Following Rabbi Jesus - Part 1

In Matthew 16:24-27 Rabbi Jesus communicates what is necessary to possess Him as Savior. In so doing He also invites us to discover the key to securing its goal – eternity with Him in Paradise. 1. If you want Jesus to be your Savior then you must live the rest of your life rejecting the belief that the most valuable things in this life are those that advance/improve self-image or pleasure (24a).1.1. “come after Me” = Possess Me as Savior (for the purpose of salvation) (Isa 55:1-4 w/Mat 16:13-16). Notice it is conditional (“If anyone wishes to…”). IOW: wanting Him or salvation is not enough to possess Him or it (Luk 13:22-24) = Jesus by His mention of “many” not being “able” to “enter” confirms this man’s concern that there are “just a few who are being saved.” The reason however is not because the “many” do not desire it (“for many, I tell you will seek to enter”). Rather, it is due to the fact that though they want to be saved they refuse the pain and unpopular path (“Strive” [Grk., agonizomai; agonize] = Fight or compete [like an athlete] under great stress and strain; Joh 18:36; 1Ti 6:12; 1Co 9:25 [athlete – literally, agonizing one]; “narrow” [Grk., stenos; constrictive] = The gospel message that truly saves is the one that constricts [i.e., places necessary obligations/constraints on its recipients – e.g., obedience] rather than accommodates [i.e., places no such obligations/constraints – e.g., FAG; Mat 7:13-14 “borad” = accomodating]; e.g., most Americans wish they were independently wealthy, but few are willing to do what it takes to make it a reality). 1.2. “he must deny [reject] himself” = We must deny/reject the belief that the most valuable things in this life are those things which advance/improve my self-image or pleasure.“and take up his cross” = The jettisoning of this belief system must be permanent (until you die [cross was an execution device]). IOW: your life will now longer reflect this way of thinking/belief – which implies (also) daily practice (Luk 9:23). 1.3. Jesus’ demand for denial/rejection in this area is related to our identity as image-bearers. Because we are image-bearers, we are hard-wired to love and seek those things we believe to be the greatest value-add to image – either our image or the image of God. As a result, we will always love the most (or are most loyal to – or lost without), what we believe to be the thing(s) producing the most value (Mat 6:21 “treasure” = things believed to possess the most value; “heart” = what you love [are most loyal to or lost without]).1.4. What (then) Jesus is not talking about: becoming “the navy seal of ‘no’”. IOW: the key to getting to heaven is not growing in self-discipline (Col 2:23; 1Ti 4:8). It is instead about changing whose image we are attempting to advance from self to God – which means believing that the most valuable things in this life are those things that promote that – His image (not ours).2. Possessing Jesus as Savior will also mean adopting His belief that the most valuable things in this life are those that advance/improve God’s image and pleasure (24b).2.1. “follow Me” = Language indicating a Rabbi – disciple relationship (the disciples of a Rabbi were said to follow him). As such, what is meant by this word “follow” is more than simply obey his teaching, but imitate his life. Hence the reason, Jewish disciples would often live with their rabbis (so they could imitate his life). The requirement therefore to “follow [Jesus]” is a call to see as most valuable in this life those things Jesus saw as most valuable – to adopt His view or belief in this respect. 2.2. And for Jesus, the things most valuable, were those that advanced/improved God’s image. As a result, this is what He was most passionate about – what He most loved. He was most loyal to (or lost without) the promotion of God’s image and pleasure (versus His own). Hence (Joh 8:29). This is confirmed also by Jesus’ rebuke of Peter in (vv21-23 “God’s interests” were the interests – the thing most valuable to Jesus).2.3. This (again) is what Jesus lived for and what we must live for if we are to follow (or imitate) Him as our Rabbi and get to heaven: we must see as the things most valuable in this life – and therefore most love (be loyal to or lost without), those things which advance or improve God’s image.2.4. Principles then not to miss: 1) Whatever you choose to believe are the most valuable things in this life will be what you most love (are loyal to or lost without). Again (Mat 6:21) = Love (what we feel loyalty to or are lost without) is always the result of what we chose to believe as most valuable. And…2) What you believe to be most valuable will always be determined by whose image you are attempting to advance or improve in this life: yours or God. These two things are at the heart of what Rabbi Jesus is teaching ...