3rd Sunday after Pentecost

Today’s Gospel lesson places before us the image of Peter who on the one hand confesses Jesus as the Christ but then turns around and rebukes Jesus for talking about His suffering and death that is to come. Jesus says, “For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Mark 8:33, ESV) [1] Peter was earthly focused and was thinking about earthly things not spiritual things. He was caught in the trap we often fall into of striving for success in this world and forgetting where our true place is to be.

And that is were Jesus turns to the crowd and says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35, ESV) [2]

The title of my sermon for today and the message I am bringing to you is a fun one for me. Why? Because I get to call you LOSERS! Ok, I am a LOSER too. But that is the message Jesus is speaking to His disciples and to us today – we are to be losers for the Gospel if we want to be eternal winners in God’s kingdom. This message is a reality check for us as it was for Peter – what do we see as success in our lives; the world or God?

I like the term loser here because I think it carries more weight in our minds. In our church jargon I believe we have sanitized the word sin. When we use it we think of it as having made a mistake or “being human.” That is too weak of a view. Sin is the condition that we are in, it is our brokenness, our corruption, our lost-ness in the eyes of God. In reality we are unable to do anything good. We are losers! That is a term we hate. As children it was a word spoken that would destroy another person – “You are a loser!” Even as adults we hate to hear this word spoken about us. But we are losers because of sin. We are total losers in God’s eyes.

You may be thinking, “But Pastor, what about all the things that God tells us we are to do? What about following the Ten Commandments or the Golden Rule? How can we do that if we are losers?” Those are good questions and the brief answer is we can’t. God’s law shows us how far we have fallen. Romans says ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The harsh reality is the Law of God condemns us. But here is where the beauty of the Gospel comes in. The apostle Paul says to us, "But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved!)" (Ephesians 2:4-5, NLT) [3] That is the wonderful message of the Gospel!

To receive God’s message of salvation, to know that we need Christ and Him alone, we need to recognize that we are losers. That is not a term we readily put on ourselves but it is one by which we come to see our place in God’s plan of salvation. Our Old Testament reading for today out of Ezekiel spoke of our God as a shepherd seeking after His sheep. Did you hear who he went after? The ones who were lost or weak, or injured or straying. God seeks after the losers. But did you also hear what he does to the strong? He destroys the strong! Those sound like harsh words, and they are. But destruction may not mean total ruin. I believe what is going on in this passage is a warning for those who think they are not losers and can “redeem” themselves. God brings destruction to them and maybe in their brokenness they will see that they are losers in need of God’s salvation.

The world’s view is selfish and self focused. What can I do myself to make myself look good or be good. But this view is flawed according to the Bible. Paul said the wisdom of this world is foolishness because it doesn’t know the truth. The truth is you and I are losers because of sin, but that God came to us to offer salvation to those who recognize they are losers and cling to the Lord for salvation. The world tries in vain to redeem itself and in the process loses. But those who lose themselves to this life, for the sake of the Gospel, gain eternal reward.

There is another truth there – this life is not our home. This world, this place we are now isn’t our true life. Heaven is our home. Eternal life with God is the ultimate place to be. So don’t settle for second best! Too often we want to make things “perfect” here. And it is not wrong to try to help others and make things better, but know that it is only temporary. God wants us to long for His home – eternal life. We are unsettled here, troubles come our way, we are losers in this life because this isn’t our place or home. It is ok to say this life hurts, this life is bad, this life is horrible, because it isn’t the end for those in Christ. So don’t settle for second best. Become a loser in this life and cling to God for your eternal reward.

People enter into counseling to gain some healing in their life. But to do that they have to admit that something is wrong. They have to take off their mask that says I am ok and realize that their life does have problems. And in admitting they are flawed or broken then true healing can take place. It is a difficult process but one that is so renewing. When we deny our faults we put on a mask that says everything is ok, when it isn’t. And when we do that we create more hurt and more problems in our life. But when we are open and honest in our feelings and our “brokenness” then true healing can take place.

It is the same in our spiritual life. If we say we are ok, or not that bad, we deny the truth of the sin within us. We put on a spiritual mask and are not honest with ourselves and with God. And we continue to fall apart. We are losers denying our lost-ness. But when we come to the foot of the cross and confess our sins, recognize our brokenness, see ourselves as losers, then God’s healing touch comes to us and forgives us and makes us new. Don’t deny the healing power of God by saying you are not lost in sin. Come broken to God and know that He provides true salvation. Without God we are nothing, in God we are made new. Without God we are losers, with God we are winners.

The world is going to call you a loser as you are honest about your sinfulness and need for Christ for salvation. The world thinks of the Gospel as foolishness. But we know that it is true wisdom. In the cross, in that torture instrument used for criminals, Jesus took on our sin, our brokenness, to make us whole. The message that comes out clear in the Bible is Jesus seeks after the losers, the lost sheep, the lost coin, the shepherd, the prodigal son, etc. Jesus says to Peter and to you and me – be lost to this world and I will make you a winner in My kingdom.

Are you a loser? I hope you are for the sake of the Gospel. Don’t settle for second best but lose yourself and gain God. Let Jesus take control of your life. Take off your mask and be honest with you broken, lost self and may God fill you with is overwhelming love and mercy. You are a loser saved by grace. Amen.

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[1] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.). Wheaton: Good News Publishers.

[2] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.). Wheaton: Good News Publishers.

[3] Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.