Recap from last week – Romans 12 and Matthew 16 in harmony
This week, not so much
Paul continues to describe what this transformed life looks like
In Matthew’s gospel, straight after praising Peter for recognising him as God’s messiah, Jesus brings us down with a crash.
“I’m off to Jerusalem to be crucified”
We are left with the dissonance ringing in our ears.
Last week talked about living between heaven and earth.
This week we see the two in stark contrast – Paul describing our own heavenly heart. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Jesus bringing us back down to the tragic, painful realities of life on earth
There’s a gulf in between
What are we supposed to do with this?
Peter looks at Jesus, not with the world’s eyes, but he catches a glimpse of the perfect son, through the eyes of his father in heaven. (Father’s Day, boxed off)
It’s a perfect, crystalline moment. Then Jesus shatters it.
I’m off to die. You’d better be prepared to come with me on this road of suffering and death.
It’s not exactly what we signed up for, is it?
When we gave our lives to Jesus, when we decided to follow Jesus, when we were saved, how many of us expected to pay with our lives?
I must admit, if I was in this situation. Seeing someone I loved fulfil my deepest longings. Seeing miracles. Seeing God’s kingdom at hand I would react in exactly the same way that Peter does. Who wouldn’t? Who would willingly walk along that road to Jerusalem with Jesus, knowing that it would end in his death. Knowing, that it might just end in mine.
I would do everything in my power to stop it from happening. And I’d have those painful words ringing in my ears. “Get behind me Satan, you’re only concerned about yourself.”
Paul’s vision of heavenly life is so It’s perfect. It’s true. It’s more true than the truest thing, and we know that it is what our hearts desire, and yet it is always just out of reach.
U2 captured this paradox of human desire for God and good in their song “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”. I know what it is, but it’s always just out of reach.
In Paul’s words, we hear an echo of heaven, but somehow it never seems to come to earth.
Jesus takes us off in a different direction entirely. “whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
Are we ready to lose our lives?
Are we ready to journey with Christ down that hardest road of all?
“Discipleship is a commitment to live not on the basis of reward for faith but, rather, despite the lack of any obvious reward.”
When we see Christ’s journey to Jerusalem and the cross through human eyes we see only suffering and loss. But Jesus shows us something different: because in that journey to the cross Jesus shows us what love really looks like. Jesus shows us goodness that is truly good. Jesus shows us humility, honouring others above himself. He retains his zeal and fervour. He is hopeful, patient, faithful, prayerful. He shares. He invites us in, offers us all that he has. He blesses those who persecute him, he rejoices, he mourns. Jesus, on the cross, in the midst of chaos, brings us peace. He is not overcome but evil, but he overcomes evil with good.
Jesus, in the midst of his suffering, on his journey to the cross, lives the transformed life to which we are called.
And so we realise that these two stories that seemed so jarring, so dissonant, were in perfect harmony all along.
Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you’ve been trying to live this transformed life, and yet no matter how hard you try, you always fall short. Let yourself down. I know the feeling. Maybe it’s time to let go. To lose the life that you were never going to win, and just give yourself up to the love of Jesus.
Maybe you know all too well what it is like to walk that Jerusalem road of suffering with someone you love, or even on your own. I want you to know that you are not alone. Sometimes you can’t make it on your own, but Jesus walks that road with as well.
Maybe you’ve been on this journey for some time and the love and peace and joy you have has grown dry.
Maybe you’re ready for a life to be transformed. Not to be magically fixed and suddenly perfect, but maybe you’re ready to be helped to your feet and take that next step along the way, in spite to the lack of any obvious reward.
Christ’s love will transform the world. It started with Peter. It started with Paul. It starts again in me and you. Tomorrow. Every day. World without end.
All of it starts in Christ. The Messiah. In his journey to Jerusalem. In his journey to the cross. A journey for me. A journey for you. A journey that leads into life, transformed.
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” — 1 John 4:11-12. Powered by BibleGateway.com.
