Too Much God… Really?

My sister-in-law works at a Christian bookstore in Saskatoon. Recently she had a lady come in and ask, "Where are the books that help you when you are sad, or going through a tough time?" She answered her, pointing to a section of books she thought would be just what the woman was looking for, and then turned to walk away. But the lady called her back. "These are nice" she said, "but I was hoping for something a little less, well, with not so much God in them." She looked at her in brief bewilderment, then kindly let her know where the nearest Chapters bookstore was. "No," she said "I want some God, just not so much."

Really? Too much God? Surely we all know there is no such thing. We laugh at a storey like this, yet this lady voiced an opinion that seems to becoming more and more commonplace amongst us as Christians. Even among us here. While we may not voice them, the thoughts are that God can be overbearing, demanding, rather strict, and sometimes downright pushy sometimes tend to creep into our thinking or reasoning at times. I need him to be with me here, or to help me through my struggles there, but otherwise I would appreciate it if he would back off and give me my personal space.

I hope these sentiments don't ring true for anybody here. Well, at least I hope they don't ring true to the extreme that you would say it out loud to a Christian bookstore salesperson at least. However, if many of us stopped right now and truly dug deep, examining our hearts and our soul, we'd find a very similar line of thinking. We maybe don't express it, don't voice it, but it's there. We feel that there is a line of "too much God", and we tend to get uncomfortable when he crosses it.

This morning I want to read a passage that I actually read briefly last week. At the time, I hadn't planned to use this passage so I thought it would be OK to do so then. So, for those of you that were here, you were treated to a sneak peak of sorts I imagine. However, as I pondered the subject I wanted to discuss, this passage kept with me. I want to talk this morning about letting go of ourselves, and letting God be God in our lives. Many of us may have read the bumper sticker that "God is my co-pilot". What we will see this morning, is that God doesn't wish to be our co-pilot at all. He wishes to be our pilot, our leader, beyond question.

Matthew 16:24-27:

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.

In these verses, we read how Jesus describes three steps we are all to take in our Christian walk. Turn from our selfish ways, take up our cross, and follow him. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, if you are anything like that lady in the bookstore wishing for less God in Christian books, then this isn't simple at all. And, because we are all human and all have tendencies towards selfishness, I will venture a guess that most of us here, in varying degrees, have the same sentiments towards God in our lives at times. And, therefore, these three steps, as we will soon see, are not as simple as they sound.

The first step is to turn from our selfish ways. It is a simple statement, yes. Yet it has a vast reaching impact. What are our selfish ways? Corrie and I have often discussed how pretty much everything that is wrong or off balance in today's society can be attributed to selfishness.

· Obvious cases such as robbery or assault I don't think anyone would disagree are due to the guilty party's selfishness

· However, have you ever thought about the high gas prices, or high prices for goods? Sellers are greedy and want to make more money to suit their selfish desires. When do prices go up? When demand rises and supply drops. Because the seller's know we need their product, so instead of thinking of others, they think of themselves and their selfish greed and jack up the price.

· Road rage? Many of us can easily relate to this one. Yet this is a prime example of selfishness. I'm too busy thinking of myself as better than the rest of you on the road to let you in my lane, or to simply pull in behind you instead of cutting you off, or to wait the extra few seconds rather than pull out in front of you. Road rage is a prime example.

· How about broken relationships? They didn't work because one or both of the parties involved couldn't think less of themselves and more of the other person. We refuse to accept when we've wronged someone because our selfishness doesn't allow it. But, we often refuse to forgive another when they have wronged us because we wish to hold that place of selfish power over them a little bit longer.

· Broken church families? Selfishness. The church wasn't meeting MY needs. I wasn't being fulfilled. I couldn't agree with the actions of this person, so instead of working it out between us, I just cut them off completely.

· Work stress? Bosses that won't pay a fair wage, yet expect a bend-over-backward sacrifice? Unions that strike for any given reason? Workers that refuse to take action because "that's not my job"? At the foundation, selfishness. A ME first attitude.

· What about parenting? Even good parents fall to selfish actions many times over. Frustration levelled at a child because they interrupted my precious ME time.

· Addictions are a great example of selfishness. Alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling are all caused by a selfish desire to get what I want, when I want it.

And the list could go on for a very long time. Our nature is selfish. We want to fulfill our own desires first, and when something gets in the way we meet it with frustration, anger, or other selfish actions to bully our way in front.

How many of you have a dream? Maybe it's a retirement plan. Maybe it's a house, a car, land, a perfect job or position in your company. Have you ever considered that maybe that dream is one of your selfish ways? I'm not saying that having a dream is wrong. I am saying, however, that many of us seek after that dream with such ambition and drive that we fail to "take an interest in others". We don't think of others as better than ourselves. In fact, we sometimes see others as objects in the way of our dream and act selfishly against them. When we allow ourselves to be so self-focused, we easily become frustrated. We become annoyed at those around us. Why can't Joe just do his job properly? Why can't my Boss appreciate the sacrifices I'm making? Why is this person taking so long in this lineup? Why can't that guy learn how to drive? Why is this clerk ringing up my groceries so slowly? All these frustrations that mount throughout a day are often caused by our selfish ways.

Paul stated in Philippians 2:3,4:

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

I have to be honest, I struggle with this verse. I like impressing others, it feels good to make someone else take notice. And, think of others as better than me? Well, sometimes that's easy. There are so many people that are completely talented, there's no doubt they're better than me. I don't have to think that, I know it. But what about that person on the road that I know is going to try and take my lane? What about that man smoking in the entrance to the mall, causing me and my family to have to walk through his cloud to get inside? What about that woman pushing the shopping cart with all her belongings down to the soup kitchen? Thinking of everyone as better than myself can be a troublesome task to be sure. And then, take an interest in others. For some, this comes naturally. For example, look at Jesus and how he interacted with the people.

Many have said that Jesus was so popular and well-liked because of his charismatic personality. And while that is likely true, I tend to think it had a lot more to do with the fact that he was perfectly self-less, he took an interest in those around him. Think about those who you enjoy hanging around with the most. Are they the ones that are constantly talking about themselves, the one in the group that constantly has to "one up" the last story? Do they tend to argue with everything you say? Or are they the ones that take an interest in you, the ones that make you feel special, and pay attention to you as a person? Yes, the people you most likely enjoy are the ones who ask you about your day, take an interest in your life, and are more than willing to step in and help you in whatever way they can in your time of need. Jesus would've been amazing to hang around. And that is the example of what he wants us to be as we walk down the road of this life.

Jesus says to turn from our selfish ways. Wow, such a simple step, yet so hard to take.

· Are you trying to walk away from a job, a relationship, a church because you have been hurt or your needs aren't being met? Jesus says, not so quickly. First, turn from your selfish ways. If your reasons for doing so are in anyway selfish, Jesus says no go.

· Are you annoyed at someone else's incompetence that is hindering you in some way? Jesus says, cool down, take an interest in them personally, and turn from your selfish ways.

· Do you think you are better than that person on the bus who is dirty, smells and looks like they just eyed up your purse? Jesus says, but for the grace of God, consider them as better than yourself, and turn from your selfish ways.

Thinking of others as better than ourselves is one of the most difficult, contrary to popular thinking and backward things we can do. Yet Jesus says to do it. In every aspect of your life, turn from your selfish ways.

Many of us have heard this phrase before. God gives to each of us what we can bear, and he wants us to take up our cross. What does this mean to you? Does this mean you will endure heartache, suffering, pain? Maybe. Does this mean you will be persecuted, bullied, abandoned? Maybe. Jesus doesn't elaborate here any further than simply "take up your cross". Remember, that this was before he was crucified. In the verses before these ones I read, Jesus predicts his death to his disciples. He tells them that he will be treated unfairly, beaten, abused and eventually killed by the elders. And in the same conversation, he tells his disciples that he expects them to do the same.

What exactly does it mean to take up our cross? We just spoke about turning from our selfish ways, and this is simply the next logical step. In Jesus' time, the cross was an ugly and horrific symbol. The Romans made the death-row criminals carry their own cross, the instrument of their pending execution, in front of everyone. As they did so, they were ridiculed, insulted and jeered at. This was the cross that Jesus challenged his disciples to carry. A willingness to endure persecution, ridicule and death. To die to self, to absolutely surrender to God.

One thing that always amazed me as I read through the stories of Jesus' life was how quickly the people turned from love for him, to hatred. How could these people suddenly switch gears like that? Near the end of his life, Jesus really challenged those around him to give up what they held most dear. And in that day, what every Jew held most dear was freedom from the Romans. They loved Jesus when they saw him as their Savior of the Roman oppression. Yet, once they began to realize that Jesus wasn't going to save them from their earthly troubles, they began to hate him. They could not give up their selfish ways, they could not take up their cross. They were so focused on the earthly comfort they desired, they couldn't see the eternal freedom Jesus was offering. Jesus said to them, what could be more valuable than your own soul? Yet, at the time they could only care about their physical well-being.

Are we so different? How easily we can focus on our earthly discomforts. Money is tight this month, Jesus why didn't you give us a miracle to help make ends meet? Sickness and pain runs rampant through your body, Jesus why can't you just heal me? These miracles are not at all wrong to pray for, but they are wrong to focus on as a requirement for you to have a closer walk with Jesus. Jesus had such loftier goals for those around him, yet they had their heads buried so deep in the sands of their earthly comfort that they couldn't see it. And instead, Jesus' actions and words caused them to boil over in anger.

Are you willing to take up your cross? Are you willing to die to yourself? These first two steps are extremely similar. Turn from yourself, and die to yourself. Jesus never promised a life of ease. In fact, in John 16:33 he states:

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

Jesus states, in no uncertain terms, that we will have many trials and sorrows. But, he also doesn't dwell on that at all. Immediately he directs the focus upwards, saying "Hey, no worries! I've overcome the world." In other words, this is such a small part of what really matters. Take up your cross, yet realize that this world is merely a stepping stone to the lives for which we were made.

The third step is to simply follow Jesus. Yet what does this mean? How can I follow Jesus? Physically, we can't see him. He's not leading us down a hiking trail through the woods on the weekend. So how do we follow him? Have you ever had to follow another person through a busy city? If you know the person, and know how they drive, you can follow them pretty well. If you don't, you tend to constantly be making split second decisions trying to keep up. You don't know they are going to change lanes until they've already done so. The better you know the person, the quicker you can predict their movements and the safer your decisions will be. Yet, even just knowing the person you are following isn't enough. If you don't have a clue where you are headed, then you can't be sure that they changed lanes simply to go around someone else, or that they are actually going to turn soon. The better you know the person, and the clearer of an idea of the destination that you have, the more relaxed and confident you can be in your decisions.

The same holds true for following Jesus. Jesus focused a lot on two areas during his ministry here on earth. First, he led by example. Jesus told us how to respond to those in need, and then did it himself. Jesus explained to us what faith was, and then demonstrated it time and time again. He described how we were to respond to those who may persecute us, then laid down his life. Jesus taught and led the life that he wishes we all would live. However, he also focused on another area. The kingdom of God. Jesus knew that followers blindly tagging along behind him would not last. They would make bad decisions, stumble, and eventually lose their way. If, instead, those followers also knew the destination, Jesus knew that they would be much better equipped for the journey.

Are you faced with a tough decision? Are you unsure of the next direction that you should take in life? I am. Jesus says, 'Follow me.' Yet, if we don't know him, how can we follow him? And if we don't know where he is going, how can we stay the course?

To know Jesus, we need to examine his life on this earth. How did he respond in situations? How did he treat others? How did he live out his faith? I will examine just a few ways that we can follow Jesus.

· Love - This means the person in front of me at the line up. This means the driver next to me on the highway. This means the guy at work who I just can't stand. Love him. Love her. Love them. Jesus treated those around himself with love, and if we are to follow him, we need to do the same

· Help - Look around you. Are there people in need? Help your neighbour by shovelling the snow from their driveway. If someone asks you for spare change, buy them a meal. Stick up for the helpless. Protect those who are in harm's way. Jesus stuck his neck out for many people that society had rejected, abused and cast out. And he expects us to do so as well

· Live Modestly - While Jesus doesn't ask all of us to live a life such as Mother Teresa did, he does expect us to keep our eyes on that which is eternal. Jesus understood the drag and distraction that worldly goods can cause and warned us about falling into the trap of idolizing our possessions, or lack of possessions!

And the list can go on and on. To know Jesus, we need to examine his life. Read his teachings, and then read them again. And again. Analyze his reactions. Question his decisions. Why did he do that? Why did he say that? What was his intentions for going there? Studying Jesus' life and ministry will cause you to know him more and more. Jesus isn't an idea to believe in, he's a living example to follow, to love.

Is there such a thing as too much God? Of course not. Yet, many of us fall easily into the trap of living a life that only has enough room for "just a bit" of God. A story has been told of a professor that filled a jar with rocks, then pebbles, then sand. Each time, the jar was technically full, yet each time the smaller items were added, they filled the voids between the larger items. The professor explained that the rocks represented what was truly important, God, family, children. The pebbles represented the other parts of life, such as our jobs, houses. And the sand represented everything else, the small stuff. If we fill our jars first with sand, we have no room for the pebbles or rocks. Make room for God first. Clear out your jar of the sand and pebbles that so easily get in the way, and instead allow God to fill your life. Sundays should be a day that you rest in God, reflecting on the week where he was with you and leaning on him for the week that is to come and the strength that only he can give to make it through. Sundays should not simply be a day that you decided to fit God into your schedule!

Jesus says that we are to turn from our selfish ways, take up our cross, and follow him. For what is more important than our souls? What good will that $300,000 car do you when God calls your name? Jesus says that he will judge all people according to their deeds. Filling our lives with the small stuff first, and then "just a pinch of God" will never live up to this judgment.

This challenge is a life-long challenge for us all. We will all have to wrestle with turning from self, dying to self, and choosing to follow Christ daily. It is not something anybody will completely get a grip on while on this earth. However, praise be to God that Jesus has overcome this world. Our lives here on earth are such a tiny speck on the radar when compared to the everlasting life that lies before us. Enjoy the journey, have fun with your family, with the material blessings God has given you. But never let them be the sand that fills your jar first. Make sure you have "too much God" every day.