A Pentecost 13Matthew 16:21-281

Belief: We are called to pick up our cross

Hope: When we lift the cross, we drop the junkGood News:“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

  • What size is your cross?
  • Here we are in Matthew where right after Jesus tells the disciples that they are right in answering who he is – Well, Peter answers on the other’s behalf.
  • Jesus is the Messiah.
  • And after Jesus tells Peter some amazing things he is in charge of, Jesus goes on to mentioning what kind of future is ahead of the newly recognized Messiah.
  • As we heard, it is not a very positive future.
  • For the Messiah the future is suffering at the hands of the Jewish leadership, then death, then after three days there will be resurrection.
  • Peter strongly reacts to this future since he cannot believe it. We know Peter does not understand and Jesus knows that too.
  • Jesus’ reaction to Peter is no less as strong when he calls Peter Satan, meaning adversary as best or tempter at worst.
  • Peter was not to call false, wrong, or deny what Jesus must go through for the benefit of the world. The cross that Jesus would bear.
  • Peter was not to be a stumbling block to others in calling Jesus out like that.
  • Jesus sums it up by telling Peter, “you are setting your mind not on divine things but human things.” Matthew 16:23b
  • Then Jesus talks about what it means to follow him, about what it means to be a disciple.
  • He tells them that they have to pick up their cross and follow Him.
  • He talks about, what I can only think of picking up your cross might mean, the burden of being a disciple.
  • What are the crosses we pick up? What are the things we are willing to bear? Do they look like a cross?
  • I think about the deep divisions in our country right now.
  • I wonder when we started to dislike or hate each other instead of discussing the ideas we support.
  • When did things become personal and no longer about the subject matter?
  • We are taking up our banners and we no longer say “this ideology does not make sense to me, please explain” insteadwe say “you are stupid.”
  • It seems like the burdens on the cross of everyone involved in these types of differences are hate, fear, and shame to name just a few.
  • Those are heavy burdens to bear. They are also ugly masks we wear that smear and distort the God image in our hearts.
  • God’s image is hidden so well that we cannot recognize God in each other.
  • Or worse.Peopleinside and outside Christianity believe they see God acting through others in these horrible ways.
  • They believe that is God, and who would want to follow that?
  • Where is Emanuel, God with us?
  • I think about the first audience of our Gospel reading today.
  • That audience is made up of Jewish diaspora that recently left Jerusalem to avoid persecution from the Roman occupiers.
  • The burden of hate they must have for the Romans that came to their temple and once and for all time destroyed it.
  • The Romans destroyed the only place the Jewish people believed that heaven and earth met. The only place where God was.
  • The burden of shame they must feel because many have already lost their life trying to protect the temple or the many that have tried to recapture the city and failed.
  • The shame of no longer even trying to regain the temple must be great. The shame of running away.
  • The fear of being caught. Or even a larger fear – that God has abandoned them.
  • With the temple no longer being there, maybe it is a sign that God is no longer with them. No longer Emanuel.
  • What about a recent burden in which we encounter nature’s wrath?
  • Harvey was no joke. It is still an ongoing disaster.
  • I think about the burden of fear that some of my friends in Houston are currently experiencing. Especially those who have damaged homes and small businesses.
  • Fear of no insurance, or insurance companies.
  • Fear of unemployment: losing income, and benefits such as medical care and pensions.
  • Loss of memories and other stuff.
  • There may even be shame. “I knew I should have bought flood insurance when I had time.”
  • Or shame in leaving a flooding house. You know, not going down with the ship.
  • Or for those unaffected there may be anger in the inability to act right away. Frustration of watching an unfolding disaster with no clear or possible way to help.
  • We may have anger and hate towards God: Why did God allow such a thing? Why has disaster come upon us? (Not a new thought by the way. Just look at psalm 13: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?”)
  • Where is Emanuel?
  • These burdens of hate, fear, and shame, and I am quite sure many other burdens, come to mind.
  • These are the burdens we are carrying; our crosses are weighted down with so many things.
  • And then, guess what, there are many more things that we are to burden ourselves with.
  • I am afraid I have some important news for you: The cross we bear is more than those negative emotions.
  • We are reminded during Jesus’ sermon on the mount that there is so much more to this life than just the things that are personally affecting us.
  • In the Beatitudes we learn that there are others suffering too. The poor, hungry, and mourning, just to name a few.
  • Then Jesus continues to speak about more burdens associated with following him:
  • Hate being like murder.
  • Lust like adultery.
  • Wrongful divorce.
  • False swearing.
  • Unrighteous retaliation.
  • Loving enemies.
  • Giving alms.
  • Praying.
  • Fasting.
  • Treasure.
  • Worrying.
  • Judging,
  • Among many others.
  • Not to mention later when Jesus gives us the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind,” and, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37
  • Who said they would make our burdens light, wasn’t that the same Jesus that gave the sermon on the mount?
  • Yet Jesus’ burden is light. Lighter than the burdens of hate, and fear, shame, and burdens like them.
  • It is light because the cross is not made up of those things.
  • The cross is not made up of these burdens.
  • The cross is an instrument of death.
  • Taking up your cross is following Jesus to death and thus to new life.
  • Meaning our reward has already been given, so what we have left to do is give up ourselves. Deny ourselves in the service of God.
  • To deny ourselves and preach the Good News that the kingdom has arrived in and through our lives and actions. Good works.
  • Where the fruit of these good works, as our collect this morning says, are brought forth in us as a gift from God.
  • It is in doing these things, with God’s help, that we can bring others to the knowledge and love of God.
  • This is accomplished by setting our minds on divine things and not human things. With the divine things being what Jesus has asked us to do from the sermon on the mount, and human things being actions of worldly self-preservation.
  • “For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?”
  • What profit is it to us to take on the burden of everything if it is not life-giving?
  • Drop it! Drop it all! Drop these burdens of hate, fear, shame, and the like for they are life taking, they are death.
  • Pick up the cross of Jesus, start on that journey to new life after death…and not just death.
  • Be transformed. Walk in the light.
  • It is in letting go of what we want, and embracing what God wants, that is Emmanuel.
  • Carrying the cross is transforming, life giving, and a constant reminder that God is with us.
  • Amen.

Review: If it’s unnecessary, take it out. If it’s necessary but insufficient, expand it. If it’s necessary and sufficient, leave it alone.