“Truth or Foolishness?”

Scripture: Mark 8:34-38; 1 Corinthians 1:17-25


Today, we consider the last of our Christian symbols, the Cross. Jesus was condemned to crucifixion because the legalists of his day just couldn’t accept all that he taught and all that he stood for. In essence, he was seen as a liar, and to lie about God was a great sin of that day. And that is what the problem that folks throughout the centuries have had with Jesus – they just won’t believe in him.

Of course, in John’s gospel (John 14:6), Jesus tells us that he “is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” So which is the correct statement – is Jesus “the truth”, or is he a fake? Is he God, or is he a pretender? Can his word be trusted, or should we run for the hills whenever his name is mentioned? Believe it or not, some folks are still trying to figure out the answer to these!

And in that same light, there is another question that we need to consider – was the cross an instrument of evil, or one of glory? I guess the answer needs to be “Yes” – it was both. It was the tool of evil that was used by the forces of darkness (those authorities of earth), even while God was using it to ensure a path to glory for all who would simply and honestly see Jesus and his word as the Truth for our lives.

But we also need to understand that as important as the Cross was in gaining our salvation, it is also an important symbol for every life that would be part of Jesus’ ministry.

Read Mark 8:34-38

Jesus is teaching us a vital lesson that all who would aspire to be one of his followers must first learn. But even more important than that, he is showing us that if we want to be one of his, we must first commit to being imitators of him. Over and over in the gospels, Jesus was referred to as “Rabbi”, or teacher. And that is exactly who he is for each and every person on the face of the earth. Of course, many still don’t want to listen to him, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t want to help us to learn the lessons of heaven!
Consider what this passage is saying that we must do! Notice that we aren’t being asked to do a single thing that he hasn’t already done!

First – “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves”. How much did Jesus deny? He left glory behind so that he could come here to be maligned and hated, he chose humility instead of the power and authority that was so rightly his, he surrendered the honors that the heavenly host had always shown him, and in its place, he accepted the lies and temptations and disbelief of those he came to save. Why would Jesus gave up all the good of heaven, just to take on all of the bad of ours? Simple! He did it out of the over whelming love that he has for all people. He did it so we could gain the glory and honors that he had left behind. It would never be about him – it was always about what the Father has asked of him, and all about what he wanted to give to each of us.

Second – “Take up your cross and follow me.” Without taking up our own cross, how could we ever emulate our Lord Jesus? Now understand that this doesn’t mean that we will have to suffer crucifixion like Jesus, although some have, and others will – it means that we must be prepared to suffer the condemnation of the world in order to carry on the ministry that Christ has begun. The world doesn’t like Jesus’ followers, and they will do whatever they can to disrupt efforts to proclaim Jesus throughout this place.

Third – “whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and the gospel will save it.” Jesus gave his life, that we might find that same life in him. Which is more important to us – the life we live in the world, or the life we can have in Christ? There is no half way, and there is no way to have both. Quite a choice, isn’t it? But choosing between a life in the world and a life in Christ will be the most important choice we will ever make.

Fourth – “what good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” When the Satan came to Jesus after his 40 days of fasting, the Lord was offered authority over all of the earth - IF Jesus would just bow down and worship him. Jesus said that it wasn’t worth it, and replies that there is only one who we should ever worship, and that is our God. (Matthew 4:8-11 Which will we choose – the finality of this life, or the eternity of a life in Christ?

Fifth – “what can anyone exchange for their soul?” In other words, is there any chance at all that we might be able to buy our way into heaven, that we might offer a trade that would be sufficient compensation to enter eternity, that we could ever be good enough to earn the right to live with God forever? The answer is, obviously, no – there is no chance whatsoever, without faith in Jesus Christ.

And he finishes with the admonition that his words are true and vital for us, and if we refuse to deny ourselves, and instead choose to deny Christ and all that he has taught us, then it will not bode well when we stand before the Seat of Justice, seeking a place with God.

Take up your cross, and follow me.
Deny yourself, and become one with me.

There is no other way.

Read 1 Corinthians 1-17-19

Paul was a highly educated man, and for all practical purposes, he had been quite arrogant in his original and misplaced faith. But after meeting the Lord Jesus on that Road to Damascus, he was completely changed. He had become one who was dedicated in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ – not through his education, not through his own abilities, but through the humble truth of his new found Lord. And without that abrupt and total change in him, his words would have left the power of the Cross in the hands of evil, and all the good that was accomplished at Calvary would have fallen flat on the ears of the world.

But he also realizes that the general opinion of this message of hope is that it is nothing less than pie in the sky rhetoric, that it is nonsense, that it has no place in our search for the righteous life. But even more than that, the apostle writes that God will no longer honor that which comes through human intellect and understanding. Wisdom and truth are only valid when the truth and way of God are at its core. Remember Jesus’ words of caution in Matthew 7:21-23? He says that many will cry out “Lord, Lord”, and will then try to explain all that they had done in the name of God, but that he will know that their efforts were never in his name, but always in their own way, in their wisdom, and in their own strength.

So remember these words – that when we decide to circumvent the ways of the Cross, and try to carry out ministry in our own safe and comfortable way, the Lord will “frustrate” all that we do, and it will be worthless on that Day.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:20-25

What good are the signs if we only want them to say what we want them to say? What good is wisdom if it is only based in the limited knowledge and intelligence that we have? “We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” The beauty and the glory of the Cross makes no sense, unless we have accepted the wisdom and truth of God in Christ first! And the hope and promise that is inherent in accepting our own cross is hollow and senseless without faith in Jesus, and without seeing the hope and promise that lives within his Cross.

And the last verse in our readings today is the truth behind all the questions that we have been considering – the “foolishness” that we attribute to God is wiser and truer and more glorious than anything we could ever devise or explain on our own.
And just as important – that the “weakness” that others believe that faith in Jesus Christ demonstrates will be more powerful, more authoritative, more successful than all the armies, all the governments, all the strength that the earth can, and will, ever muster.

Is the Cross of Jesus Christ foolishness or glory? Is it truth or fiction? Is it penalty or victory? Is it evil or divine?

To paraphrase Joshua in 24:15, if accepting the ways of the Lord seem foolish or inadequate to you, then choose whoever you will serve, but don’t come crying to Jesus on the Judgement Day, begging for his mercy, confessing that you just didn’t understand, that someone else must have made some mistake!

If we make the foolish mistake of denying Christ, instead of having faith and accepting the truth that he brought to earth, then one day it will all be upon our head, not on that of others!