Luke 9:21-27
I had a session yesterday discussing this passage (2022 Week 34). It was revealing, as I needed to clarify my view that as Jesus told his disciples about the realities of his mission and the path he must walk (v22), he then went on to say that whoever wants to be his disciple should understand and realise that it means walking the same path (in essence, not in detail).
What that means to me is that Jesus chose to serve selflessly and walked a painful path, a path where he essentially loses everything—he left his place in heaven to become “The Son of Man”, he accepted the pain of being human, living among the filth of humanity, he was humiliated by the very nation he founded and nurtured, and finally he was murdered, executed as a criminal.
However, the end of that road was not death, but life, as on the third day God raised him to life.
If we are to be his disciples then surely we must be a people who are likewise selfless, even to the extent of suffering personal losses, whether they be in terms of ambition, wealth, emotions. In that sense, if we are to follow him, then like him, we live with the cross on our backs.
I had seen v24-26 in the context of the initial challenge: would you be my disciple, knowing who I am? The end of Jesus’ journey was “raised to life”. To be his disciple, to journey with him, is to find life. And Jesus asked which road we would choose to walk, the one that leads to life or the one that allows you to “gain the whole world”?
Today, however, the news that a Christian friend of mine has been pursuing a relationship with a man of another faith weighed on my heart and I’m led to think again about these verses.
On the one hand I was pained that someone who knew what Christ had done would choose to turn away. I felt the pain and humiliation of my Lord, and I was angry, wanting to shrug my shoulders and say, “Well, that’s your choice”. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? And yet you choose what is before your eyes rather than be loyal to the one who gave himself for your sake.
I was rebuked for my anger. The pain and humiliation are for him to suffer, not for me to take exception to. I am still to care for the friend and although I am in no position to speak about these matters, I can still pray.
A second look at the text helped me to see vv24-27 in a slightly different light: the idea of choosing to die, just as Jesus chose death, in order to let life through.
“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”
To choose to die for Christ is to choose to give up, say no to, that which would conflict with Christ and his purpose. It is to deny self the sin that self clings to, and ignore the screams of the self. It is to tell the self that it is no longer king. It will have to take up the cross and follow Jesus, because only he is king. It is to choose to die.
But to discipline self in such a harsh manner is not to obliterate the self but to liberate it because sin is killing it. Choosing death when Christ demands it in this context, is to choose life. Choosing life when Christ tells you that death is necessary in this context, is to choose death.
When it comes to sin, when it comes to the state of your soul, it is life and death.
In the context of my friend, Christ is uncompromising: You give up this person because he is in conflict with your Lord.
I have always found it difficult to state the choice in such stark terms. In fact the choice must come from Jesus, not me or someone else. I am a counsellor and I seek to soften the blow, to bring hope, to mend. The call to die must come from Jesus.
To cling on to the world is to prevent life from reaching you, blessing you. To let go of what your heart desires, but is in conflict with the Lord, is to allow life to enter and flood your soul.
In other words, the road to life is death.
And in this context, Jesus asked the logical question, for both the man choosing to be his disciple and for the disciple choosing to to yield to his will:
“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”
The next line is a line in the sand: “Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
To choose to leave your faith and embrace the faith of the man you love is to be ashamed of the Lord. I’m sure it is not the end of the line but again, that is not for me to decide. What Jesus says is clear and uncompromising.
Being ashamed of Jesus and his words is not about instances when a person is challenged, like Peter denying Jesus. It is to reject him and reject what he teaches and stands for, to preserve your life in the world. It is to tell him that he is not king of your life.
It is to draw a line in the sand and tell Jesus not to cross it.
Following Jesus is not a “sunday school” choice, or a cultural choice, a choice of lifestyle, religion or philosophy. Jesus makes it clear that it is about life or death, life and death. It is a tough choice but he assures his listeners, and us, that there have been and will be those who make the right choice.
“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”