Master of Death

We approach the Easter season and reflect on Jesus as our one and only Master. He is the Master of life, death and resurrection.The cross was the plan from day one, and Jesus death paid for all our sin and shame. We are called to be cross-centric, to boast of the cross, to take up the cross and follow Jesus. It is in the cross of Jesus that we find our path, our next step, our forgiveness, our discipleship, our knowledge and our glory.

Intro

I didn’t get it. I wasn’t really truly prepared for it. I didn’t understand, fully, what I was getting into.

My buddy, Ryan was turning 25. And we were going to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.

He was scared of heights… so he was quietly freaking out. But this was his idea in the first place, so he was committed.

He had another buddy who actually chickened out entirely and didn’t get on the plane after the orientation and training and stuff.

I was in, excited, nervous but in a yes-absolutely let’s go kind of way.

But I wasn’t ready. Here’s how you know I had no idea what I was doing. I wore a polo. Shirt with a collar.

You ever see sky divers and they are wearing those squirrel shirts. Tight spandex. You know why?

Something happens when you jump out of a plane. You start going fast. Like really fast, as in “terminal velocity.” 120-150mph. And my collar flips out (I had tried to tuck it in), and starts FLAYING my neck. BRBRBRBRBRBRBRRRRpppppp.

Awful. But awesome, I’m flying… but also… awful.

I had no idea what I was getting into. But I lived! 10 out of 10, would do again.

What are we getting into?

Recap - Master of Life

We approach the Easter season and reflect on Jesus as our one and only Master. He is the Master of life, death and resurrection. Jesus is the 2nd Adam, the revelation of what human life is and was supposed to be. He lived a full, sinless, perfect life, astounded all with his insight and authority. We order our lives by His Word, and so enter into the abundant life.

We behold Him.

Lots of people acknowledge Jesus as some sort of admirable. Admirable teacher, they love the “golden rule,” they love the language about loving others. Even maybe a prophet of some kind.

They might call him some kind of master.

But if Jesus was just a great teacher, another prophet telling us how to live… would he be Master? He is who He is… so maybe, in a ontological sense.

But… would he be Savior?

Jesus came on a mission.

He came with a purpose. And he knew it!

Pointed at the Cross

The road to the cross is long. At least the 3 years of ministry, he seems to have known. And maybe for years and decades before.

When his closest disciples start to realize Jesus is truly the Master of Life, he reveals the whole plan to them.

Jesus asked, who do you say that I am?

Matthew 16:16 ESV

16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

And Jesus said “ding, ding, ding… winner, winner, winner!”

“Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah!

Matthew 16:17 ESV

17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 16:21 ESV

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

Jesus knew. How long did he know? At least for years. This isn’t something he realized yesterday… he said back in Matthew 10, not long after the sermon on the mount about taking up the cross...

Jesus knew the cross was coming.

In fact, it was the plan from the start. It was God’s plan, God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit… cooking it all up together.

An act of divinity on a rescue mission to humanity.

Jesus as the Master of Life, on a road to Death.

Weird!

Not only was he going to the cross… he’s taking everyone with him.

Matthew 10:38 ESV

38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

And now here in Matt 16 he elaborates:

Matthew 16:24 ESV

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

When does Jesus say this? (Before the crucifixion).

“That’s a metaphor, right?”

(Especially Peter: “right, Jesus??? Jesus???)

Just looking at the immediate disciples:

Judas, betrayed and suicide. That’s a failure to “take up the cross” but a death none the less.

James “the greater”, brother of John, first apostle to be martyred, executed by the sword of King Herod Agrippa I 10ish years after Jesus died.

Peter, crucified on an actual cross, upside down.

Andrew, crucified on a X-shaped cross in Greece

Thomas, martyred in India (possibly)

Philip, martyred in Asia Minor

Matthew, possibly stabbed to death in Ethiopia

Simon the Zealot (the other Simon), killed in Persia

Only John lives into his old age, 90s, serving until the end.

Is it a metaphor… you best not expect so. More about that later. This whole “discipleship” thing is pretty wild. Jesus: Worst recruiter ever.

And yet, this is our boast.

I don’t think they knew what they were headed for. But Jesus absolutely did.

Jesus is heading for the cross the whole time. Master of Life… headed for Death.

And, bizarrely, inviting all of us along for the ride.

Pick up your cross and follow me!

The cross had no glory when he says that, it had no religious connotation whatsoever. “Pick up your electric chair and follow me!”

Umm… why? Sound weird. And heavy. And uncomfortable. And also… these are to kill people!

You know why.

Why the Cross?

Why?

This Jesus, Master of Life, remember?

Colossians 1:15–19 ESV

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

That’s some good “Master” language. That’s our LORD. Is He Worthy? He is!!!

Colossians 1:20 ESV

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

That’s what happened on the cross.

This was the plan.

All that we are, all things, all of us, all our sin and death and gross and failure… all the things.

Reconciled.

Peace by the blood of his cross. That was the plan.

This is the cross.

Peace between us and God. Peace forever. Shalom. Reconciling all things… that is all things made right.

Colossians 1:21–22 ESV

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

It is not that the cross is the most painful or brutal death of all time. That isn’t what makes the cross special. In fact, the physical aspect of Jesus’ walk with the cross, the scourging, the mockery, the hanging agony… as painful and real as it was… that isn’t the point of the cross.

In fact, Jesus’ time on the cross seems to be about 6 hours, far less than many who could last 24 hours… or some say up to 4 days.

The suffering of the cross, it is spiritual, it is the weight of sin and death of all the world placed upon him. It is whatever “forsaken-ness” happened in the Unity of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

But the wonder of the cross is not in its suffering… it is in its victory. It’s absolute and total success. It’s triumph.

It is love, that he laid down his life for us. That he saved us. That he reconciled in his body… and now you are holy and blameless and above reproach.

That is the cross of Jesus. And it is what we are all about.

Savant Syndrome

They used to call this “idiot savant” but they decided it was a misnomer and “idiot” became an insult rather than a technical designation for intellectual impairment.

These are folks who may struggle socially or intellectually in most aspects of life, often some form of autism, but are extraordinarily gifted in one area.

Rain Man, counting the dropped toothpicks. 246 toothpicks. Counting cards.

Kim Peek, who Rain Man was based on, could read a book, left eye on the left page and right eye on the right page… and recall almost word for word the book he read.

Because of the cross, we call Him Savior. Master of Life. Master of Death… as in he mastered it, conquered it… and we fear it no longer.

In fact, again and again we hear from the apostles, Paul in particular, if we understand one thing about Jesus… it is the cross.

1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV

2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

He calls us to be “savants.” To drop everything else on the floor. Christ and him crucified.

Him resurrected? No. Him crucified!

Why? That seems stupid, frankly. Missing the best part. Yes! The sentence before that’s what he says:

1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

And God chose the weak, the foolish, the low and despised. Me… and maybe you to. So boast in the Lord… and boast in this:

1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV

2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Idiot Savants. Foolish to everything else! Eyes on the cross, we know the cross, all about the cross of Jesus.

We know ONE thing. Christ and him crucified.

This is our boast.

Boasting in the Cross

Galatians 6:14 ESV

14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Cross-Centric

Not the popular cross… the old rugged one. The shamed and despised one. The cross of sacrifice.

Not the “great and successful cross.” The one the world sees as a failure.

We reject popularity - glory of men - to be popular with Jesus. The glory of the Jesus, the glory of the cross.

We reject greatness or greatness-ism - be great with Jesus.

We reject success or success-ism to be successful with Jesus. Seeking the victory of the cross.

I live for the One, then I can love like the One.

I profess to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified.

I boast in nothing except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

For yes, he, Jesus, is the Master of Life.

And he leads us straight to the cross. Where we find mercy and grace, where we find forgiveness and healing, where we are made whole and holy.

Altar Call

I’m going to read that passage from Colossians one more time, this time in the Message:

Colossians 1:22 MSG

22 But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God’s side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence.

To find forgiveness at the cross.

He reconciled “all the things.” Did that say all? All the things. All your sin and all your stupid. All your good, all your try-hard, all your excuses, all your total and partial failures. All your lies.

He reconciled it all… and presents you “holy and blameless and above reproach.” Whole and holy.

Do you want that? Whole and holy? Clean, pure, blameless?

Again and again, over and over, once and for all… and also every moment of our lives… at the foot of the cross.

Christ died for you. To bring you over to God’s side and put your lives together.

That is the cross of Jesus.

We call him Master… for so he is. Master of Life, Death and Resurrection.

We call him Savior… for so he is. On the cross of Calvary, Jesus died for you and me. To forgive, to rescue, to redeem. Whole and holy.

Let’s worship our Savior.