MATTHEW 16:24-26 | FINDERS WEEPERS, LOSERS KEEPERS

FINDERS WEEPERS, LOSERS KEEPERS

MATTHEW 16:24-26

APRIL 2, 2017

ASTROLOGICALLY SPEAKING, I’M A VIRGO.  ACCORDING TO THE STARS, VIRGOS ARE ANALYTICAL, OBSERVANT, HELPFUL, RELIABLE, AND PRECISE.

BEFORE A VIRGO PLUNGES INTO ANYTHING FROM A PROBLEM TO A VACATION IDEA, THEY NEED TO ANALYZE ALL THE FACTS AND KNOW ALL THE DETAILS BEFORE DECIDING.

I’M ALSO A PRESBYTERIAN.  THE JOKE, WHICH HAS A LOT OF TRUTH TO IT, IS THAT PRESBYTERIANS DO THINGS “DECENTLY AND IN ORDER.”  IT’S WHY WE HAVE SO MANY RULES, SO MANY COMMITTEES, SO MUCH STRUCTURE.

I’M A LIST PERSON – A LIST FOR EVERYTHING, AND EVERYTHING ON A LIST.  THIS IS ALSO TRUE OF MY CALENDAR – I LIVE AND DIE BY MY CALENDAR, AND IF I AM SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, IT HAD BETTER BE ON MY CALENDAR.

I ARRIVE EVERYWHERE AT LEAST 5 MINUTES EARLY; I USE MY GPS EVERYWHERE I GO, EVEN TO PLACES I’VE BEEN BEFORE; AND BEFORE THE DAYS OF GPS, I WAS A MAP PERSON, AND A TRIPLE-A TRIP-TIK PERSON.

I’M STILL A MAN, HOWEVER, SO I’M NO BETTER AT ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS THAN MOST MEN; BUT THEN AGAIN, I RARELY NEED TO DO THAT, WHAT WITH EVERYTHING I’VE ALREADY TOLD YOU.

THE POINT IS – I DON’T GET LOST VERY OFTEN.  I DON’T LIKE GETTING LOST.  IT DOESN’T FIT INTO MY SCHEDULE; GETTING LOST IS NOT ACCORDING TO PLAN.

I TELL YOU ALL OF THIS, NOT AS A MATTER OF PRIDE, BUT INSTEAD, TO DEMONSTRATE TO YOU THIS MORNING’S PASSAGE.

JESUS SAYS: “THOSE WHO WANT TO SAVE THEIR LIFE WILL LOSE IT, AND THOSE WHO LOSE THEIR LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL FIND IT.”

IT’S WHY I ENTITLED MY SERMON THE WAY I DID THIS MORNING; BACKWARDS: FINDERS WEEPERS, LOSERS KEEPERS.

JESUS SAYS WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR CHRIST’S SAKE WILL FIND IT, BUT THOSE OF US WHO HOLD ON TOO TIGHTLY TO LIFE; TOO TIGHTLY TO CONTROLLING OUR LIVES;

TOO TIGHTLY TO OUR STUFF, TO THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD – WELL, WE CAN BE IN DANGER OF LOSING SIGHT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND TRUSTING GOD WITH OUR LIVES.

“FOR WHAT DOES IT PROFIT THEM IF THEY GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD BUT FORFEIT THEIR LIFE?”

I READ THIS ONCE – I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S TRUE OR NOT – BUT WHETHER IT IS OR ISN’T – THE IMAGE STILL WORKS.

WHAT I READ IS THAT TRAPPERS AND POACHERS USED TO CATCH MONKEYS IN THE JUNGLE BY WEDGING GLASS JARS IN THE BRANCHES.  INTO THE JARS THEY WOULD PLACE A BRIGHT RED RUBBER BALL.

THE MOUTH OF THE JARS WERE JUST LARGE ENOUGH FOR A MONKEY TO GET THEIR HAND IN THE JAR, BUT WHEN THEY TRIED TO GRAB THE RED RUBBER BALL, THEIR FIST WOULD BE TOO LARGE TO EXTRACT THEIR HAND.

ALL THEY NEED DO IS TURN LOOSE OF THE BALL TO FREE THEMSELVES, BUT THEY STUBBORNLY HOLD ONTO IT, BECOMING ENTRAPPED, UNTIL THE TRAPPERS ARRIVE TO CAPTURE THEM; THE MONKEYS FORFEITING THEIR LIVES OR AT LEAST THEIR FREEDOM.

AS I SAY, I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE OR NOT, BUT THE IMAGE IS WORTH CONJURING:

HOW WE HOLD ON TO OUR LIVES; TO CONTROLLING EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS; TO OUR STUFF; TO THE WAYS AND THINGS OF THIS LIFE SO TIGHTLY, THAT IT CAN WIND UP COSTING US THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

WHAT JESUS IS SAYING IN OUR PASSAGE THIS MORNING IS THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE NEED TO GIVE UP CONTROLLING EVERYTHING, PLANNING  EVERYTHING, HOLDING ON TO EVERYTHING, SO AS, TO FOLLOW JESUS.

“IF ANY WANT TO BECOME MY FOLLOWERS (NOTICE HE SAYS FOLLOWERS – NOT LEADERS, HE’S THE LEADER), LET THEM DENY THEMSELVES (THAT IS, TURN LOOSE OF WHATEVER IT IS) AND TAKE UP THEIR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.”

JESUS IS TELLING US TO LET GO OF THE RED RUBBER BALL.

HE’S TELLING US THE MORE TIGHTLY WE HOLD ON TO LIFE, AND THE THINGS OF THIS LIFE, THE MORE LIKELY WE ARE TO MISS OUT ON HIS KINGDOM.

JESUS IS TELLING US TO GET LOST!

JESUS IS GOOD AT TELLING PEOPLE TO GET LOST, OR AT LEAST, WHAT TO TURN LOOSE OF, TO FOLLOW GOD MORE NEARLY.

TO HIS FIRST DISCIPLES, JESUS SAYS TURN LOOSE OF YOUR JOBS, YOUR HOMES, YOUR FAMILIES, AND I WILL MAKE YOU “FISHERS OF MEN.”  IT WAS A LOT TO ASK, BUT SOMETHING ABOUT HIM MADE THEM DO IT.

WITH THE RICH YOUNG RULER, IT WAS THE YOUNG MAN’S WEALTH THAT SEEMED TO BE GETTING IN HIS WAY OF FOLLOWING GOD, AND JESUS TOLD HIM TO TURN LOOSE OF IT – ALL OF IT!

IN JESUS’ PRESENCE, ZACCHAEUS DECIDES TO TURN LOOSE OF HIS CHEATING WAYS, TO REPAY EVERYONE FROM WHOM HE HAS STOLEN, AND GIVE HALF OF EVERYTHING HE HAS TO THE POOR.

REPEATEDLY, JESUS ZEROES IN ON WHATEVER IT IS THAT IS PREVENTING THE PERSON FROM FOLLOWING GOD MORE NEARLY, MORE COMPLETELY, AND HE CHALLENGES THEM (CHALLENGES US) TO GIVE IT UP FOR THE GOOD OF THE KINGDOM; AND FOR OUR OWN GOOD, AS WELL.

IF YOU’RE ANYTHING LIKE ME, AS I DESCRIBED MYSELF IN THE BEGINNING, THEN YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO GET LOST;

TO GIVE UP YOUR WAY OF DOING THINGS, EVEN IF IT MEANS YOU MAY FIND A BETTER WAY, GOD’S WAY, FOR YOUR LIFE.

SO, CONTRARY TO EVERYTHING I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, GETTING LOST CAN BE A GOOD THING.

MY GUESS IS, SOME OF YOUR BEST ADVENTURES HAPPENED WHEN YOU WERE LOST.

I’M BETTING SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE STORIES BEGIN WITH: “WELL, WE GOT LOST, AND THEN…”

GETTING LOST OFTEN MEANS FINDING THINGS OFF THE BEATEN PATH THAT YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE SEEN, HAD YOU STUCK TO THE TRIP-TIK, OR GPS DIRECTIONS.

AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE AS WELL; ENCOUNTERING GOD IN THE MOST UNLIKELY OF PLACES.

THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WERE LOST IN THE WILDERNESS FOR FORTY YEARS; AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME THEY TRIED TO TAKE CONTROL, COMPLAINING TO MOSES, WORSHIPPING A GOLDEN CALF INSTEAD OF GOD, TRYING TO GO THEIR OWN WAY – THE MORE LOST THEY WERE.

BUT WHEN THEY ALLOWED GOD TO LEAD THEM (THE PILLAR OF FIRE AND SMOKE, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, LISTENING TO MOSES) THE MORE THEY FOUND GOD, FOUND THEMSELVES, AND EVENTUALLY, FOUND THEIR WAY INTO THE PROMISED LAND.

THE PROPHET ELIJAH GETS LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS WHILE TRYING TO ESCAPE A VENGEFUL QUEEN JEZEBEL, AND IT IS THERE IN THE SHEER SILENCE OF THE MOUNTAINS, THAT ELIJAH HEARS THE STILL SMALL VOICE OF GOD.

JESUS IS LOST IN THE WILDERNESS PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF HIS MINISTRY, AND IT IS THERE THAT HE IS TEMPTED WITH ALL MANNER OF TEMPTATIONS ABOUT POWER AND POSITION AND HOLDING ON TO HIS LIFE;

FENDING OFF THESE TEMPTATIONS ONE BY ONE; MINISTERED UNTO BY GOD’S OWN ANGELS, JESUS IS EMPOWERED – STRONGER THAN EVER – WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO ACCOMPLISH HIS LIFE’S WORK; HIS CALLING IN THE WORLD.

THE PRODIGAL SON LOSES HIMSELF, LOSES WHO HE REALLY IS, IN JESUS’ PARABLE, ONLY TO COME TO HIS SENSES, REALIZING HOW MUCH HIS FATHER LOVES HIM, AND SO, HE RETURNS TO HIM.

AND WHAT DOES HIS FATHER SAY UPON SEEING HIM?  “THIS IS MY SON WHO WAS LOST, BUT IS NOW FOUND; WHO WAS DEAD, AND NOW IS ALIVE.”

AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR US.

JESUS SAYS GET LOST – NOT AIMLESSLY LOST, BUT LOST FOR A REASON; FOR A PURPOSE; LOSING OUR LIVES FOR CHRIST’S SAKE; FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE CHRIST’S LOVES!

DENYING OURSELVES IS TO DENY OUR USUAL ROUTINE; OUR SET WAY OF GOING; OF DOING THINGS; OF WANTING OUR OWN WAY.

TAKING UP OUR CROSSES IS TO TAKE UP OUR FAITH IN GOD; TO GO INTO THE UNKNOWN; THE UNCERTAIN; EVEN THE DANGEROUS, AS JESUS HIMSELF DID.

IT IS TO “LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR ANOTHER,” AS JESUS DID.

“TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD IS NOTHING BY COMPARISON,” JESUS SAYS, WHEN COMPARED WITH FOLLOWING THE WAYS OF GOD.

OR TO SAY IT ANOTHER WAY, AS HE HIMSELF SAID IT: “DO NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH, WHERE MOTH AND RUST DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK IN AND STEAL.  BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN…”

AND THIS: “FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURES ARE, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE…”

IN THIS – JESUS IS NOT ONLY TELLING US – “YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU…” BUT ALSO, WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING WITH IT WHILE WE ARE HERE!

SO, ON CHRIST’S BEHALF, IF I MAY BE SO BOLD, LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL OF YOU, FOR SPENDING YOUR LIVES, YOUR TIME, TALENTS, AND TREASURES, IN SERVICE OF GOD’S KINGDOM.

FOR – WHENEVER AND WHEREVER, YOU HAVE “LAID DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR ANOTHER…”

FOR – HOWEVER – IT IS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOWED CHRIST, WHEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER, LESS COSTLY, TO SIMPLY GO YOUR OWN WAY.

FOR – THOSE TIMES WHEN YOU’VE LOST SOMETHING OF YOURSELF, GIVEN IT UP, GIVEN IT AWAY, THAT ANOTHER MIGHT BENEFIT FROM YOUR SACRIFICE.

THESE, ALL OF THESE, ARE WAYS IN WHICH WE STORE UP FOR OURSELVES, TREASURES IN HEAVEN.  SO, THANK YOU.

REMEMBER – IT’S FINDERS WEEPERS, LOSERS KEEPERS – WHEN IT COMES TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

IF, AFTER EVERYTHING YOU’VE HEARD ME SAY THIS MORNING;

WHAT, WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT GOD WILL BE WITH US WHEN WE ARE LOST;

AND THAT GOOD THINGS HAPPENED FOR THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, FOR ELIJAH, FOR JESUS, FOR THE PRODIGAL SON, WHEN THEY GOT LOST;

AND THAT GETTING LOST FROM OURSELVES, AND DOING IT OUR WAY, AND HOLDING ON TOO TIGHTLY, CAN BE A GOOD THING; CAN BE A GOD THING;

IF YOU THINK IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO GET LOST, SOMEHOW, SOME WAY, THEN GO FOR IT!

IT WON’T BE EASY, OF COURSE, WHAT WITH OUR GPS, OUR LISTS, OUR CALENDARS, OUR PENCHANT FOR HOLDING ON, WHICH IS EXCEEDED ONLY BY HOW MUCH MOST OF US HATE BEING LOST…

(BY THE WAY, I HAVE MADE IT A GOAL IN MY COMING RETIREMENT, TO GET LOST MORE.)

IT MAY BE TIME FOR US TO GET LOST; TO TURN LOOSE; TO TAKE UP OUR CROSSES; TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES; TO FIND OUR WAY, BY LOSING IT.

WE MAY THINK OF OTHER WAYS TO GET LOST, OR TO ACCEPT THAT WE ALREADY ARE; AND MAYBE, THROUGH NO CHOICE OF OUR OWN.

GETTING LOST CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE, IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS.

WE CAN GET LOST ON OUR WAY HOME.  WE CAN GET LOST LOOKING FOR LOVE.  WE CAN GET LOST BY LOSING OUR JOB.  BY LOSING OUR MINDS.

A HEALTH CRISIS, ACCIDENT, OR INJURY, CAN CAUSE US TO LOSE OUR WAY.

WE CAN GET LOST LOOKING FOR GOD.

HOWEVER, IT HAPPENS, WE CAN TAKE HEART.

BECAUSE – OTHERS BEFORE US HAVE FOUND A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS, WHERE THERE ARE AS MANY ANGELS AS THERE ARE WILD ANIMALS, AND PLENTY OF OTHER LOST PEOPLE AS WELL.

IT ONLY TAKES ONE OF THEM WHO IS LOST TO FIND US.

ALL IT TAKES IS FOR US TO FIND ONE OF THEM.

AND ALWAYS, SOMEWHERE IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT IN THE FOREGROUND TOO, IS GOD – “YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR THOU ART WITH ME;

THY ROD AND THY STAFF, THEY COMFORT ME…

SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE, AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.”

HOW’S THAT FOR GETTING LOST, AND FOUND; DEAD, BUT NOW ALIVE?!

[ALTERNATE ENDING BELOW]

FINDERS, HOLDER-ONERS, TOO OFTEN, BECOME THE WEEPERS;

WHEREAS, LOSERS, THOSE TURNING LOOSE OF LIFE, OF CONTROL, OF STUFF, OF THE RED RUBBER BALL, OF WHATEVER KEEPS US FROM FOLLOWING GOD MORE NEARLY, MORE COMPLETELY, BECOME KINGDOM KEEPERS.

THEY ARE JESUS’ WORDS:

“FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SAVE THEIR LIFE WILL LOSE IT, AND THOSE WHO LOSE THEIR LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL FIND IT.”