The Line In The Sand

The Line in the Sand Read Matthew 10:32-39 The Jews had expected Christ to reign as a physical king. What is often the expectation of people seeking Christ in our day? The mistake of Jews in Jesus’ day was the expectation of a physical king. The mistake of our day is to expect Jesus will make everything right. Suddenly life will make sense, relationships will smooth out, true peace. Stepping to Christ means crossing a line. He is an adversary on the playground of this world, who’s drawn a line in the sand. To step across that line, you don’t just step to Christ, you also step away from others. You’ll know you’ve stepped to Christ, if they know you’ve stepped to Christ. In the context of this passage, what does it mean that God doesn’t violate His own rules? God doesn’t violate his rules. Kids still living under authority of their parents still need to honor their parents. A husband who feels called to missions, but who's wife is not on board, stays put. You made a covenant vow to her and God. The Line in the Sand – The Supremacy of Christ We are not called to hate our families. We are called to allow Christ to reign supreme in everything. vs.37-39 What is the point of carrying our cross? v.38 Only one reason you’re carrying a cross. You know where you’re headed. That’s the idea, especially in light of this chapter. Persecution is part of the package. Some of these guys, it seems, would follow Christ in crucifixion. To me, this is one of the greatest proofs of the resurrection. I’m not carrying a cross ten feet if Jesus didn’t get up from the dead. Other than Judas Iscariot, none of the disciples turned. And these were largely uneducated, simple men with nothing to gain. I like what William MacDonald says, “our temptation is to hug our life.” But, this is the greatest waste of a life—to spend it in the gratification of self. “The greatest use of a life is to spend it in the service of Christ.” Whoever hands their life over to Christ will receive it back, as it should be. It’s like handing over a puzzle. He’s the only one that can put the pieces together for you. There was probably a difference in the way the disciples processed this before, then after, the crucifixion. We are not called to die, but to live with abandon! Not a call to die. In Christ, you’re already dead. Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Great soldiers are focused on their mission, not the preservation of their own lives. Focus on preservation of life; owned by fear. The person dragging around a cross only has one destination. What does it look like when you start to embrace this? Mark 8:34-38 “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels.” Either live for self, or live for Christ. How am I living with abandon? No one can answer that question for you. But, you need to answer that question, or you might find your life, and lose everything.