Daily Scripture:
Matthew 16:21 From that time on, Yeshua began making it clear to his talmidim that he had to go to Yerushalayim and endure much suffering at the hands of the elders, the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers; and that he had to be put to death; but that on the third day, he had to be raised to life. 22 Kefa took him aside and began rebuking him, “Heaven be merciful, Lord! By no means will this happen to you!” 23 But Yeshua turned his back on Kefa, saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because your thinking is from a human perspective, not from God’s perspective!”
24 Then Yeshua told his talmidim, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him say ‘No’ to himself, take up his execution-stake, and keep following me. 25 For whoever wants to save his own life will destroy it, but whoever destroys his life for my sake will find it. 26 What good will it do someone if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or, what can a person give in exchange for his life? 27 For the Son of Man will come in his Father’s glory, with his angels; and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct. (Complete Jewish Bible).
Reflection Questions:
When Jesus told his closest followers that he faced death on the cross, Peter (as usual the most outspoken disciple) tried to talk Jesus out of the idea. Instead, Jesus “doubled down,” telling Peter that he called ALL his followers to “take up their cross.” What would be the point, he asked, of pursuing earthly wealth or prestige in ways that gave up God’s offer of life in eternity? “Why would people gain the whole world but lose their lives?”
- What do you believe it means for you to “take up your cross” and follow Jesus? “Taking up your cross,” wrote Pastor Myron Augsberger, involves three steps: “(1) making up one’s mind; (2) giving up one’s autonomy; and (3) taking up one’s identity.”* In your spiritual journey so far, in what ways have you made up your mind to follow Jesus, given up your autonomy to his leadership, and taken up your identity and purpose as a Christ-follower? In what ways are you asking God to help you grow in each of those life choices? In what ways have you already found your true self as you follow Christ?
- Peter, like almost all first-century Jews, expected a conquering Messiah, a figure of intimidating power. That made it hard for him to understand Jesus' words about self-sacrifice. What assumptions about life, success and greatness do you have that make it harder for you to accept Jesus' teaching about a truly great life legacy? What has helped your thinking to reach beyond those inherited cultural assumptions?
Lord Jesus, so many voices tell me that avoiding pain and sacrifice is the way to a good life. Your call to leave a legacy is highly counter-cultural. Let my lesser self die, so that a greater self shaped by you may be born. Amen.
* Myron S. Augsberger, The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 24: Matthew. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982, comment on Matthew 16:24.
Melanie Hill is the Guest Connections Program Director at Resurrection.
Before my family and I moved to Kansas City, we lived for a short time just outside of Richmond, Virginia. At the time we had two small children and one car. On the days that my husband had the car at work I spent a lot of time taking the kids for walks in the stroller around the community and the nearby lake.
I remember that along my preferred route there was a small unmarked gravestone in the middle of a field. Every day I would pass by it, and often I wondered whose life it was meant to mark. The name on the tombstone had long ago worn off and, try as I might, I couldn’t find any information about whose grave it was. For a while it frustrated me. Here was someone's last resting place—someone’s son or daughter, husband or wife. It seemed wrong that no one remembered who was laid to rest there.
As our walks continued, I would listen to my kids laughing or singing silly songs as we headed to the park, and my mind drifted to other thoughts about legacies. Someday when my life on earth was done, what would my own children remember about me? Would they remember these walks to the park and time spent on the swings, or that I was too busy, tired, or overworked to play with them? I thought about what I hoped they would say to each other at my funeral someday. I hoped it would be things like:
- Mom sure knew how to have fun and laugh
- She taught me the value of serving others
- She embraced aging with style and pizazz (I expect to rock my wrinkles and fashion in old age, not to mention embarrassing my kids)
- I learned how to love other people from her example
- She introduced me to Jesus
- She made the best enchiladas on the planet (I’m hopeful that at least one of them will say this...)
Every day I am leaving a legacy in the way I teach my children, in the way I love my neighbor, and in the way I serve God. When you start to think about your legacy as something you are building in the here and now, you get to see the fruit of your labor while you can enjoy it.
After serving in youth ministry for 14 years, I am now seeing former students serving in ministry and forging the way for another generation. I see them innovating new ways to reach out to the hurting and connect with the lonely. Each one of those students is a part of my legacy. When I see one of my own children excited to serve others I get a glimpse of my legacy. I see it in the kindness one of my volunteers shows to a new guest.
In getting to see my legacy taking shape every day, I’m no longer worried about the fact that someday someone may walk past my gravestone and not know who is there. My legacy won’t lie in my final resting place, but in the lives of those I have invested in. My legacy will be a thread woven throughout the lives of those I have loved well.
What legacy are you building?
Like this post? Share it!
You might also like:
- Prayer Tip: What Would Jesus Say About Building a Legacy?
- My ways allow you to build a substantial, durable life
- “Treat people in the same way that you want people to treat you”
- You cannot serve both God and wealth
- Seek to please God instead of trying to impress people
- Or download this week's printable GPS.
©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Church of the Resurrection
***
No comments:
Post a Comment