Sermon Delivered May 15, 2011: Follow in His Steps

Sermon Title: "Follow in His Steps"

I remember when I was a little boy. Oftentimes, I would walk behind my mom and dad and try to follow their steps. This presented a challenge for me because they were so much taller than I was. Sometimes I would have to hop to put my feet in their footprints. But for some reason, it was worth it. For some reason, I enjoyed walking in my parents’ footsteps. Perhaps it was because I wanted to be like them.

Maybe you’ve wanted to follow in someone’s footsteps like that too. Maybe you’ve wanted to be like someone in your life, and you have tried to model your words and deeds after that person. I think it’s part of human nature to look up to someone and admire them. If you don’t believe me take a moment to think about someone you respect and like. Have you ever started saying a phrase that they say in exactly the same manner? I bet you have. I catch myself doing it quite often, and contrary to those who might want to say so, doing such a thing is perfectly O.K. In fact, this morning, I am going to encourage each and every one of us to follow in Jesus’ steps.

Now, perhaps you’d like to question me saying such a thing. After all, wouldn’t it be impossible to follow in Jesus’ steps? Could we ever truly, walk in the Son of God’s steps? Well, the author of 1 Peter actually encourages us to do so. Listen once again, "19For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. 20If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. 21For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps."
But what does following in Jesus’ steps entail? What would it be like?

Well, let’s pretend a little bit this morning. Let’s pretend these footsteps on the floor are Jesus’ steps. You know, when you first start walking in Jesus’ steps, there is quite a bit of excitement. It’s fun to learn about what Jesus says. As we hear His words and take them to heart, we feel a joy and excitement we generally haven’t had before. We hear Jesus say, "Why do you worry? Consider the birds of the air. They don’t work for their food, God provides it. Aren’t you worth more than birds? God will provide for you too. And consider the lilies of the field. They don’t worry about getting clothing. Yet, they are clothed beautifully by God. Aren’t you worth more than flowers? God will provide you with clothes. In fact, God knows everything that you need. Seek His kingdom above all else, and these things will be given to you as well."

As we hear these words, we become comforted. We seek God’s kingdom, and it seems like everything is going well. We rejoice in seeing God work to provide for us. And we continue to grow in faith.

We hear Jesus’ words that we will do greater things than he did. We know that we are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. We know that the Spirit is living and active in our lives, and we spend moments thanking God and celebrating this gift we have been given. We get a thrill to worship, and we sing loud and long to hymns and songs of praise. We feel like nothing can go wrong.

But then we do end up hitting a few bumps in the road. Some of our friends and even some of our family get put off by our new found religious fervor. They get tired of us asking them to go to church or they get tired of talking about God all the time. Some of them ask us to bring the old person back, the one who wasn’t so full of Jesus. Others start avoiding us, and that begins to make us a little sad. We’re not sure what to make of it until we start learning more. We hear Jesus’ words that some of our friends and family will desert us. We see that they will become angry and jealous of our faith. While we regret their stance, we realize this is just part of being faithful. If they can’t handle it, then it’s their problem, not ours. We re-commit ourselves to following Jesus’ footsteps.

But then we learn a few other things, things that cause us to pause for a moment. Jesus says, "If anyone wants to be my disciples, let him take up his cross and follow me." Take up a cross? An instrument of death and torture? That can’t be what Jesus really means. Surely He isn’t calling me to die? We rationalize and come up with different interpretations easing our own consciences and convincing ourselves there is no sacrifice in following in Jesus’ steps. And so we press on.

Then there is more disconcerting news. We see Jesus say, no one can be my disciple unless he gives up all of his possessions. Again, we wrestle with this. We may pause in our journey, and once again, we rationalize. We interpret. Jesus didn’t mean give up everything. He meant we have to love Him above all our possessions, and certainly I do that. I love Jesus more than anything in this world. That’s what He really meant. And so we once again follow without worry or fear. We are following Jesus, and it’s exciting.
But, sooner or later, we finally arrive at a critical juncture. It’s a juncture that makes us stop right in our tracks because we actually do see where Jesus’ steps lead. We’re not happy about what we see. Jesus footsteps lead right to the cross.

Only in this moment do we realize what this means. Following in Jesus’ footsteps will require pain. It will require death. If we continue onto the cross, we will be forever changed, and there will be no going back. Will we continue on? Will we head toward that instrument of death? Will we head to that instrument of agony? Will we head toward that instrument where we too will suffer and die?

No, we will not have to die for the world as Jesus did, but we will have to die to ourselves. We will have to die to our will and our desire. We will have to die to our own egos and place them under Christ. We will have to die to our selfishness. If we continue to the cross, death awaits.

And it’s not too comforting to think about such a thing. It’s not too comforting to know parts of ourselves will be dying. Parts of ourselves will be challenged and changed in a way that we might not like. We will see things differently. We will act differently. No longer will we be seeing only with our eyes. No longer will we be hearing with our ears. No longer will our own vision of our lives dominate. Christ will help us see. Christ will help us hear. Christ will give us a vision of what we are called to do in the midst of our daily lives.

Are you ready to follow in Jesus’ steps? Are you ready to go to the cross? Are you ready to die to yourself?
At this point, we might hesitate as we think about it long and hard. Do we really want to go through with it? Do we really want to be changed?

This morning, my brothers and sisters, I would like to remind you that even though those footsteps lead up to the cross, they do not stop there. There are more steps heading away from it, and those footsteps lead to the resurrection. They lead to a place of true life, true joy, and true meaning. The cross may be a painful place to go to and through, but you should see what is on the other side.

Remember what Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly."?

That abundant life is waiting for us on the other side of the cross. Are you ready to take those final steps? Are you ready to go to the cross? Are you ready to follow Jesus? Amen.