May 22, 2011 | Valuing Jesus
Last week we talked about our commitment to Christ and our willingness to raise the banner of Jesus in our life. In Mt 10:32-33 Jesus says, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.” It a good challenge – it’s always good to take a hard look at our life to see if we’re making Jesus famous or making something else. Verses 34-38 suggest that commitment to Jesus must be uncompromising and undeniable. But the question left unanswered was, “How and what can we do to raise the banner of Jesus demonstrating our commitment?”
The short answer is that we honor Jesus…raise his banner…with 1) that which is valuable and 2) with our shortcomings. We’ll cover the former this week, and the latter next time.
Mt 10:29 is where we start this week: Jesus says, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Gain is loss. Loss is gain. Kingdom principals are upside-down. Where worldly heroes win, Kingdom heroes…die. Where worldly goals say get all you can, Kingdom goals say give it all away. The world says save your life, Jesus says be a living sacrifice.
There’s a scene near the end of the movie “Glory” where a Civil War Union officer asks his regiment a profound question. Formed up and ready to charge into an no win battle, Col Shaw points to his Flag Bearer and calmly asks, “If this man should fall, who will pick up the flag and carry on?” He might as well have said, “Who will step up and be the next to die?” Thomas, a formerly quite cowardly young man, stepped forward and confidently replied, “I will.” Crazy!
True commitment and great causes requires great personal sacrifice. Not only does great sacrifice expose courage and commitment, but it bestows great value upon that which is being sacrificed for. Who would make a significant sacrifice for something insignificant? But if someone makes a great sacrifice, you can be assured it is made for something of great value.
So, how much would one have to sacrifice to prove that something was of the most supreme value to them? Easy question right? Everything. If you would be forced to gradually give everything you own away, the last thing you held on to would be of most value to you.
So, if you want to honor Jesus as the ultimate treasure in your life, or similarly you want to show the world his ultimate value, how much would you have to be willing to give up to prove it? Easy to answer, not easy to do: Everything. It shouldn’t surprise us that the holder of the key to life and the guardian of the door to the next life would require everything from us. Check out John 15:13, Phi 1:29, Luke 14:33 and Mt 19:21-22. Wow.
In the eyes of the world, we can allow nothing to take precedence over Jesus if we what to honor him as ultimate. When you risk or sacrifice what is deeply important and valuable to you for Jesus sake, you raise a banner that is very difficult to overlook or to deny.
-Where did you invest in the future this past week?
-What were your thoughts this past week about the banners that you hold?
- Would others say Jesus is the most important person in my life?
What does it look like to raise the banner of Jesus in my life?
-How do you acknowledge Jesus before men?
-If you are my disciple it will be undeniably distinct in our life. How have you swapped your works values for Kingdom values?
- True commitment requires great personal sacrifice…….What does personal sacrifice look like for you?
-Are you willing to make a great personal sacrifice? What is that sacrifice?
What are you gripping onto that comes between you and Jesus?
How have you found ways to lay things aside for Jesus?
What have you walked away from…and walked toward ……for Jesus?
