Where to Find a Disciple
a sermon based on Mark 8:31-38
by Rev. Rick Thompson

A great crowd had gathered. The anticipation was so thick one could almost touch it, taste it.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner, one of the legends of the 20th century, was to be presented to the world. He was a man greatly admired for his humanitarian service to suffering people in Africa. Trained in both theology and medicine, he had given up a promising future in Germany for the sake of his mission.

The crowd, almost breathless, buzzed with excitement. Soon a tall, straggly-haired man appeared, making his way toward the dais. As Dr. Albert Schweitzer approached the podium, one admiring onlooker exclaimed, “There goes a sermon walking!”

Schweitzer’s ministry with those who could never repay him was a testimony to his faith in Jesus Christ. His example of selfless service reminded people of the Lord to whom he had given his allegiance. That’s why someone described him as “a sermon walking”.

Albert Schweitzer gives us one picture of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

Today Jesus challenges us to think about that question, “What does the life of a follower of Jesus look like? Where can we find a disciple?”

Jesus begins his teaching about discipleship by making it clear how his own journey will end.

For the first of three times, Jesus announces the fate that awaits him in Jerusalem. He has to keep repeating himself, because the disciples have such a hard time catching on. And who can blame them? After all, they expected Messiah to lead a revolution and liberate the Jews from Roman rule and oppression. And Jesus has just acknowledged to them that he is the Messiah. So who could blame the disciples for expecting Jesus to start gathering an army and lead them into battle against the occupying army of powerful Rome?

Jesus was going to lead them, to be sure, but his strategy wouldn’t be military confrontation.

His strategy would be based upon spiritual power. Jesus was going to rely on the power of God!

“I’m going to Jerusalem,” Jesus declared. “I’m going to suffer there, and the leaders will reject me, and I’ll be killed. But,” Jesus insisted, “after three days, I’m going to rise from the dead!”

Jesus was going to Jerusalem to die. But it wasn’t a suicide mission. It wasn’t even with the intention of becoming a martyr. Jesus was going to Jerusalem to fulfill the plan and the purpose of God!

He was going into battle. He was going into battle against the forces of evil and death. His Father had made it clear that there would be no other course for Jesus. He had to defeat evil, and he had to destroy death, and he had to do it by dying and rising from the dead!

This is how Jesus would set the world free from the power of sin and the grip of death. He was going to die! He was going to give his life, and then take it up again! I came “to give myself as a ransom,” Jesus would finally tell his followers.

That’s how Jesus describes his mission.

By battling death and emerging alive, Jesus would destroy death. By resolutely taking on the power of evil, Jesus would disarm it. By engaging the power of sin in fierce warfare, Jesus would strip sin of its power over us. Jesus suffers and dies, Jesus gives his life, to ransom us, to win our freedom, from all that would rob us of God’s gift of abundant life! Jesus died for his disciples, for us, for you and for me, so that we could know the abundant life God wants so desperately to give us!

Jesus makes it clear what he’s about, and then he demonstrates it. We could call him “a sermon walking”—par excellence!

And Jesus makes it clear that his disciples will not only benefit from his sacrifice. The disciples of Jesus will also live like Jesus—selflessly, for the sake of others.

Disciples of Jesus follow Jesus!

That’s where we’ll find a disciple—following the Lord!

Albert Schweitzer did just that, gave up his own future, his own claim to honor, because of his call to follow Christ. Countless other Christians, often unknown to history, have done the same, in less dramatic and noteworthy fashion. Countless Christians have caused others to remark, “There goes a sermon walking!”

So where will we find a disciple?

Behind Jesus.

Jesus makes that clear in his sharp exchange with Peter.

Understandably, Peter doesn’t like what he hears Jesus saying. Peter doesn’t like the idea of his Master, the Messiah, suffering and dying.

So Peter takes Jesus aside. And Peter speaks what is on his mind, clearly and bluntly—as usual! When Jesus announces his impending death, Peter protests, rebuking Jesus, “No, Jesus, that can’t happen to you!”

And Jesus’ response is just as strong. “Yes, Peter, it can happen to me, and it must happen to me! Now, ‘Get behind me, SATAN!’”

With those words, Jesus reminds Peter who’s in charge. And Jesus makes it clear where Peter belongs: “Get behind ME!”

Peter has forgotten his place as a disciple. He is tempting Jesus, testing him, just as Satan tested Jesus in the wilderness. And Jesus isn’t just telling Peter to shut up and get with the program. Jesus is telling him where one can find a disciple. And where is that?

Behind Jesus. Following Jesus. Giving up claims to be in charge, giving up status, for the sake of a living relationship with Jesus Christ!

That’s where we find a disciple—behind Jesus!

Behind Jesus, carrying a cross. That’s the disciple’s badge of honor—a cross. Not a sword. Not a button that says, “We’re #1.” Not a trophy. But a cross! An instrument of torture and death but, in Christ, an instrument that gives freedom and life!

That’s where we find a disciple—carrying a cross, a cross of suffering.

And let’s be clear what that means. Yes, many of us know what it is to suffer. We live with a threatening illness, or with a loved one who makes life miserable, or with a boss who is impossible and capricious.

Yes, we know what it’s like to suffer.

But cross-bearing is not so much about how unfair life can be, and about the awful personal burdens we sometimes bear.

Cross-bearing is about following Jesus. Why? Because THAT’S where we find a disciple—behind Jesus, carrying a cross!

And we find a disciple giving up concern for self. Jesus teaches us the principle of self-denial. We put ourselves in second place, and put Jesus first. This is a hard lesson for us. Our human selfishness says, “What I want, what pleases me, is more important than anything or anyone else in the world!”

“Not so,” teaches Jesus. “I am the Lord. I died for you. If you want to follow me, remember that I come first!”

Now, this doesn’t mean that we allow ourselves to be trampled on. It doesn’t mean that people have the right to use us and treat us like dirt. Self-denial doesn’t mean one must just grin and bear it when mistreated by another, or if, God forbid, one is physically or emotionally or sexually abused. Genuine self-denial comes out of power, not powerlessness. It is a choice, not something imposed—a choice based on our relationship with Jesus Christ.

So denying self out of a love for God and God’s ways—that’s where we’ll find a disciple of Jesus.

And we’ll find a disciple willing to battle the forces of evil and death. Why? Because we know the power and life of Jesus! We’ll challenge the powers that be and follow our Lord into the jaws of evil and death, because we know God’s victory and God’s power!

Perhaps we can learn a lesson about this from little Angie.

Angie left school one day, and saw something in the playground that absolutely shocked her! There was her big brother, Sean, sitting on top of another, smaller boy named Jeff. Sean was hitting Jeff, pounding away at him, blow after blow. Jeff’s nose was bleeding badly.

Angie didn’t know what to do. She knew she had to stop Sean before he hurt Jeff badly. But what could she do? There was no adult in sight, and no time to go and find one.

Then it hit Angie in a flash. She knew what she had to do. She ran toward Sean, and threw herself on the ground next to Jeff. She squeezed her body in as close as she could get, and managed to put her face between Jeff’s face and her brother’s fists.

Sean’s next blow caught Angie right in the eye. And it hurt! She’s never experienced pain like that before!

But then Sean stopped. He saw Angie, saw what he had done, and came to his senses. Together, he and his sister helped Jeff to his feet. Sean apologized, and helped Jeff clean the blood off his face.

For six weeks, Angie had the most colorful shiner anyone had ever seen. Kids at school made fun of her. They thought she had been foolish. But Sean and Jeff knew better. They had seen Angie in all her glory, doing what had to be done! She had denied herself, and entered right into the jaws of sin and evil to stop it.

That’s what Jesus did, when he went freely to his cross and rose victorious form the grave. He interposed himself in our battle, took the blows death and evil meant for us, gave his life, as a ransom, for us.

And we find a disciple behind this Jesus, a walking sermon. Disciples follow Jesus, taking up the cross, denying ourselves, defying the power of sin and death.

That’s where you’ll find a disciple—following Jesus. Following Jesus on the way that lead to life—abundant, eternal life!  Amen.