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Introduction
We live in a day in which we are warned against religious extremism.
The term came onto my radar when I was in the 10th grade as I watched live on television the collapse of the twin towers in NYC on September 11.
We’ve seen these attacks more and more frequently as extremists have blown up others and themselves, all in the name of their alleged gods and their definition of righteousness and justice.
And, I think that we’ve even begun to apply those same thoughts to our own Christian faith.
Many want to consider themselves Christians, but not extremists, not those that eat, breathe, and sleep religion.
We want to be considered balanced.
It’s not a stretch to say that what each of us most want to be in the eyes of others is just ‘normal.’
We want everyone to consider us to be normal and not extreme.
But, when we begin to consider the extent of what Jesus taught the gospel to be and it’s bearings on the Christian life, then we must realize that there is not extreme too great for the true, born-again Christian.
For you cannot be too repentant or too humble.
You cannot be too joyful or too loving.
You cannot be too kind or too patient.
If you believe Jesus’ teachings on eternal reward, you cannot be too sacrificial or too self-denying.
You cannot be too forgiving or too merciful.
You cannot live too generously or too faithfully.
For the Christian, the world is not put at risk by our extremism, rather the world is preserved by it, the world is illumined by it.
And, for you personally, you cannot be too extreme in your Christian life for the very fact that you cannot trust God too much.
This morning, we’re going to see a disciple of Jesus who many of his other disciples believed was too extreme in her offerings to Christ.
God’s Word
Read
An Extreme Savior
“the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified” In chapters 24 and 25, Jesus has shared with his disciples about a glorious future that He will enjoy and that they will enjoy with him.
Now, He brings them back to the grim present.
Before He returns in power and glory, He must first die in agony and humiliation.
The path to future glory goes through a very present cross.
And, Jesus has taught us that this is not only the pattern of his life but the pattern of the lives of all those who will follow him.
After announcing his impending suffering to his disciples in chapter 16, he had told them, “Anyone who will come after me, must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.”
That is, for all of us who bear the name of Christ, a day of reward is coming, but first is the day of suffering.
We will bear the cross before we receive the crown.
“You know that after two days the Passover is coming” For us to understand all the full glory of this passage, it’s important for us to think about the timeline.
First, I want you to consider that Jesus went to Jerusalem knowing He would die there.
Matthew makes it clear to us that Jesus knew the timing and method of his execution before his executioners did.
He announces for the first time in the Gospels that ‘after two days’ He ‘will be delivered up to be crucified.’
The only thing worse than a terrible experience is the dread of one that you know is coming.
Can you imagine how difficult it would be to face cancer if you knew the exact day that you were to be diagnosed?
Can you imagine the psychological toll it would take on you if you knew the day of your child's death?
Imagine knowing that on a particular day that you are going to be tortured and murdered for a crime that you didn't commit.
This is Jesus.
Jesus isn't just to be crucified; He lives every day with the dread of crucifixion.
And yet, knowing the hardship of what was ahead, He pressed on toward the cross anyway.
Is there any clearer evidence of Jesus' obedience than his knowledge of what was to come and yet his unwavering willingness to face it any way?
He welcomed Judas into his inner circle knowing that he was Benedict Arnold.
He rode into Jerusalem on Sunday knowing that He would be marching up a hill called Golgotha with his own cross strapped to his back on Friday.
He ministered and cared for his disciples, knowing that they would all abandon him and that they didn't really understand him.
Is there any clearer evidence of the extremity Jesus' obedience than his knowledge of what was to come and yet his unwavering willingness to face it any way?
He welcomed Judas into his inner circle knowing that he was Benedict Arnold.
He rode into Jerusalem on Sunday knowing that He would be marching up a hill called Golgotha with his own cross strapped to his back on Friday.
He ministered and cared for his disciples, knowing that they would all abandon him and that they didn't really understand him.
Jesus Calls Us to Extreme Obedience
APPLICATION: This is why Jesus tells those interested in following him to count the costs first.
He knew that it would be extreme.
He has promised that it will bring temporary hardship and pain into your life.
Everyone who truly comes to Jesus must know that things are going to get harder before they get better.
Jesus calls his disciples to follow him in extreme obedience to his Father’s will, even if the costs are your very lives.
Are you willing to go where God is sending you even if you know that going will make your life harder and not easier?
It is too often our assumption that life is supposed to get easier as it goes along.
It's too often our assumption that following Jesus will make things easier over time.
It's too often our assumption that we will have more and make more as time goes on, but God never promises us that.
If Jesus' life is the standard of our expectation, Jesus' life was filled with suffering and hardship and so we should expect the same.
In fact, think of where Jesus' disciples will end up.
Their lives aren't going to get easier.
Their lives are going to get harder, and they will get harder, each one of them, unto death.
APPLICATION: Our aversion to all things difficult betrays the lack of extremity and devotion in our obedience.
Why don't more adopt?
It will make their lives harder.
Why don't more go on mission?
It will make their lives harder.
Why don't more share their faith with family, friends, and co-workers?
It will make their live more difficult.
Why don't more people teach and serve and commit themselves to the church?
It will make their lives more complicated.
Why don't more people teach their children and teenagers the gospel and hold them accountable to it?
It makes their lives more complicated.
We must stop using the difficulty level as our determining factor and start asking whether or not it's what God would have for us to do.
If it's what God would have us to do, then we can do it, though difficult and impossible for us, knowing that it is not too difficult nor impossible for God to do.
When we determine our faithfulness based upon our ability or inability, based upon what is easier or more difficult, then we eliminate God from our decision-making.
We have ceased to live by faith.
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