Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable

Intro

Several years ago Tom and I went with our Youth Group at the time to something called District Fine Arts. Essentially it is an event where students compete in various categories centered on the performing arts.

We had a young lady who had advanced to the district level and so we chaperoned the trip. And he will tell you about this experience. But let’s just say that the sleeping accommodations were less than ideal.

It was advertised that we would have a bed, and I guess you could say that technically we did. But the bed was in a small trailer crammed in with 6 other guys it was comprised of a sheet of plywood with a 1-2 inch foam pad that was so worn out that when you laid on it is disappeared.

And the best part was that we paid to sleep here rather than driving to a hotel offsite.

Let’s just say it was one of the most uncomfortable nights of sleep I ever had, and I was in the military and slept in some pretty terrible places. So that is saying something.

And I don’t know about you but I don’t normally have hip pain, but that next morning I would have thought I had just had both replaced the night before.

It was uncomfortable. And I don’t like to be uncomfortable. And I would imagine that no one in this room really likes to be uncomfortable. There isn’t much to enjoy about it.

But how many know that sometimes being uncomfortable is necessary. Sleeping on plywood wasn’t all that necessary, but there are other times where being uncomfortable is an important part in a process.

This morning we are continuing our message series Thirty Pieces of Silver. Last week we looked at the payment that Judas received to betray Jesus.

We said that somewhere along the way Judas believed that 30 pieces of silver was more valuable than what Jesus had to offer.

And it was perhaps because Judas fell prey to the first notion of a prosperity gospel where when we come to faith in Jesus all our problems go away and we are healthy and wealthy.

And we can point the finger and say how could you Judas. But I wonder if sometimes we do the same thing. If sometimes we too trade Jesus for something more valuable, in the case of today’s message, something more comfortable.

Power in the Text

Matthew 16:21 NLT 21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.

Here Jesus is predicting his death and resurrection. He is making it crystal clear if it wasn’t clear already that Jesus was about to go through something terribly frightening and violent. He was about to suffer horribly.

And then he goes on to say now don’t you worry disciples. Though I am about to suffer terribly, you won’t have to worry about any of that. Your lives are going to be so easy and comfortable moving forward right? Isn’t that what he said?

No. Well what does he say then?

Matthew 16:24-28 NLT 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28 And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

This passage speaks directly to the false idea that following Jesus means being comfortable.

Directly after foretelling his death and resurrection in verse 21, Jesus tells his disciples that following him will be decidedly uncomfortable.

It asks us to deny ourselves (v. 24), willingly give up ourselves for others and for Jesus (v. 25), and follow him (v. 24).

There is no earthly comfort that is more valuable than the kingdom life (vv. 27–28). And Jesus lets the disciples sit with this uncomfortable truth for six days before he gives them a glimpse of his glory at his transfiguration. (Matthew 17:1–8).

Big Idea/Why it Matters

We love to focus on the glory of the resurrection, and rightfully so: it is glorious! But it’s important to understand both what Jesus was revealing about his coming death and what it means to truly follow him.

N. T. Wright notes, “Following him will cost everything and give everything. There are no half measures on this journey”

Being comfortable isn’t the goal. The goal is the glory of the kingdom of God. But there is a caveat. To experience this glory, you must first do as Jesus did and take up the cross.

Why? Why is it so important that we take up our cross daily. Why can’t we just be comfortable and do the easy thing?

Why does Christianity have to be uncomfortable?

C. S. Lewis once said, “I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity”.

As I mentioned a few minutes ago, not very many of us would argue that being comfortable is not enjoyable. Whether it’s clothing, furniture, vehicles, or foods, there is a market for comfort.

Sometimes, however, the most comfortable things are not the best things for the situation. Consider the work boots of a person who spends all day on their feet, doing labor-intensive work outdoors. Even a hiker can relate to this situation.

A slipper, though comfortable and perfect for lounging around the house, is not the right shoe for the job. This person needs a sturdy, supportive, protective boot.

Straight out of the box, this shoe might feel uncomfortable. It may be tight. It might feel heavy, the leather rigid, and the sole stiff.

But if you have ever worn boots like this then you know there is a break-in period where the boot conforms, and the footwear becomes more comfortable to wear.

Listen, a faith that is comfortable right out of the box is not likely to hold up to wear and tear. If we are maturing in Christ, we will experience our own breaking-in process, one that is lifelong, as we conform and transform to a clearer reflection of the image of Christ.

Every single Christian, not just certain ones. Not just missionaries, pastors, Bible teachers, or church leaders are called to be uncomfortable at times.

Suffering is part of the deal. The first place as Christians if we are doing it right where we will experience suffering is the call to abandon the things of this world. We say this is who I was and what I used to value and we abandon it.

As we begin the journey of becoming a disciple, we surrender ourselves to Jesus in association with his death. We too give our lives to death.

The cross is not the beginning of a comfortable happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our relationship with Jesus.

When Jesus called you and I to come and follow him, he called us to come and die. Only a person who has died to self can follow Jesus. This is truly the only way to become all that God is calling us to be.

We honor Christ when we are willing to abandon our comfort for a richer life in him.

Application

We all have areas of comfort and complacency. As we discussed in the first week, maybe our relative wealth means we lack no material thing, but God calls us to give generously of our finances and time.

Maybe we are comfortable in our bubble. However, God invites us to love our neighbors and be a light to those who don’t know him. How can we do that if we never leave the comfort of our existing social groups?

Maybe we are comfortable staying silent when hot-button issues might stir up emotion or conflict with our friends and family.

The Church has not always historically been very good and dealing with the uncomfortable.

All one has to do is look at how complacent much of the Church grew on the issue of slavery in this country. For many it was easier to say nothing.

That is just one example from history and today we are living in a time where we are seeing the Church do the same thing about other moral issues that it is choosing to stay silent about.

Not necessarily because it doesn’t believe in biblical truth, but because it is easier and more comfortable to say nothing at all.

We don’t want to talk about LGBTQ issues and how the Bible addresses those issues.

We don’t want to talk about gender identity issues and how they are impacting our children.

We don’t want to talk about abortion.

We don’t want to talk about the sanctity of marriage and the necessity for the nuclear family in society.

Why, because it is uncomfortable.

And frankly, there is this perception out there that if a Church does address those issues that it only comes from the Pastor.

No. If you are a Christian who is in a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching and teaching Church, you already know what God’s word says about those things.

It is everyone outside of the Church that needs to hear about it, and not from the Pastor, but from you.

Staying in your comfort zone not only hinders your continued sanctification, but also that of the people God has put in your lives, communities, and spheres of influence because if you don’t tell them the truth, who will?

We must embrace the uncomfortable, knowing that God isn’t nearly as concerned about the awkwardness as we might be.

Closing

There is a difference between being uncomfortable because God is growing or refining you and being uncomfortable because of the actions of someone else or unfortunate circumstances.

Not all discomfort is about you and God. There is a difference between discomfort and fear or pain. There will be challenging times as we walk with God.

We know that many have shared the sufferings of Christ even in their martyrdom—but be careful not to fall into warped thinking that if you aren’t miserable, you aren’t following God closely enough, or that if you are miserable, it’s because you are more holy.

Abuse is not holy, and you do not need to remain in a toxic situation in the name of being refined. God does not condemn his people to a life devoid of joy or happiness.

We can live with the tension of the uncomfortable growth as disciples and the wholehearted goodness of living in God’s love. We know the joy of the cross and the resurrection—two very different expressions of God’s goodness.

Following Jesus will be uncomfortable at times. What else should we expect as those focused on the kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of man?