Matthew 16 21-28 2008
Pentecost 16
Matthew 16:21-26
August 31, 2008
The Lure Of The Easy Way
Intro: There is a story of a young man, eager to make it to the top. He wanted to be a huge success. He went to a well-known millionaire businessman and asked him the first reason for his success. The businessman answered without hesitation, "Hard work." After a lengthy pause the young man asked, "What is the SECOND reason?" The millionaire answered, “Sacrifice!” Then the young man said, “Ok, is there a third reason?” That young man wanted to find an easier way.
That’s what I want to deal with today, the issue of the easier way, the lure of the easy way.
Jesus and His disciples were at Caesarea Philippi. Their ministry to this point had been a stunning success. Crowds pressed in on them everywhere they went. People eagerly came to and reached out to the new and exciting teacher from Nazareth. The disciples themselves were caught up in the excitement of it all. Jesus asked them, "Who do you say I am?" and Simon Peter answered enthusiastically, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" It was one of the most dramatic moments in the disciples' journey with Jesus.
Then Jesus changed the subject. He began to tell them that the crowds would soon turn against Him; He would be crucified, on the third day he would be raised. The disciples didn't know what to make of all this. Simon Peter took Jesus aside and said: "Forbid it Lord that these things should happen to you." Jesus' response to Simon Peter is as harsh as any words in the New Testament. Jesus said: "Get behind me Satan! You are not on the side of God but of man."
Perhaps Jesus called Simon Peter Satan' because of Jesus' experience in the wilderness immediately after His baptism by John. This makes since. It was there in the desert that Satan revealed to Jesus the way to make a million dollars in three easy steps…where Satan offered Jesus the lure of the easy way…turn stones to bread, feed you hunger, leap off the pinnacle of the temple, prove who you are. "Bow down and worship me! And own the kingdoms of the world. In the desert and in the words of Peter, Satan shows his real identity. Satan is not a red caped figure with a pitch fork, rather he comes dressed in a $400 suit and offers instant success, instant glamour, instant gratification. We can see Satan almost everywhere today. Jesus encountered him in Simon Peter’s words: "Forbid it Lord that you should have to suffer and die."
If there is any doubt that Jesus is resisting the lure of the easy way, listen to the words that follow: "If any man would be my disciple, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
The lure of the easy way is a present and easy temptation for all of us. Many of us today make the mistake of following the easy way. We see the results, the work of sin and satan in our lives. We see it in our family life. Homes disintegrate because a father or a mother decides one day that enough is enough and one or both simply walk away from each other in divorce. They bite on the lure of what seems to be the easy way. We see it in our parenting. Sometimes it is hard to give guidance and correction, sometimes we simply stop trying. The result is children that are unruly, distrustful, immoral and ungodly. We say, “We’ll kids will be kids.” Parents are biting on the lure of the easy way
We see it in school, ethics are at an all time low, cheating and lying are a part of daily classroom activities. All that matters is the good grade anyway it can be had. Students are biting on the lure of the easy way.
We see it in our work. It seems that too many people are waiting for the lotto of live to pave their way to success. All to often we want to be at the top but we aren’t willing to pay the dues. We forget that the way to the top starts at the bottom. If we want success we better pick up the broom, or dig the best darn ditch ever. To get to the top you must start on the bottom. Put in hard work and make the sacrifices necessary.
Many of us just got done watching the Summer Olympics. Many of us could imagine wearing those bronze, silver, and gold medals around our necks. What we refused to imagine was the hard work that was put in, the sacrifices that were made, the understanding that these men and women did not bite on the lure of the easy way.
We can also see the desire to follow the easy way in the church. It’s like this. One person said to another, "Say, I heard that you bought a new car. How did you ever afford it?" The other person replied, "I just cancelled my church pledge." The first one said, "Gee, I wish that I could buy a new car for that little." The easy way in church. We wonder why more people aren’t in our pews? Then we have to ask ourselves, have I invited anybody new to come to church with me? There are plenty of members that haven’t been to church lately or regularly. Most often we are content to take the lure of the easy way of just wondering why. Rather than the hard way of getting on the phone and finding out why. Our Lord presents us with a challenge. Satan presents us we excuses. We are the followers of the easy way even though everyone in this room knows TWO IMPORTANT TRUTHS.
THE FIRST IS THAT THE PATH TO PERSONAL SUCCESS IS THAT OF HARD WORK, SACRIFICE and SELF DENIAL. Zig Ziglar tells of visiting the Washington Monument. As he and his party approached the monument, he heard a guide announcing loudly that there would be a two hour wait to ride the elevator to the top of the monument. However, with a smile on his face the guide then said, "There is no waiting to go to the top if you are willing to take the stairs." Successful people know that there is no limit to what a healthy, reasonably intelligent person in this society can accomplish if he or she is willing to "climb the stairs." The opportunity is there for anyone willing to pay the price.
Success in life requires a willingness to resist the lure of the easy way. A sound body requires that we exercise, eat the right foods, and conquer bad habits. A sound mind requires that we read, that we observe that we continually learn. A sound marriage requires that each partner goes into it with the understanding that marriage is not a 50/50 proposition but a 70/30 one in which both parties give the 70. A sound family means that we will take the time to be sensitive to the needs of our children that we provide not only for their physical needs but their emotional and spiritual needs as well. Such goals require sacrifice, they require perseverance, they require determination. WE know, but we often deny that the path to personal success in this life is the path of hard work and sacrifice.
We also know that hard work, sacrifice and self denial are ESSENTIAL TO THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD. We know that we live in a messed up world. Even the God given order of things has been turned on its head. Those that are evil sometimes prosper and the good, the hard working and those that sacrifice are left to poverty and suffering. No matter what we do we will die. While we live we will be constantly challenged and lured and temptation of the easy way, Satan’s way. We can not work hard enough or sacrifice enough or practice enough self denial to save ourselves let alone save anyone else. That is why the Son of God, Jesus Christ came into our world. He did what none of us could do. He did what none of us was willing to do. For us HE did the hard work of our salvation. He faced our temptation to the easy way and he willingly chose the cross. There he sacrificed Himself for our sins. Through His death He gives us new life. By His word and the waters of Holy Baptism He gives us a new spirit. Yes, Jesus followed the way of the cross, the hard way. As He did, the way got harder, the numbers of those who followed dwindled until finally He died alone on Calvary alone. Yet, if He had been unwilling to lay down His life, the world would never have known the love of the Father. By His Spirit the early disciples followed Him with crosses of their own. Had they not picked up the cross and followed after Him, we still would not know about that love. If you and I do not pick up the cross in our time, make those hard choices, and assume those difficult responsibilities our children's children will not know the old, old story of Jesus and His love.
Jesus said, "If anyone would be my disciple, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." That is His call to your life and mine today. It is not the easy way. It is not the way that we would normally choose. But by God’s grace, we are invited. Yes, it is the way of hard work, sacrifice, and self denial. It is the way of the cross. It is the way of Jesus. It is the way of forgiveness and salvation. Amen!
After K. Duncan.