Text: Matthew 10:1-42
“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” —Matthew 10:39
It’s a pivotal moment in Radiator Springs.
Lightning McQueen, the self-enamored prima donna in Disney Pixar’s film Cars, is lost in a town with strange people and such dissimilar lifestyles. Yet as fate would have it, he must categorically lose everything he idolizes as “success” in order to truly find himself. If you’ve seen this classic, you know that it’s life-changing for the rookie speedster.
In Matthew 10, Jesus has handpicked his twelve disciples and sends them out on a short-term mission to the “lost sheep” of the house of Israel, proclaiming Christ’s kingdom message like sheep among wolves. The disciples are given authority and power to accomplish their mission. In his commissioning instructions, Jesus tells them that their mission will be a difficult one. There will be persecutions. They will be hated. They will be flogged and suffer greatly for the gospel. They are not to fear (Matthew 10:26-31).
Interestingly, there is no mention of them preaching in the synagogues, only being “scourged” in them (Matthew 10:17). This was a house-to-house, open field, neighbor-to-neighbor, street-preaching ministry. Before telling his disciples about the rewards of faithfulness, Jesus exhorts them about the cost of following him: “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:38–39)
You really never truly find yourself until you get lost in something that is much bigger than yourself. Before we become Christians, everything about God’s kingdom seems strange, even alien to our nature and culture. After we become Christians, and get lost in his kingdom culture, we wonder why we didn’t find this so-called lost life much sooner. What a treasure—to forsake everything for the sake of his call!
Striving to have it all figured out in life is, might I say, overrated. The older I get the more I come to terms with the reality that control is only an illusion. Jesus calls us to a life of surrender—waving the white flag in all of our misapprehensions, conceding our artifices about being in control, and counter intuitively yielding ourselves to a great and glorious unknown.
Crucifixion is a shocking metaphor for discipleship. Because crucifixion itself was not an uncommon sight in Roman Palestine, this “cross-bearing” language would have been piercing with clarity. Such an extreme statement—likening discipleship with the revulsion of crucifixion, something far too explicit to be mentioned in good-mannered company—must have riveted the disciples. Yet they knew unambiguously what that cross meant. A disciple must deny himself (die to self-will), take up his cross (embrace God’s will, no matter the cost), and follow Jesus.
There was no looking back when you took up your cross, and your only hope was in resurrection life. The disciple lives in this paradox. One can only find his or her life by losing it, and can only live by dying.
Where does the cross of Jesus demand a death sentence in your life today? Is it in a posture of self-sufficiency? An unforgiving heart? An angry demeanor? A fear to be his witness in a confrontational world? A reluctance to go all-in with God’s calling on your life? An addiction or a stronghold? The lust for pleasure or the ambition to be in control? The need for recognition, attention, or popularity? When a person took a cross in Jesus’ day, it was for one reason: to die. The ancient Roman cross did not negotiate, did not compromise, and did not make deals. Your resurrection life is waiting on the other side of self-denial—only after we take up our cross to follow Jesus do we truly find ourselves, and become awakened to His glorious resurrection.
PRAYER
Lord, in order to truly follow you, I am commanded to deny myself and take up a cross. Where do you demand this death sentence in my daily journey, my life pursuits, and my interactions with others? I come not with any negotiations or terms for specific outcomes, but only to die to the self that demands its own way. Show me my cross and grant me the power to lay down my life for the resurrection You long to bring through this radical submission. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for Reflection, Small Group or Family Discussion:
- Why do you think certain people are antagonistic to the gospel?
- What radical requirements did Christ make of those who would follow Him, and what did Jesus promise those who obeyed Him fully? (10:37-42)?
- What things act as security blankets in your life and keep you from stepping out in faith?
- What do you think it means to lose your life for Christ’s sake? How might that look in your pursuits and interactions this week?
- What promises from this chapter can you meditate on this week to make you a more effective minister for Christ?
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