’ day thought that Jesus came to just bring the icing to the cake. The Jews thought that they had everything right, except they were constantly being pestered by the Romans and others. They were waiting for Jesus to “do what he was supposed to do” and fix the Romans so they would stop bothering them and then everything would be peachy! – But Jesus didn’t come to bring peace!
Some people today think the same sort of thing. They think after they have gone to high-school and college, gotten married, bought a house, had 1.5 kids and started their career, that they still need something else to complete their lives. They say, “I think I need religion. Yes, I think I need church, and then everything will be just right.” Some people actually think that it is part of being culturally acceptable to say you love Jesus! Jesus did not come in order to add the one missing piece to our puzzled lives. But Jesus didn’t come to bring peace
Jesus did not come so we all could just get along. Jesus didn’t come to put the bullies in their place so that we could go on with our lives more peacefully. Jesus did not come to be the cherry that tops off our lives which really were just fine before! Jesus did not come to bring peace!
Jesus didn’t come as company does either. Company comes and brings their stuff to the guest bed room and stays with you a while. You don’t change the way you make coffee just because you have company. You don’t alter your relationship with your neighbor because you have company. You wake up in the morning and tell your guest: “It is so nice to have you in my home!” and then go about your daily routine. Jesus didn’t come to bring peace, to make life nice, or easier.
Jesus came and brought a sword- “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” v.37
i. Swords were much more prevalent in Jesus’ day than in ours- especially in the army.
ii. Swords cut or divide
iii. Jesus came with a sword in order to draw the line very clearly between the children of God and the pretenders
iv. We might say Jesus has come to show us who has on which jersey.
v. Jesus has come to show you which jersey you are wearing. Will you hear his voice?
Jesus came for your greatest love, not just a vote! (vv.34b-37)
In this area, many people claim to be a Christian for the same reason they claim to be a Republican or a Democrat or a Libertarian. On the last vote, the Republican candidate looked more promising than the Democrat so that’s who they voted for. But day to day, it makes no difference. Jesus didn’t come to secure votes! Jesus came for your greatest love! And giving Jesus your greatest love will put you at odds with the other people you love from time to time. Which love will win the day?
i. “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
ii. A true disciple’s love for Jesus must be greater than his love for anyone or anything else! Sometimes, loving Jesus will cost you other relationships.
iii. Illus. Muslims converting to Christ
iv. Illus. In the South, being ostracized and ridiculed as a fanatic because you take Jesus seriously.
v. Who has your loyalty?
With Jesus’ sword, He has divided between those who love Him supremely and everyone else!
i. This idea of loving Jesus seems weird to the average person.
1. We can somehow grasp what it is to know about Jesus and pray to Jesus; even worship Him, but LOVE Jesus?
2. John Piper writes: “Love is not a mere choice to move the body or the brain. Love is also an experience of the heart. . . Christ is to be cherished, not just chosen.”
3. We need to take this a step further. Christ is not just to be cherished, but cherished infinitely more than everything else you cherish. He is to have your most costly loyalty and undying devotion.
4. Luke 14:26 ”If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
ii. Your Supreme Love is what Jesus requires
1. v.37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
2. Greatest commandment (Matt. 22:35-38) “One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” i.e. The most important thing in the UNIVERSE!
a. The purpose of the Law was to show us how unable we are to keep God’s law on our own and drive us to Jesus who satisfied God’s wrath for our not keeping God’s law and he kept God’s law perfectly earning a righteousness that He would give as a gift to all who love Him.
iii. It is true love for Jesus which more than anything else demonstrates a changed heart.
1. The natural man is at war against God from birth! We weren’t just ignorant about God or indifferent to Him, we hated him and this was manifested by our wicked deeds according to Colossians 1.
2. For this to change, a miracle must occur.-the New Birth- adopted into God’s family
a. John 8:42 “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here.”
b. This is why love for God more than a decision or a memory or an experience is more telling about one’s salvation.
3. The love spoken of here is intense passion and commitment, not mere indifference. Jesus doesn’t rescue us to be indifferent! He rescues us from passionate darkness to passionate Jesus loving!
iv. This idea of loving God is used as a description of Believers in the NT
1. Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
2. 1 Peter 1:8 “Though you have not seen him, you love him.”
v. Those who don’t love Jesus are called accursed
1. I Cor. 16:22 “If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed.”
Jesus didn’t just drop out of Heaven and demand love (though He could have) . . . He earned it!
i. He created us
ii. He beautified the Earth for our enjoyment
iii. He humiliated Himself by becoming flesh
iv. He lived a perfectly righteous life as our substitute
v. He died a horrible death on the cross in our place.
vi. He rose from the dead so that we could have life without fear!
vii. He now lives at the Father’s right hand praying for us!
viii. He sent the Holy Spirit!
ix. Now He directs all of history and every detail for our good!
x. He has promised to come again and take us to be with Him immediately forever!
Jesus came for lovers, not votes, and not to pass out fire insurance.
Do you love Jesus?
i. Do you talk to Him?
ii. Do you think about Him and rejoice in His everywhere presence?
iii. Do you thank Him for what you see Him doing everyday?
iv. Do you long to see Him face to face?
1. Some people are truly shocked to find out that if you don’t enjoy loving Jesus now, you’ll hate Heaven. You’d rather have Hell. Heaven is all about adoring Jesus!
Jesus calls his lovers to everyday-death (vv.38-39) “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Jesus is not calling us to pay for our sins! In fact, this passage occurs before the cross and the first disciples didn’t yet understand about Christ having to die.
In this time period, those who were sentenced to be crucified carried their own cross from the court room to the “Place of the Skull.” They were not only sentenced to death, but terrible shame before death!
i. Take up your death sentence! - What a marketing ploy!
ii. Is this Effective Evangelism technique?
This is what Jesus is calling for. Do you love Jesus so much that you lay down your wishes, preferences, agenda, rights, your life and endure shame and persecution for His sake?
The issue is not can you say “I love Jesus!” The issue is whether you love Jesus more than your Dad, Mom, Wife, Husband, Children, Home, etc. The issue is passionate loyalty! There will come times when those you love want you to do something, but Jesus wants you to do another. Who wins? There will come a time when following Jesus will cost you your Nascar collection or your favorite fishing rod or your dream home or your comfort or your free time. Will Jesus have your loyalty then?
i. v.37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me”
There are many ways to lose your life,
i. Work, family, pleasure, attention, church
ii. Dr. William Finnigan “Everybody is somebody’s fool. Whose fool are you?”
but only one way to save your life.
i. Losing your life for Jesus sake and the Gospels
To be a follower of Jesus is costly:
i. Your Job – work as unto the Lord
ii. Your marriage- Husbands love as . . ., wives submit. . .
iii. Your Kids- Train up your children in the . . .
iv. Your Money- Lay up treasure in Heaven
v. Your Leisure- whatever you do, do in the name. . .
vi. Your neighborhood- Jesus placed me here, not just for my viewing pleasure, but to be His presence here. Invest in the lives of our neighbors in order to build bridges for the Gospel. Your co-workers are your neighbors too!
vii. Your ideas of church.- Christ is the head of all things for the Church (Ephesians)
Taking up your cross is a total life commitment
i. Romans 12:1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
1. “body” here represents the whole person.
2. This sacrifice is active and total!
ii. Matt. 16:24-26 “Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?”
You must lose your life to find life. Jesus won’t lose it for you.
i. Jesus is calling for a lifestyle of laying down your life
1. A lifestyle of laying down my life for Jesus is made up of days of laying down my life for Jesus, which are made up of hours of laying down my life for Jesus, which are made of moments like this one where we must choose to lay down our lives for Jesus.
This doesn’t mean that Christians should become monks and wear a frown all their lives, but rather to be prepared for whatever it costs you to follow Jesus and to bear gladly the stigma of following Jesus.
i. Hebrews 13:12-14 “So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.”
Jesus promises His lovers that everyday-death brings life! (v.39) “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Here is a contrast between the world’s idea of life and Jesus’ promise of life. The World says that if I want life to the full I have to keep getting better toys and guard what is mine. Jesus says that at the end of this person’s life, they’ll lose their life and find that their whole life was spent on nothing. Jesus promises that if you will pursue pleasing me no matter what it costs in this life, you’ll not regret it and you’ll one day see that your whole life was spent on something worthwhile which will be rewarded richly in Heaven.
i. The Christian life is one of paradoxes.
1. Lose your life to keep it. Guard your life and you’ll lose it.
ii. He who dies with the most toys wins?
What if I don’t love Jesus supremely?
You need to realize that loving the Right One supremely is a matter of life and death!
Confess it to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and give you the New Birth.
God promises to give a new heart through believing the Gospel. Ezekiel 36:26-27a “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, . . .”
What is Jesus asking you to lay down as His lover?
Jesus said that “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” That’s not to say that simply doing what Jesus says is the same thing as loving Him, but it is to say that if you don’t apply yourself to obey His commands, you don’t really love him. Are there specific commands that Jesus is reminding you of right now? Who will have your loyalty?