Wednesday, April 2, 2014

“It’s All about Distant Discipleship” Matt. 26.57–58, Lenten Midweek # 4, 2014



1.                        In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  One of the great problems we face in life is fear. We’ve fought wars so we can live in our country without fear. We maintain a strong defense posture, we’ve devised nuclear weapons to deter any nation from attacking us. With our nuclear arsenal, we should have nothing to fear. But now, suddenly, we face simple explosives strapped to a suicide bomber. And we’re afraid. No matter how we try to be safe and secure, there’s always something to fear.
2.                        We are fearful also in our lives as Christians. Tonight we can say, “It’s Jesus, Peter, and me; and it’s all about fearful, and thus distant, discipleship.” We’re going to look at our fears, which make us distant disciples. But more than that, we’re going to look at Jesus.  The Fear That Makes Us Distant Disciples Is Forgiven and Overcome in Christ.
3.                        Jesus’ disciples were, for a time, fearless in their discipleship. They were inspired by the success of his preaching, his popularity, and his demonstrations of power and authority. How quickly all this changes during that last visit to Gethsemane! We see Jesus taken, bound, and led away as a common criminal. Confidence and optimism change to fear. Tonight we see Peter, the fearful follower, the disciple who follows Jesus from afar.
4.                        The enemies of Jesus had long planned to do away with him. And now, at last, their opportunity had come. “Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered” (v 57). Jesus must face them alone. But as we see him led away, we find he is not entirely alone. “Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end” (v 58). Peter kept his distance, a far-off disciple.
5.                        Sometimes we, too, are distant, far-off disciples. What is that distance like? Often, it’s being a halfhearted disciple. It’s following Jesus only when it’s convenient, when it requires no sacrifice. In other parts of the world, loyalty to Christ still costs Christians their lives. In comfortable America, what are we willing to do or not do for the sake of Christ? You’re in class, discussing great books—the Bible, the Qur’an, the Upanishads—and everyone, including the professor or teacher, is affirming that “all roads lead to the same place.” You know Christ is the only way to heaven. But what do you do? Do you politely, humbly, testify to your faith in Jesus as the only Savior, or do you distance yourself from the whole conversation, keep quiet, hide out? Over 3,000 infants are being killed every day in the United States by abortion. You have an opportunity to join in a walk-for-life in  your community, but, of course, somebody might see you. You might even wind up on the local news. What do you do? Stand up tall for the sanctity of God’s gift of human life, or decide that, “Well, actually there’s a lot of yard work I need to get done on Saturday”? These questions have to do with discipleship.
6.                        Fear kept Peter at a distance in his discipleship. Fear is at the heart of our faulty discipleship. We don’t always have the courage of our convictions. We’re afraid to live our faith because we’re afraid of the consequences. We’re afraid we might be ridiculed, we might lose our popularity, we might be considered odd or different. We may not get ahead in life as fast if we put what’s right, what’s honest, what’s unselfish above everything else. All this is a sign of spiritual distance from God. We’re afraid, so we follow from a distance. The distant disciple may soon not be a disciple at all.
7.                        What should we do? When you’re afraid of what it means to be a follower of Christ, think on him. In his suffering and death you find the answer to the fear of being too close to Jesus. His life, death, and resurrection count for you. He bore your sins in his body on the cross. He lives again, having disarmed the powers that frighten you and keep you from faithfully following him. God’s “Fear not” echoes throughout Scripture to reassure you. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Is 41:10). “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Is 43:1). Fear has to bow before our Lord’s “Fear not.” Jesus draws us close to the heart of God as his redeemed, restored, forgiven people. The fear of being a disciple has to let go.
8.                        So the call comes from Jesus, “Follow me.” His path leads to his cross and his empty tomb, where your sins of distant discipleship have been put away forever. His path leads to the death of your sinful self, because he’s alive in you. His path leads to love, compassion, and service to your fellow man; we call it the Christian life. This is not uncharted territory. Jesus is ahead of you. You follow him. He’s been to the cross, to death and back. He went to forgive you and to fill you with the heart, will, and strength to be his loyal disciple. 
9.                        Peter followed at a distance to see the end. No doubt he expected the worst. But the end turned out to be the best, for Peter and for us. The end turned out to be the cross and then the resurrection. It was the end of sin’s guilt, sin’s power, the devil’s might, and the fear of death. The end is the beginning for us, the beginning of the forgiven life, the new life in Christ, the life of discipleship, with the ongoing grace to grow in following Jesus.  This is the story of Jesus, Peter, and each of us.  Amen.




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