Getting Ahead of God
Notes
Transcript
I think I have told this story a couple times so I apoliogize for those of you who have heard it.
But years ago (before I got out of shape) I ran in the Chicago marathon
and one thing that is so nice about when you are running in a marathon that is really big like the Chicago Marathon is that they have people who are there that will help pace you for the time you want to get.
So if you want to finish the marathon in 4:30 minutes you follow one guy, if you want 4:40 minutes you follow another.
And for this marathon I wanted to run a 4:30 because that is a 10 minute per mile pace for the full 26.2 miles.
And before the marathon started I planned to stick with this guy
But after it started you get really into whats happening around you.
Because you write your name on your shirt and people are chanting your name
Little kids are giving you high fives
There are rows and rows of people watching you for the full 26.2 miles
I mean it gets your adrenaline going.
And so probably within the first mile of this marathon I decided I didn’t need this guy to pace me, because I felt invisible.
I mean I couldn’t be stopped
Until I got around the half way point (I started to feel some pain)
Then I got to the 20 mile mark and I felt some really strong pain
Then I got to the 23 mile mark and I remember around this time everything is a blur,
But I remember holding onto a pole in the middle of a road trying to hold myself up while a guy random guy was yelling at me to keep going.
I did finish and I actually finished in 4:40
But you know I tell you that story because really it is the exact same thing we do with God.
Because God lays out whats best for us, He lays out this perfect plan.
Where He says look this is what I want you to do with your family
This is what I want you to do with your job
With your money
With whatever!
But then we get caught up in life and we say “I know better then God”
I know how to handle my money better then God
I know how to hand my family better then God
my job
I know how to handle whatever better then God does.
And this is an issue. Because what happens is in our life we end up looking like me at the end of that marathon.
Where we aren't doing well, where we are in pain and where we are not in the place we are supposed to be.
Because we get ahead of God where we say I know better than you.
In fact in the passage we are in (which is Mark 8:31-9:1) this is the issue.
Let me give you a quick sneak peak of it because verses 31-and part of 33 set up what the issue is.
because Jesus is teaching and this happens (verses 31-33) it says:
Mark 8:31–33 (ESV)
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! ......
So Jesus is teaching and He tells them exactly what is going to happen to Him where he gets killed.
And the disciples are listening and one of the disciples named Peter here this and he goes “No Way!”
“That cant happen!”
Because they believed that Jesus was the Messiah who would deliver them (which was true)
But they pictured this big military conquest where they would destroy the people oppressing them!
Where they would regain power and take over the area.
But the issue is Jesus says thats not how its going to happen because instead of this I am going to die and come back 3 days later.
And so you can picture Peter says that won’t happen! thats impossible!
And I love this passage because Jesus turns to Peter and says get behind me Satan, which sounds harsh doesn’t it?
But the issue is Peter was getting ahead of Jesus and instead of submitting to Jesus He actually was trying to have Jesus submit to Him
And the big issue here is that when this happens we fit Jesus into our lives instead of fitting our lives into Him.
So we might know God wants us to give up something that is holding us back in our relationship with Him but it seems like that sounds crazy
How could God ask me to wait to have sex until marriage?
How could God ask me to give that up
How could God ask me to tithe?
But can I be honest this morning? Because when we do this we think we are following God.
But in reality we are creating our own lower case) jesus where we live a nice life, do good things, but never sacrifice for God.
And to be honest this is adultery
And to be even more honest I believe a lot of Christians wrestle with this and do not even recognize it.
So this morning my hope for us is that we can look and see if this is something we do
and so I know that was a long intro but here is the good news we can get back. and in this passage Jesus tells us how.
so look at these next part of the passage picking up with the second half of verse 33 because it says this:
Mark 8:33–34 (ESV)
33 ....For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
So the first thing Jesus says is you need to stop setting your mind on things of man and start setting your mind on the things of God.
Because so often we start in our walk with God and we have the wrong target
where we say this is how God wants to move in my life or in our church instead of looking at how God want’s too.
Its almost like if you ever have been bowling a lot of people think you stare at the middle pin to get s strike right?
And you can and you might get a strike
But I actually discovered from a friend that bowls that when you are bowling you you actually do not stare at the middle pin, but instead you stare at the dots on the ground.
And I thought it was crazy, but I did it and I think I got the highest score I have ever gotten.
But you know that our issue. We stare at the things of the world and of man instead of staring that the things of God.
And so in this verse Jesus says 3 things to get your orientation back on the right target.
He says first you need to deny yourself
Meaning that you want to disown the sinful things that your life was previously full of
Meaning if there were things that caused you to rebel against God get rid of them right?
But Jesus does not just want you to stop there because then He says take up your cross
And this is a powerful statement because in Roman culture when they would put you to death they would have you physically carry the cross (which was what they would kill you on) to the spot they would kill you)
And so in a way is represented that even in your death you were completely submitted to the Roman government
And Jesus is not cruel like that, but He is saying this is the type of submission I want to see from you.
Where in your life you have complete submission where everything in your life is constantly submitted to God.
And look at this last part because Jesus says take up your cross and follow Jesus.
Meaning don’t just say I will submit, but follow through and follow God.
Well look at this next verse (verse 35) because it says what will happen when you do this. It says:
35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.
You know this verse throws a lot of us off doesn’t it? Because we read it and we say I don’t want to loose my life!
And even if I did, how would that save it?
But heres the thing because in this verse Jesus is saying I want you to loose that life in which you disowned, because it distorts you.
Its almost like this, I am terrible at shoveling my driveway, If you ever pull into our driveway it is just a bunch of flattened snow.
And so when you pull in or out of our driveway during the winter it feels like you are off roading, because of all the snow.
And because of it sometimes people get stuck or trip and its actually can become a problem.
And if you were to gauge our driveway with snow on it you would probably say Pastor you need a new driveway.
But whats amazing is when I actually shovel the snow and scape off the ice, our driveway is smooth and it isn’t like off roading and thats our true driveway.
But you know Jesus recognizes when we have sin in our life it distorts us like that where our lives become bumpy and difficult
And we do not want to live a life like that right?
And so Jesus is saying loose that life, because when you do those bumps will be scraped off and you will reflect who you truly are which is a child of God.
Well look at these next verse (verse 36) because Jesus really explains and expands this idea. Because he says this:
Mark 8:36 (ESV)
36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
You know like I said loosing our life is kind of a hard concept to understand, because who would want to do that?
And Jesus says well if you don’t loose your self, and you gain the whole world, what is the point?
Because things of this world are temporary aren’t they?
I mean your job is temporary
Your car is a temporary thing
Money is temporary
And so sure you can have the world, but it only takes a moment to loose it all and even if you don’t eventually you will.
And so Paul is saying that the things of this world might seem important, but there actual value is not as high as we think.
It would be like if I decided I was going to buy blockbuster (does everyone remember blockbuster?)
There are not many around anymore haha
But I decided to sell everything I own to purchase blockbuster
Because now I can say I am not just the pastor of our church but I am the CEO and president of a nationally known company (and you guys would be impressed)
But then you would ask which company and I would tell you
and guys would probably thinking Pastor what are you doing? That might be the worse investment in the world!
because blockbuster is pretty much worth nothing and it is not going to make a comeback
I am basically the CEO of nothing, right?
But thats what Jesus is saying here. Okay its neat you have a lot, but you do not really own anything?
And can I just say we love to do this, because we pour ourselves into building our own kingdom but in the end our own kingdom is not worth much.
And look at these next couple verses (verses 37-38) because the outlook is bad. It says this:
37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
So Jesus says what can a man give in return for His soul?
Basically once your off track is there something that can be done about it?
And from what we can tell Jesus is saying there is nothing because you already gave your everything.
I mean if I traded my car, my house (if I owned it) and everything I own to buy this blockbuster I have nothing else where I can get my stuff back
Instead I am stuck with this worthless franchise
And the terrible thing is if I am on my own there is almost nothing I can do to dig myself out of the whole I have built.
And its the same with this, because when we choose to build our own kingdom we have invested in something that is worth very little and our soul has been corrupted because of the sin that has polluted our heart.
I mean the outlook is not great is it?
But look at this last verse we are in today, because it changes everything for us (chapter 9 verse 1) it says this:
Mark 9:1 (ESV)
And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”
You know it seems hopeless doesn’t it, but here is what Jesus says: The Kingdom of God is coming.
and really what Jesus is saying here is He is telling the disciples I am going to usher in the kingdom of heaven by dying on the cross, resurrecting 3 days later.
And really He is saying this is the hope:
Because you can’t bail your self out, but Jesus is saying I am bailing you out.
And really Jesus is telling them get ready for this change because it you may be stuck but I am ready to take your sin andthat sin is nailed to the cross
So you are not stuck in sin, but you can come alive in Christ.
And so this morning can I just ask you: Have you gotten ahead of God?
Have you found yourself caught making your perfect little god that you lost sight of Thee God.
What would it look like this morning if we got behind God and stopped aiming at the wrong target and began to loose our life so we can have a life in Christ?
Because the truth is you may have built your kingdom and you may even realize today that its a bad investment.
But here the thing we have a God who is offering you a bail out, and not just that He is offering you a new life.
And we can say yes or we can say no.
Can I just ask you this morning what would it look like this morning to move from being ahead to following our God.
Will you pray with me?