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[ "The Wonderful Cross" begins ]
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¤¤ >> You sing.
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>> "Oh, the wonderful."
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>> Sing, "Love so amazing."
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>> How amazing
is the cross? Amen?
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This is our
scripture reading this morning.
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It's Luke 9:23-25.
"Then he said to them all:
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'Whoever wants to be my disciple
must deny themselves and take up
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their cross daily" --
daily -- and follow me.
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For whoever wants to save their
life will lose it, but whoever
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loses their life
for me will save it.
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What good is it for someone
to gain the whole world, and yet
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lose or forfeit
their very self?"
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And with that, I want
everyone to sing this last one.
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That we may
commit our lives daily.
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Let's see the church stand
for this last song that we sing.
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This song is powerful.
It's a way of committing.
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That daily commitment to
take up your cross every day.
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We sing...
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>> "Knowing my help."
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>> "Is coming."
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>> "Your peace that
you give me every day."
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>> Lift your hands.
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>> Amen! >> "You are."
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>> Whoo! Amen. Amen and amen.
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>> Amen! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
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[ Applause ]
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>> I don't want to be like the
preacher who got up and said,
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"Before I preach, I want to say
something"... but I want to say
something before I preach.
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[ Laughter ]
00:15:09.14\00:15:11.21
I want to take a moment to
let you know that, for Karen
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and me, last Sabbath
morning and afternoon were --
00:15:14.04\00:15:20.32
was an experience we
will never, ever forget.
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Man, you guys know how to love
on people around here. And you
sure made your pastor
00:15:26.15\00:15:32.59
and his wife feel the
love. Thank you for that gift.
00:15:32.59\00:15:39.83
I said Sabbath morning, and for
both services Sabbath morning,
"I feel like I've died.
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I've died and gone to Heaven."
And then, I sat through that two
hours and 15 minutes
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of that incredible production,
and I'm saying, "Who is this guy
they're talking about?"
00:15:48.88\00:15:55.55
I'm humbly honored with that
expression of love. I'm going to
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give a shout-out to two
particular teams who made last
Sabbath possible. First of all,
00:16:02.22\00:16:07.93
our intrepid and creative Media
Ministry Team, second to none on
this planet. And I'm thinking
00:16:07.93\00:16:14.20
about Richard Parke and Gaddiel
Martínez, and I'm thinking about
00:16:14.20\00:16:18.84
Brittany Doyle and Phil Roberts
and a host of volunteers. The
00:16:18.84\00:16:26.28
amount of editing and
production, the videoing,
hundreds of hours had to go into
00:16:26.28\00:16:31.59
that, the archiving.
Unbelievable. And it just
00:16:31.59\00:16:37.46
blessed me to the core. So
I thank you. I want to thank
00:16:37.46\00:16:41.76
another team. They're called the
Farewell Planning Team. Yeah.
Becky von Dorpowski,
00:16:41.76\00:16:48.14
one half of our Head Elder team.
She with her husband, Bryan.
Becky shared this very creative
00:16:48.14\00:16:54.98
and very secretive team. I
figured out, in the end, I was
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the only one that was -- that --
What am I trying to say? I was
00:17:02.65\00:17:09.62
the only one that was surprised.
Everybody else knew everything,
00:17:09.62\00:17:12.23
everything. There was no secret,
man. It was just, "Don't tell
Dwight. Just don't tell Dwight."
00:17:12.23\00:17:16.50
And it was a total surprise.
I mean, starting from Friday
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night, all the way through to
Saturday night, oh, you can't
relive that. You just can't.
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You can't do it again. And
precious memories. Precious
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memories. And, so, I thank
everybody on that planning team.
And I'm going to mention them
00:17:29.28\00:17:33.68
in alphabetical order. I'm
thankful for Jose Bourget.
Thankful for Lisa Jardine.
00:17:33.68\00:17:41.72
I'm thankful for Esther Knott.
And you know, with Esther, you
get a twofer, you get her
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husband, whose literary
fingerprints were all over that
afternoon production.
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It was just -- It was amazing to
me. I want to thank Rodlie Ortiz
00:17:51.03\00:17:57.24
and Debbie Weithers. Karen and
I love all of you. And you did
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something that you have no idea
has impacted our lives and our
ministry. And we thank you.
00:18:03.71\00:18:10.22
I want to say a word about the
two Sabbaths coming up. Next
Sabbath is graduation.
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Man, I got to tell you
something. This is the longest
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good-bye I have ever experienced
in my life. I mean, does it end?
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Do we ever just shake hands and
say "Adiós, good-bye, and don't
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come back"? You're going to be
so worn out by the time this is
over. But I want to say a word
00:18:28.14\00:18:32.67
about May 13. That's the exact
anniversary to May 14, 1983,
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my first privileged preaching
in this great church of Pioneer
00:18:37.75\00:18:43.65
Memorial Church. And the homily
that day will be The Best is Yet
to Come. I want to share some
00:18:43.65\00:18:48.46
lessons over 50 years of
ministry, 40 years right here,
that I've learned along the way.
00:18:48.46\00:18:52.96
And I hope that's beneficial for
you. And then, May 20th will be
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our last Sabbath. We got
breakfast in church, first
00:18:55.33\00:18:57.47
service, and then we'll all be
together for our second service,
and the title of that homily,
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Any Old Bush Will Do. And that's
the gospel truth. God doesn't
00:19:02.47\00:19:08.94
care. Just give me a bush. Just
give me a bush. I'm going to
00:19:08.94\00:19:13.68
share stories that I've never
shared before. What was
happening before we even showed
00:19:13.68\00:19:17.79
up around here? There's some
stories that only I could share,
I could share with only you.
00:19:17.79\00:19:24.09
No state secrets. Those
kind of secrets stay secret in a
00:19:24.09\00:19:29.10
pastor's heart. But some stories
we'll share over the next two
Sabbaths. I'm going to pray with
00:19:29.10\00:19:35.74
you now because I'm eager to get
to the teaching today, as we
wrap up this five-part series,
00:19:35.74\00:19:39.94
Return to Calvary. The
last series needed to be at the
00:19:39.94\00:19:44.55
cross, and I'm so glad that it
is. Let's pray. Oh, God. Total
praise. Total praise.
00:19:44.55\00:19:52.95
That's what we lift to You. You
are the -- You are the giver of
00:19:52.95\00:19:59.83
all good things. You're also the
maker of all things that loves
and wants me. And because of who
00:19:59.83\00:20:06.87
you are, we give these few
moments that are left to you, do
with them whatever you wish.
00:20:06.87\00:20:12.01
Just know our minds and our
hearts are listening for You. In
Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
00:20:12.01\00:20:21.68
Read it again one
last time. Galatians 6:14.
00:20:21.68\00:20:24.85
1 Corinthians 2:2.
00:20:35.83\00:20:37.50
Why? Ah, because of the
universal summation of all
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truth. Johann von Goethe,
the German poet and playwright,
00:20:59.55\00:21:05.46
once made this expression.
You can feel the energy
00:21:05.46\00:21:10.07
behind it. He said,
"There are four things
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I hate." All right four.
00:21:12.80\00:21:17.41
Number one, tobacco
smoke. Number two, lice.
00:21:17.41\00:21:25.91
Hmm.
00:21:25.91\00:21:28.32
Number three, garlic. I happen
to love garlic. I don't love it
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on me, but I love it in me. And
then, he says there's one other.
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Tobacco smoke, lice, garlic,
and the cross. "I hate it."
00:21:41.30\00:21:47.54
Why? Because the cross
is the universal symbol
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of suffering and sacrifice. And
my question to you on this last
00:21:51.71\00:21:57.91
Sabbath of this semester is,
where does the cross stand in
your life? How does it rank in
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your life of what you love and
what you don't love? There's no
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question where it stood ranked
in the mind of Peter. And he
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will not leave us guessing where
he stands. Open your Bible to
the little Gospel of Mark.
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Mark chapter 8. We'll pick
it up in verse 31. Jesus and his
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disciples are gathered beneath
the snow-capped twin peaks of
Mount Hermon in north of
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Palestine. No spies, no scouts.
Nothing to fear. Just Jesus and
00:22:34.05\00:22:42.22
His own. He has something to
tell them. Mark 8:31. "And He"
-- Jesus -- "then began
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to teach his disciples that
the Son of Man must suffer many
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things and be rejected by the
elders, the chief priests, and
the teachers of the law,
00:22:53.64\00:22:57.01
and that he must be killed and,
after three days, rise again."
The very next line reads,
00:22:57.01\00:23:02.64
"And he spoke plainly about
this." Because the 12 hear it.
00:23:02.64\00:23:07.48
The 12 get it. But they didn't
hear it, and they didn't get it.
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And, so, three major times, from
this moment on until Calvary,
00:23:11.82\00:23:16.46
Jesus will have to repeat the
instructions as candidly and as
bluntly as he knows how.
00:23:16.46\00:23:26.67
He is now walking under the
shadow of the cross right now.
Mark 8:31, the shadow of the
00:23:26.67\00:23:33.11
cross takes over the narrative.
Darrell Bock, in dealing with
00:23:33.11\00:23:41.08
this moment, I
like the way he puts it.
00:23:41.08\00:23:42.95
That was not only true then. I
want to tell you something about
00:23:50.46\00:23:54.56
your life. The new reality in
your life right now is the way
of glory because there is nobody
00:23:54.56\00:24:01.70
here that doesn't want to be in
that way of glory. So when we'll
00:24:01.70\00:24:06.01
sing total praise in His
presence. But the way of glory
for you -- and I'm sad to admit,
00:24:06.01\00:24:14.52
for me -- is down
the road of suffering.
00:24:14.52\00:24:18.32
"Not for me," one of the
boys jumps up. "Yo, yo, yo, yo.
00:24:21.89\00:24:27.03
Excuse me." Well, you
know who it is, of course.
00:24:27.03\00:24:30.80
And in the Greek, Peter
literally physically grabs Jesus
and pulls him away.
00:24:36.34\00:24:41.08
"Wait, wait, I'm going to say
something privately to you. Come
00:24:41.08\00:24:44.91
over here, Master. I need to let
you in on a little something."
00:24:44.91\00:24:50.72
Now, Mark, the author of this
narrative, you remember his
gospel could very well be called
00:24:50.72\00:24:55.49
the Gospel According to Peter.
So Mark mercifully leaves out
what Peter actually said
00:24:55.49\00:25:01.26
to Jesus. But Matthew
was there and heard it all.
00:25:01.26\00:25:06.50
And Matthew says, "I'm going to
give you what Peter said." And,
so, if we go to Matthew,
00:25:06.50\00:25:11.61
Darrell Bock's rendition of that
verse, Matthew 16:22. "God have
mercy on you, Lord!
00:25:11.61\00:25:19.21
This will never" -- and that's
a double negative. This will no,
00:25:19.21\00:25:22.75
not ever. Do you hear me? Read
my lips. "This will never happen
to you." Let's get off of this
00:25:22.75\00:25:29.32
high horse. Jesus instantly
hears the voice of his nemesis
00:25:29.32\00:25:40.14
when those wilderness
temptations made that very same
00:25:40.14\00:25:45.74
offer. Never, double negative.
You don't have to. And according
00:25:45.74\00:25:53.82
to the Greek, Jesus yanks
himself out of Peter's grasp,
whirls around so that he has the
00:25:53.82\00:25:58.72
disciples and Peter in his gaze,
and speaks to three audiences.
Audience one, Peter.
00:25:58.72\00:26:04.29
Audience two, the disciples.
Audience three, the unseen
beings slithering in their
00:26:04.29\00:26:08.90
midst. Yeah, he knows.
00:26:08.90\00:26:13.77
"Desire of Ages" grabs this "Get
behind me, Satan." And notice
00:26:24.01\00:26:29.58
the reflection. Peter.
00:26:41.13\00:26:42.70
The italics are mine.
00:26:53.04\00:26:54.74
Out!
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The Maker of All Things loves
and wants you, and we have to do
00:27:15.26\00:27:21.37
this. Wow. Why? The
Maker of All Things loves
00:27:21.37\00:27:32.15
and wants me, that's why. Johann
von Goethe. "There are four
00:27:32.15\00:27:43.46
things I hate. Tobacco smoke,
lice, garlic, the cross." Hate
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it. Peter had no room for the
cross. Not for himself.
Certainly not for Jesus.
00:27:54.20\00:27:59.34
Makes you wonder how much room
I have for the cross. How much
00:27:59.34\00:28:07.08
room do you have for the cross
in your life? Mark 8, now go to
verse 34, and this is from
00:28:07.08\00:28:16.06
David Bentley Hart's one-man
translation, critically
acclaimed translation
00:28:16.06\00:28:20.60
of the New Testament. "And
summoning the crowd along with
00:28:20.60\00:28:25.97
His disciples, Jesus said to
them, 'If anyone wishes to come
along behind me" -- oh, I like
00:28:25.97\00:28:31.71
that -- "if anyone wishes to
come along behind me, let him
deny himself, let her deny
00:28:31.71\00:28:40.05
herself utterly and take
up their cross and follow me."
00:28:40.05\00:28:48.76
Follow me. Meade MacGuire, in
that precious short book of his,
"His Cross and Mine," writes...
00:28:48.76\00:28:56.43
Five times Jesus speaks the word
"cross" in the four gospels. Not
once is it my cross.
00:29:04.27\00:29:09.31
It's always your cross, his
cross, her cross, their cross.
It's never my cross.
00:29:09.31\00:29:13.85
You know why? Because
you cannot bear His cross.
00:29:13.85\00:29:18.29
It is unrepeatable. It is an
eternal sacrifice that would
kill you forever and ever,
00:29:18.29\00:29:24.79
amen, if you bore it. It's not
your cross. You have your own
00:29:24.79\00:29:32.03
cross. And that's the point he's
making. I have my own cross.
00:29:32.03\00:29:38.71
What are these red-letter words?
You want to follow me? Deny
00:29:38.71\00:29:44.58
yourself. Take up your
cross. Get behind me. Let's go.
00:29:44.58\00:29:50.52
That cross. What's
that mean? MacGuire again.
00:29:50.52\00:29:54.96
"In every instance, Jesus is
talking about the great crisis
in a man or a woman's life,
00:29:54.96\00:29:59.69
when we are deciding the
solemn question of our eternal
00:29:59.69\00:30:03.37
destiny." And what's that
question? Here it comes. "There
the man's own cross, the
00:30:03.37\00:30:08.10
woman's own cross stands at the
parting of the ways." There's a
00:30:08.10\00:30:13.94
cross right there. You're going
to choose one path or the other.
You can't go down the middle.
00:30:13.94\00:30:17.21
One way or the other at the
parting of the ways and that
00:30:17.21\00:30:20.58
cross. What's the question?
"Shall I live for self or for
00:30:20.58\00:30:25.85
God?" That's the choice. Shall
I advance my own interests?
00:30:25.85\00:30:35.26
Spending my life looking out
for me, me, me, me, me? Shall I
00:30:35.26\00:30:42.04
adjust my social media platform
postings? Me, me, me, me, me,
me, me, me. Shall I adjust my
00:30:42.04\00:30:53.15
purchasing and hoarding of
everything I can get my hands on
for me, me, me, me, me, me, me.
00:30:53.15\00:31:01.42
Or shall I put self down? Kick
it down. Shove it down. Push it
00:31:01.42\00:31:10.83
down. To me, the clearest
exposition I have found to
define the cross that we are to
00:31:14.20\00:31:21.14
bear are these words from the
Apostle Paul. He nailed it. This
is what it means to take
00:31:21.14\00:31:26.95
your cross. Take it up and
follow Him. Galatians 2:20. "I
00:31:26.95\00:31:31.82
am cruci--" Let's read this out
loud together. "I am crucified
00:31:31.82\00:31:36.89
with Christ; nevertheless, I
live; yet not I" -- Now, the
first person singular
00:31:36.89\00:31:41.56
in the Greek is ego, from whence
comes our word ego. You can see
that easily enough.
00:31:41.56\00:31:46.33
Let's pick it up again here...
00:31:46.33\00:31:47.87
That's the clearest definition
I can find in Scripture. What is
00:32:04.12\00:32:09.26
this cross? Get crucified with
Him. Just get crucified with
Him. Let them drive the stake
00:32:09.26\00:32:13.83
through your head if you wish.
You have to die. Just hang there
00:32:13.83\00:32:19.37
with Him for a while. I am
crucified with Christ. The cross
00:32:19.37\00:32:28.64
before you, the cross before
me today on this last Sabbath of
00:32:28.64\00:32:33.52
this semester is our answer to
the question, shall I live for
self or shall I live for God?
00:32:33.52\00:32:39.02
Must Jesus bear the cross alone
and all the world go free? No.
There's a cross for
00:32:39.02\00:32:45.79
everyone. And there's a cross
for me. So what is this cross
00:32:45.79\00:32:54.04
thing? I'm going to tell you
what it's not. Some people think
00:32:54.04\00:32:59.17
the cross is a bad marriage.
"Oh, that was just one marriage.
What a cross I had to bear."
00:32:59.17\00:33:06.98
Nope. It's
getting diabetes. Nope.
00:33:06.98\00:33:13.66
It's missing my flight at the
airport. No. Getting stuck in an
00:33:13.66\00:33:18.36
interminable red light. No.
You're describing human
annoyances and even sufferings.
00:33:18.36\00:33:24.10
But the cross does
not equal human suffering.
00:33:24.10\00:33:27.77
John R.W. Stott, in his
magnificent book, "The Cross of
00:33:32.37\00:33:38.08
Christ," makes this point. And
I hope you get it. "If we are
00:33:38.08\00:33:41.78
following Jesus with a cross on
our shoulder," all right? So
let's just say you and I have
00:33:41.78\00:33:45.45
hoisted up our individual
crosses. I have mine and you
00:33:45.45\00:33:48.79
have yours. "If we are following
Jesus with a cross on our
shoulder, there is only one
00:33:48.79\00:33:52.33
place to which we are going:
a place of crucifixion." Do you
00:33:52.33\00:33:56.67
understand that? If you're
carrying a cross, guess what?
You're headed to crucifixion.
00:33:56.67\00:34:01.30
You're not headed to a party.
You're not headed to retirement.
You're not headed to a vacation.
00:34:01.30\00:34:06.94
You're going straight to
crucifixion. If you have a
00:34:06.94\00:34:10.45
cross, you end up crucified.
Do you understand his point?
00:34:10.45\00:34:16.72
>> Amen. >> Amen. >>
In fact, Luke's rendering
00:34:31.33\00:34:37.47
that William read for us just a
moment ago... Luke's rendering,
00:34:37.47\00:34:43.78
Luke 9:23. I'll just put it back
up on the screen here. "Then
Jesus said to them all:
00:34:43.78\00:34:46.65
'Whoever wants to be my disciple
must deny themselves and take up
00:34:46.65\00:34:51.82
their cross." And William
rightfully emphasized daily.
Only Luke inserts that word.
00:34:51.82\00:35:00.16
"Take up their cross daily
and follow Him." It's a daily
00:35:00.16\00:35:06.30
decision. In fact, Frederick
Dale Bruner makes a point I
never thought of before,
00:35:06.30\00:35:09.64
and I'll putting him right up
juxtaposed to this. "Jesus asked
00:35:09.64\00:35:14.44
disciples not only to join Him"
-- but get this -- "but also to
spend the rest of their lives
00:35:14.44\00:35:20.82
with Him, in His company,
and under His teaching." Keep
00:35:20.82\00:35:25.02
reading. The Synoptic. Okay, so
this is Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
00:35:25.02\00:35:29.29
The Synoptic Gospels quote Jesus
saying, "Follow me." Yeah, we
00:35:29.29\00:35:36.23
just read it. Therefore, "the
Synoptic 'follow me' is very
much like" -- the fourth gospel,
00:35:36.23\00:35:42.94
John -- "the Johannine 'abide in
me.'" What Bruner is saying is
00:35:42.94\00:35:47.78
it's a call to with the radical
stakes of intimate fellowship.
00:35:47.78\00:35:56.12
It's intimacy. In John, He says,
"Abide in me." In the Synoptics,
He says, "Follow me."
00:35:56.12\00:36:01.72
It's the same. I want that sharp
and radical intimacy with you.
00:36:01.72\00:36:10.23
This isn't Jesus saying, "I'll
be about a mile down the road,
but just keep me in sight."
00:36:10.23\00:36:15.90
No, no, no, no, no. In fact,
let me let me put Bruner back up
00:36:15.90\00:36:20.31
here. "Jesus' invitation is
surrounded fore and aft." Now,
that's old nautical terms.
00:36:20.31\00:36:24.51
Fore, that's the front. Aft,
that's the back of the boat.
00:36:24.51\00:36:27.32
And I put in here in
brackets, "up front and behind."
00:36:27.32\00:36:30.55
The italics are his.
00:36:44.37\00:36:46.57
We have looked at this cross as
something that is negative. It's
something that, oh,
00:36:53.11\00:36:56.85
just like eating broccoli. You
got to do it. That's not what
00:36:56.85\00:37:01.88
this is at all. This is intimacy
at its highest level. I'm asking
00:37:01.88\00:37:06.25
you to get right up here.
Get right behind me. I'll be in
00:37:06.25\00:37:10.99
front. I'm millimeters ahead of
you. I'm not miles ahead of you.
I'm right in front of you.
00:37:10.99\00:37:16.97
I will open the doors for you. I
will lead you. But you be right
00:37:16.97\00:37:22.64
here. We're going together. I
have my arms around you. You're
00:37:22.64\00:37:27.71
going to be okay. When it says
to take up your cross, that's
the invitation. Draw into an
00:37:27.71\00:37:37.75
intimate relating to
the Lord Jesus himself.
00:37:37.75\00:37:39.85
How high are the stakes? Phew.
Oh, mercy. Let's just finish out
00:37:42.96\00:37:48.83
the passage
here. Okay. Keep going.
00:37:56.34\00:37:57.94
How cheap is your soul? Are
you willing to keep on the path
00:38:11.89\00:38:16.32
you're on for the sake of your
soul? Are you telling me your
soul is only worth that?
00:38:16.32\00:38:21.10
You've got to be kidding me.
You're doing all this knowing
you're giving up your soul?
00:38:21.10\00:38:25.30
You've got to be crazy, boy. Why
are you doing this? How cheap
00:38:25.30\00:38:31.77
do you consider yourself?
00:38:31.77\00:38:33.91
You want to exchange eternity
for this craziness? You got to
00:38:37.51\00:38:47.62
be kidding me. Yeah, the stakes
are high. Jesus could hardly be
clearer about the stakes for a
00:38:47.62\00:38:53.46
"no cross for me decision."
00:38:53.46\00:38:54.96
No, no, no, no, no, I'm
not going down that pathway.
00:38:55.16\00:38:58.70
Adiós. Thanks. And
let me tell you something.
00:38:58.70\00:39:00.90
No cross, no
Christ. No cross, no crown.
00:39:00.90\00:39:06.54
No suffering,
no saving. Mnh-mnh.
00:39:06.54\00:39:11.78
No cross, no
way. No loss, no win.
00:39:11.78\00:39:19.72
No cross is a
terrible way to go.
00:39:19.72\00:39:23.36
You don't want it. Trust
Jesus. You don't want it.
00:39:23.36\00:39:28.13
If anyone would come after me,
let him deny himself, let her
00:39:28.13\00:39:31.33
deny herself. Take up the cross.
00:39:31.33\00:39:32.63
Come on, get tight
here. Get tight. Stay with me.
00:39:32.63\00:39:36.84
Dietrich
Bonhoeffer. Pastor. Theologian.
00:39:39.47\00:39:45.48
Writer. Executed at the age of
39, one month before the Allied
00:39:45.48\00:39:49.75
liberation of Germany. One
month. By direct order of Adolf
00:39:49.75\00:39:54.72
Hitler himself. "I want
him dead." Hung. A martyr.
00:39:54.72\00:40:01.73
In his celebrated book, "Cost of
Discipleship," and that immortal
00:40:01.73\00:40:05.33
line, and you know that line,
and I'll get to it in a minute.
But we need to read the context
00:40:05.33\00:40:09.17
around that line. And here
we go. Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
00:40:09.17\00:40:11.71
"Cost of Discipleship."
00:40:11.71\00:40:13.48
...he, she, you, and me "have
only to pick it up; there is no
00:40:23.35\00:40:30.03
need for him" -- you and me --
"to go out and look for a cross
for ourselves, no need for us
00:40:30.03\00:40:36.16
deliberately to run after
suffering." I'm not asking you.
Jesus is not asking you
00:40:36.16\00:40:40.77
to do that. But note, again,
this intimate, tightly bound,
00:40:40.77\00:40:47.21
Christ-centered relationship.
I don't have to go and find a
00:40:47.21\00:40:50.48
cross. It'll find me. I don't
have to look for suffering.
00:40:50.48\00:40:53.95
It'll come. But I'll be
right up against His back.
00:40:53.95\00:40:59.22
And He'll be in it with me. I
will never go through anything
00:40:59.22\00:41:04.73
alone. Now comes the
memorable line of Bonhoeffer.
00:41:07.86\00:41:11.10
And here is that immortal line.
00:41:18.64\00:41:20.18
When Christ calls a woman, He
bids her come and die. He goes
00:41:24.21\00:41:30.59
on... We are bound to him. This
is intimate. Radically intimate.
00:41:44.50\00:41:53.64
It isn't bad news.
It's the best news there is.
00:41:53.64\00:41:58.65
If anyone would come after me,
let her, let him deny
themselves, take up the cross.
00:42:02.42\00:42:10.46
And follow tight. Come behind
me. Come on, tight. Tight.
00:42:10.46\00:42:14.83
We will go together, you and I.
Must Jesus bear the cross alone
and all the world go free?
00:42:14.83\00:42:23.37
No. There is a cross for
everyone. And there's a cross
00:42:23.37\00:42:32.58
for me. So, on this last Sabbath
of this semester, what's all
this mean for you and me?
00:42:32.58\00:42:38.95
Some of you are graduated next
weekend. Congratulations, by the
00:42:38.95\00:42:42.16
way. We're proud of you. What
does this mean for you and me?
00:42:42.16\00:42:46.26
Others of you are going home.
Man, I'm chasing a dream. I'm on
00:42:46.26\00:42:50.73
the up and the up. Oh, I'm proud
of you. Good for you. Some of us
are facing a career
00:42:50.73\00:42:56.04
that will draw to an end. Some
of us are facing a life that is
00:42:56.04\00:43:02.18
drawing to an end. What does
this mean for all of us? This
00:43:02.18\00:43:09.45
cross business. May I point out
that it is only in the Gospel of
Mark that we find a phrase
00:43:09.45\00:43:18.19
inserted into these familiar
words. Not in Luke, not in
Matthew. Not in John, just Mark.
00:43:18.19\00:43:24.93
Here it is, Mark 8:35. "For
whoever wants to save their life
00:43:24.93\00:43:29.37
will lose it, but whoever loses
their life for me and -- oh,
Mark says, "I'm going to insert
00:43:29.37\00:43:36.18
this here" -- "and for the
gospel will save it." My, oh,
00:43:36.18\00:43:42.82
my, oh, my. Isn't that amazing?
"And for the gospel." What's the
00:43:42.82\00:43:47.82
gospel? The Maker of All Things
loves and wants me. That's the
00:43:47.82\00:43:52.99
irreducible central truth of
this universe. The Maker of All
Things who came here, switched
00:43:52.99\00:43:59.77
places with us, died our eternal
death, that we might have his
00:43:59.77\00:44:06.31
eternal life. That's the gospel.
So Mark says, "Wait a minute."
You know, he also meant
00:44:06.31\00:44:12.08
not just for Him, but also for
His gospel, the gospel, the good
00:44:12.08\00:44:20.16
news. And by inserting that into
those red letters, what Mark is
00:44:20.16\00:44:23.99
saying is that Jesus is saying,
"When you take up the cross, you
00:44:23.99\00:44:33.10
must go for me. You must go for
me." G-O for me. It's not just
00:44:33.10\00:44:39.97
about following me. No. You must
go for me. With the people you
00:44:39.97\00:44:46.65
have sports with, you go for me
there. With the people you work
with, you go for me there.
00:44:46.65\00:44:53.22
With the people you live with,
you go for me there. You must go
00:44:53.22\00:45:01.06
for me. I'm right there. Right
in front of you. But you have to
00:45:01.06\00:45:07.20
say something. You can't just
walk around in a daze. I need
00:45:07.20\00:45:12.61
you. Go for me. By that
insertion -- oh, my, oh, my --
Jesus is saying, "Take
00:45:12.61\00:45:20.28
my good news everywhere with
you, always with you, for I'm
00:45:20.28\00:45:26.15
always with you. And it should
always be good news for you."
Wow. When I think of
00:45:26.15\00:45:30.73
that insertion -- I'm just going
to confess now and be a little
00:45:30.73\00:45:34.63
personal. When I think of that
insertion and I wrestle over
with what its implications are
00:45:34.63\00:45:42.00
for me, trust me, that's not
such a little "doesn't matter."
No, it's a big deal.
00:45:42.00\00:45:47.91
Because I wonder about my own
life. What cross does Jesus have
00:45:47.91\00:45:52.18
for me now that I end at
Pioneer? There has to still be a
00:45:52.18\00:45:57.69
cross if every line of this
means my life and your life.
There still has to be a cross.
00:45:57.69\00:46:02.02
I must still follow him. So what
does that mean? People tell me,
00:46:02.02\00:46:07.03
"Hey, listen, Dwight, let
me tell you something. You've
00:46:07.03\00:46:11.23
worked hard. 50 years in
ministry, 40 years in one
church. You deserve a break.
00:46:11.23\00:46:15.90
And just don't think that --
Don't think that God needs you
to finish His work on Earth.
00:46:15.90\00:46:20.04
He doesn't. He'll be fine."
And I get what they're trying to
00:46:20.04\00:46:24.65
say, but the pushback inside of
me says, "Yeah, but... I have no
00:46:24.65\00:46:35.59
cross now. I have no mission
now. I don't go about my
father's business now.
00:46:35.59\00:46:40.63
I go on vacation now.
How awful." [ Laughter ]
00:46:40.63\00:46:49.07
Man. I have to assume He
means me. Every ounce of my life
00:46:49.07\00:46:57.38
and every line of that
imperative. Deny yourself.
00:46:57.38\00:47:01.38
Take up your cross. Get close
behind me. And I have to then
00:47:01.38\00:47:07.79
believe that he means I must
obey the command that He has
00:47:07.79\00:47:13.93
just given. And by the way, it's
not only me. I have to believe
00:47:13.93\00:47:16.90
that He means you. Every line of
that command is for you, and you
00:47:16.90\00:47:22.30
have to obey it just as much as
I do. Nobody's going through
life now, "Well, I guess that's
00:47:22.30\00:47:28.78
done." It's not done. I think of
this nation. How are we going to
00:47:28.78\00:47:33.65
reach America in this
generation? I'm not going to
just sit here and let other
00:47:33.65\00:47:38.15
people figure that out. I have
to do something about it. I
can't just twiddle my thumbs.
00:47:38.15\00:47:47.30
There's a cross to bear. It may
not be pleasant. It may not be
00:47:47.30\00:47:53.87
what I ordered for myself, but
it's what he assigned to me. You
will bear that cross.
00:47:53.87\00:48:00.58
Up tight, get close. Get close.
You're falling back. Come here.
00:48:00.58\00:48:07.18
Hang on to me. I have to find
that cross. Or it'll find me.
00:48:07.18\00:48:14.52
We still have to take the truth
about the Maker of All Things
loves and wants me to the nation
00:48:14.52\00:48:18.39
and to the Earth. The Maker
of All Things, who is soon to
00:48:18.39\00:48:22.96
return. Do I not have a
responsibility to Him? Excuse
me. Do you not have
00:48:22.96\00:48:27.50
a responsibility to Him? Oh,
yes, you do. Oh, yes, you do.
00:48:27.50\00:48:35.14
We're all in this together,
guys. Because the one who tries
00:48:35.14\00:48:41.28
to save his life will lose it.
But the one who loses his life
for me and for the gospel
00:48:41.28\00:48:50.19
will save it. I want to end with
an altar call by telling you a
00:48:50.19\00:48:57.80
story. The 19-year-old college
student from a well-heeled
family, for part of his
00:48:57.80\00:49:02.87
education, was to visit all the
capital cities of Europe. So the
boy, the 19-year-old,
00:49:02.87\00:49:08.34
is standing today in a
Dusseldorf, Germany, art
00:49:08.34\00:49:15.32
gallery. He's been gripped by
Doménikos Ecce Homo oil
painting. Ecce Homo, Latin.
00:49:15.32\00:49:23.12
"Behold the man." He's
gazing into those tortured eyes.
00:49:23.12\00:49:29.30
Crown of thorns.
Just a bust. Rendition.
00:49:29.30\00:49:34.57
Mesmerized by it. Eventually, he
drops his eyes to the bottom of
00:49:34.57\00:49:40.14
the painting, and he sees an
inscription there with these
words. "All this I have done for
00:49:40.14\00:49:50.75
thee. What doest thou for me?"
00:49:50.75\00:49:54.92
And his heart is broken. His
life has changed. 19 years old,
00:49:58.03\00:50:06.03
guys. His life has changed. He
goes back to his home. He
gathers other young teens
00:50:06.03\00:50:11.47
around him and young adults.
He shares the vision. They band
00:50:11.47\00:50:19.15
together. First, they call
themselves the Order of the
Mustard Seed. But, eventually,
00:50:19.15\00:50:24.72
that band of young radical
disciples became, in time, the
greatest missionary movement
00:50:24.72\00:50:31.76
in the history of Christianity.
The Moravians. Young Count
00:50:31.76\00:50:38.23
Nikolaus von Zinzendorf,
their founder. As Nicholas'
00:50:38.23\00:50:46.51
biographer, A.J. Lewis, put it
this way, speaking of that art
00:50:46.51\00:50:50.78
gallery moment... He made a
decision. This is the cross.
00:51:09.10\00:51:17.17
I'll bear it. Let me fellowship
with you in your sufferings. And
the human race was changed.
00:51:17.17\00:51:25.51
Because of a 19-year-old who
said, "I'll follow close behind
00:51:25.51\00:51:32.25
you." Ladies and gentlemen,
brothers and sisters, I want to
follow close behind
00:51:32.25\00:51:37.06
Jesus, don't you? Come on.
What else are we living for?
00:51:37.06\00:51:43.60
So I invite you today to go
on record before Heaven and the
00:51:43.60\00:51:49.14
unseen witnesses who are in this
space. You're not doing it for
me. You're not doing it because
00:51:49.14\00:51:54.78
it's the end of the semester.
You're doing it because you're
00:51:54.78\00:51:58.95
under conviction. You, too, need
to deny yourself. Take up your
cross and tightly follow behind
00:51:58.95\00:52:09.62
Jesus. I need to go on record
before the same witnesses
myself. There's a sea change
00:52:09.62\00:52:15.40
coming in my own life. But it's
not going to change this truth.
00:52:15.40\00:52:21.14
The Lord of Calvary that calls
me to follow tightly behind Him
00:52:21.34\00:52:24.94
with my own
cross means business.
00:52:24.94\00:52:30.38
And I mean to stay as
close to Him, until He comes, as
00:52:30.38\00:52:33.28
is humanly possible.
Whatever that means, I mean it.
00:52:33.28\00:52:39.89
You want to stand
with me today? This is not
00:52:39.89\00:52:42.26
just a moment to
exercise. This is a moment
00:52:42.26\00:52:44.36
to say -- 'cause the
witnesses are jotting it down --
00:52:44.36\00:52:47.50
"She stood. Look at
that. He stood. Look at that.
00:52:47.50\00:52:50.83
Put it down,
Gabriel. Put it down.
00:52:50.83\00:52:53.80
The boy's standing."
00:52:53.80\00:52:55.87
Holy Spirit says, "Okay,
move in. I'm moving in now.
00:52:56.07\00:52:59.31
Because I'm not letting him
think this was just standing
before he can get out of
00:52:59.31\00:53:03.51
the building. This is standing
because I asked him to stand
00:53:03.51\00:53:06.31
and I'm not going to let him
forget that he stood." And you
00:53:06.31\00:53:11.75
and I will stand together.
We will stand together. And one
00:53:11.75\00:53:20.96
day, we will sing total praise.
And, remember, that, on that
day, we stood together with
00:53:20.96\00:53:30.61
Jesus. It's a
beautiful, beautiful hymn.
00:53:30.61\00:53:34.38
Just three short stanzas. Let's
sing it right now. Let's just
00:53:34.38\00:53:37.88
cut right to that hymn, please.
00:53:37.88\00:53:40.32
¤¤
00:53:40.52\00:53:47.66
>> O Jesus with joy, we'll
cast our golden crown. at Your
00:55:35.93\00:55:46.17
nail-scarred feet. And Your dear
name, we will repeat over and
over and over again.
00:55:46.17\00:55:56.05
Total praise. You got
us through. We made it.
00:55:56.05\00:56:03.93
Your grace was sufficient. The
Maker of All Things loved and
00:56:03.93\00:56:09.06
wanted me to the very last
breath. And now here we are with
you and each other forever and
00:56:09.06\00:56:18.57
ever. Oh, Jesus, please take
note of the decisions we made.
Some are watching right
00:56:18.57\00:56:22.61
now somewhere on this planet.
Take note of the decisions they
00:56:22.61\00:56:29.58
have made. And by the grace of
the Maker of All Things, who
loves and wants us, let us go
00:56:29.58\00:56:37.46
forth, confident that, indeed,
the best is yet to come. With a
cross on our shoulder --
00:56:37.46\00:56:47.40
crucifixion. We get it.
But then, eternity with you.
00:56:47.40\00:56:55.04
May not one of us standing
before you now be missing on
00:56:55.04\00:57:00.05
that glad day. I
humbly pray. Amen.
00:57:00.05\00:57:03.55
>> Thank you for taking the time
to join us in worship today.
00:57:06.52\00:57:08.92
I'd like to spend another moment
with you here at the end of our
00:57:08.92\00:57:11.43
program to share a word of hope.
In fact, that's what this little
00:57:11.43\00:57:13.96
book is all about. In
these uncertain times, and
00:57:13.96\00:57:16.16
let's face it, they're
uncertain all over this planet.
00:57:16.16\00:57:18.87
This book entitled, "The
Great Hope," will help you
00:57:18.87\00:57:21.40
understand not just what God has
planned for your future, but for
00:57:21.40\00:57:24.51
the future of the
entire human race.
00:57:24.51\00:57:27.01
Light keeps shining on this dark
old world and new truths long
00:57:27.01\00:57:30.15
forgotten are being
constantly rediscovered.
00:57:30.15\00:57:32.81
If you need a fresh dose of hope
for your life these days or you
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know somebody else who could
sure use that gift of hope, then
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I'd like to invite you to grab
your phone, dial our toll-free
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number, 877, the two words
HIS WILL -- 877-HIS-WILL --
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and at no charge to you, we'll
get a copy in the mail to you
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right way. Till the
next time we meet, may
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the peace and hope of the
Lord Jesus be with you 24/7.
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