The Call of the Cross
Date
Jun 28th, 2009
Sermon Audio
Pastor
Rev. Marcus Birkholz
Sermon Text
(Acts 12:1-2 NIV) It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. {2} He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
Dear Friends in Christ Jesus,
Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, you heard about their deaths. How about Christopher Erwin Leggett of Tennessee? Al Qaida's North Africa branch on Thursday said it killed an American aid worker in Mauritania this week for allegedly trying to convert Muslims to Christianity, according to the Associated Press (AP). I have seen a T Shirts that reads: “This shirt is illegal in 51 countries, 40 nations” on the front and on the back it reminds the reader “I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the Power of God, the salvation of everyone who believes...” Romans 1:16.
Our text takes us back to the time when the first persecutions and the first disciples died for the name of Jesus. Stephen, a church councilman, was the first Martyr; James the Elder was the first disciple who became a martyr. They gave up their lives for the name of Jesus. As we study James the Elder, there is a serious question for each of us, “What is the most you are willing to give up for the Lord?” Where would such a sacrificial nature come from? What is the real meaning of discipleship? What does Jesus really expect? What is the nature of The Call of the Cross?
In the New Testament there are number of men named James. They were not all the same. When you first meet James of our text and his brother John, they are fishermen of Capernaum working on their nets. When Jesus called them they left everything behind including their Father Zebedee with the hired help. Cf. Mark 1:19-20 This gives us the idea that there was some wealth with the family and because later James brother, John, would use his influence to get past people at Jesus’ trial.
Peter, James and his brother John seemed to form an inner circle of disciples very close to Jesus. These three had special experiences that the other disciples did not get; such as the Transfiguration, the raising of Jairus’ daughter and the prayer time in Gethsemane.
One day in Jesus’ ministry he was headed towards a Samaritan village. What happened was that the people from the village did not welcome Jesus. The Bible continues:
(Luke 9:54 NIV) When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" Jesus quickly rebuked them and went on to another city. Jesus then gave those two brothers a new name: (Mark 3:17 NIV) James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder).
James and John had great aspirations along with their mother. Our Gospel lesson recorded their request of Jesus: "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." {38} "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" {39} "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with. Little did James realize the truth and full impact Jesus had just spoken to him.
If you study the sermons Jesus preached you will find that he consistently told his disciples that they would take up their cross and follow him. Listen to some of those words:
(Mat 24:9 NIV) "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. (Mat 5:10-12 NIV) Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. {11} "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. {12} Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Everything about Christianity, the cross and discipleship needs to be put into perspective of Jesus himself. {45} For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. James and the rest of the disciples would not understand until after Easter the full meaning of Jesus giving his life for them. Only when they realized that what Jesus sacrifice, his gift of forgiveness of sins, the promise of eternal life, would the disciples realize all that Jesus had done for them personally. Jesus’ cross, Jesus’ death would accomplish something their own death could not, their salvation.
A weakness today in the Christian church is the desire only to feel good, not deal with the real life issues of sin, slavery of sin, guilt, shame and failure to do what God expects. They want a relationship with Jesus, but no commitment to him. They want the gifts, but no expectations of what it really means to take up the cross and follow him. Like James and John, many want the glory, but not the cross. Jesus knew very well, if they would crucify God’s own son, his followers should not be surprised when they are called to suffer for his name.
Another side of life in the church is the martyr complex where people hope that Jesus will finally be pleased with them because they have suffered or endured so much. As those it would be their suffering that would account for their salvation rather than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
In our text we meet King Herod. This Herod family was a thorn in God’s kingdom. First there was the King Herod the Great at the time of the birth of Jesus and the Wisemen. Then there was the King Herod Antipas who had John the Baptist killed and wanted Jesus to do miracles. Then Herod Agrippa I came to power; he would kill James and put Peter into prison.
In the years that would follow persecution would follow Christians. It has been said, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. In the face of death they stood ready to confess Jesus till the end. The history of the Christian church is filled with stories of the sacrifices men, women and children made for the name of Jesus.
A hymn writer captured what it meant to be a believer in this Jesus who had given his life:
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a tribute far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
How would you describe what Jesus’ his death and resurrection mean to you? I began this sermon by asking questions such as: What are you willing to give up for Jesus? I don’t know if any of us could describe our actions in the face of persecution, because we really haven’t been there. Yet, has there been a time you know you should have taken a stand with Jesus and failed to do so? Do you think the Christian church would be better off with a persecution, since that would force people to take a stand either for or against Jesus? Do you think we have reached a level of complacency that we only take the easy way? Do we keep our faith a secret? Do people at work know of our own personal commitment to Jesus?
In Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, Chuck Swindoll writes:
On Sunday, believers arrived at a house church in the Soviet Union in small groups throughout the day so not to arouse the suspicion of KGB informers. They began by singing a hymn quietly. Suddenly, in walked two soldiers with loaded weapons at the ready. One shouted, "If you wish to renounce your commitment to Jesus Christ, leave now!"
Two or three quickly left, then another. After a few more seconds, two more.
"This is your last chance. Either turn against your faith in Christ," he ordered, "or stay and suffer the consequences."
Two more slipped out into the night. No one else moved. Parents with children trembling beside them looked down reassuringly, fully expecting to be gunned down or imprisoned.
The other soldier closed the door, looked back at those who stood against the wall and said, "Keep your hands up--but this time in praise to our Lord Jesus Christ. We, too, are Christians. We were sent to another house church several weeks ago to arrest a group of believers."
The other soldier interrupted, "But, instead, we were converted! We have learned by experience, however, that unless people are willing to die for their faith, they cannot be fully trusted.”
We may never face such persecution as did the early disciples or even Christopher Leggett, but our valley needs people who are willing to stand up for Jesus. We need people who by their words and actions are known to be disciples of the Savior of the world. Amen.
We may never face such persecution as did the early disciples or even Christopher Leggett, but our valley needs people who are willing to stand up for Jesus. We need people who by their words and actions are known to be disciples of the Savior of the world. Amen.
