WEBVTT 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:04.940 Well, good morning, everyone. Let me add my welcome to Fraser's. My name is Graham. I'm 00:00:04.940 --> 00:00:10.339 the pastor here at the church. And let me encourage you to come with me to Mark chapter 00:00:10.339 --> 00:00:15.000 nine as we get into our Bibles today. Let me encourage you to get the verses in front of 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:19.559 you in any way that you can. And as you're turning there, let me tell you about a school 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:26.780 friend of mine that I had. His name was Stephen. Stephen was a great lad. But the thing about 00:00:26.780 --> 00:00:33.260 Stephen was that many people in our year thought that he was a bit strange. Now, just let me give 00:00:33.260 --> 00:00:37.420 you a little example of that to help you understand why they thought he was a little bit strange. 00:00:38.359 --> 00:00:47.859 So there was a time when our school rugby team got to the Scottish schools finals, which is a massive 00:00:47.859 --> 00:00:54.740 deal, massive deal. And what made it even more of a massive deal was the fact that it was going to be 00:00:54.740 --> 00:01:01.840 played on the pitches outside Murrayfield. Now, if you're a 14-year-old sporty boy, you can imagine 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:06.640 that that is the stuff of dreams. And to add to the excitement even more, there was even a rumour 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:12.579 going around that one lucky team would get to change in the Scotland changing room. And so the 00:01:12.579 --> 00:01:18.240 rugby coach gathers us into the gym hall the week before the tournament. And he says, boys, listen, 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:24.280 the tournament's going to be played on a Sunday. And I need to know now, just before I name my squad, 00:01:24.579 --> 00:01:29.379 I need to know whether any of you have any reason that you think you won't be able to make 00:01:29.379 --> 00:01:38.219 the team. So straight as a flash, Stephen's hand goes up. And he says, sir, sorry, did you say Sunday? 00:01:38.619 --> 00:01:45.419 I think that's me out. And we're all looking at each other in amazement. And he's got an injury that 00:01:45.420 --> 00:01:51.599 we don't know about. What's the deal here? Why is he pulling out? And then he says, because I'll be 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:58.519 at church. And we're all looking at each other in amazement. Did he just say what we thought he said? 00:02:00.320 --> 00:02:05.859 But he says, no, I'll be at church. I'll be at church. In our minds, Stephen has got the choice 00:02:05.859 --> 00:02:12.240 between Murrayfield and the monastery, right? And he's got that decision for one Sunday, 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:19.680 one Sunday. And yet he has picked the monastery. We just couldn't understand this as we looked at 00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:27.260 Stephen. Why would he make this choice? Now, the thing about us is we got absolutely obliterated in 00:02:27.260 --> 00:02:31.460 that tournament in the first round. So actually there was probably a lot of wisdom in Stephen's 00:02:31.460 --> 00:02:39.280 choice. But still there I was as a very impressionable 14 year old boy trying to figure 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:47.759 out what life was all about. And I'm watching Stephen unashamedly nail his colours to the mast. 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:55.599 And I heard the nicknames that people gave him. And I heard the jokes that people made behind his back. 00:02:56.259 --> 00:03:05.840 And yet I saw Stephen willingly embrace it all. And I couldn't understand that in my mind. I couldn't 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:13.039 figure it out. Given what life was like for him at school because of his choice. Why he would choose 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:22.300 Jesus. Now, it's a small example of a big truth that we're going to see in this passage here this 00:03:22.300 --> 00:03:30.379 morning. As we turn to these verses in Mark's gospel, and the big reality is this, that it costs to follow 00:03:30.379 --> 00:03:39.659 Jesus. It costs to follow Jesus. In fact, I heard a statistic recently that it's estimated that 55,000 00:03:39.659 --> 00:03:48.780 Christians around the world are killed for their faith each year. Now, given that huge number and 00:03:48.780 --> 00:03:56.620 that big reality, surely the question then becomes, is it worth it? Is it worth it? 00:03:56.620 --> 00:04:06.000 Well, here is this man called Mark who's written his account of Jesus's life so that we'd understand who Jesus is 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:13.879 and what it means to follow him. And at this point in his gospel, he knows that that is the question in the 00:04:13.879 --> 00:04:22.259 minds of his readers. Come with me and let me show you how this works. Come with me to chapter 8, verse 27. 00:04:22.259 --> 00:04:29.839 And there Jesus has just asked his disciples that million dollar question. He's asked them, 00:04:30.120 --> 00:04:36.599 who do people say that I am? And his disciples start telling him what the people of the world 00:04:36.599 --> 00:04:46.240 are saying. But Jesus is more interested in what they are thinking. And so Peter launches in kind of 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:55.579 out of nowhere here and he declares, Jesus, you are the Christ. You are God's promised saviour king. And just 00:04:55.579 --> 00:05:02.660 like that, Peter's got it. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. The jackpot is going off. He's got it. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:10.660 But while he's got the title absolutely right, what becomes clear in the text 00:05:10.660 --> 00:05:19.340 is that he's got that job description of Christ, of Messiah. He's got it all wrong. 00:05:20.460 --> 00:05:28.740 So yes, Jesus is God's promised saviour king, but he will save his people not by fighting, 00:05:29.820 --> 00:05:33.260 but rather by suffering and dying. 00:05:33.259 --> 00:05:42.599 And it begins to dawn on Peter that if this is the way of life for Jesus, if his life is 00:05:42.599 --> 00:05:50.379 cross-shaped as it were, then it dawns on Peter that if he's to follow after Jesus, 00:05:50.560 --> 00:05:54.719 then this is the way of life that he must now adopt and follow. 00:05:56.399 --> 00:06:00.180 And the thing is that no one wants to be associated with a sinking ship, do they? I mean, 00:06:00.180 --> 00:06:04.819 the footsie will tell you each and every day that when people know that a business is going under, 00:06:04.900 --> 00:06:08.420 what do they do? They sell their shares. They get out of there as soon as they can. 00:06:10.280 --> 00:06:18.399 So Peter's coming to grips with the cost of what it means to follow this man, Jesus, 00:06:18.540 --> 00:06:22.699 this man who for three years Peter has staked his whole life upon following him. 00:06:22.699 --> 00:06:28.019 And so Jesus speaks to the crowd and he tells them, verse 34, he says, 00:06:28.099 --> 00:06:33.899 whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, which means stop living according 00:06:33.899 --> 00:06:39.659 to your way and live it according to my way and take up their cross and follow me. 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:46.259 And here's his loving challenge to all those who are listening in in this crowd. Verse 36, 00:06:46.259 --> 00:06:56.439 for what good is it for someone to gain the whole world and yet forfeit their soul? 00:06:58.599 --> 00:07:02.079 And you have to say those are truly sobering words from Jesus. 00:07:04.099 --> 00:07:08.699 And I don't know about you, but I had a right good laugh a few weeks ago as somebody in our world 00:07:08.699 --> 00:07:14.539 who was gaining. I don't know if you saw the photo of the man in America who traveled around buying up 00:07:14.540 --> 00:07:21.879 all the antibacterial hand wash that he could find, only to be told a few days later that he couldn't sell it. 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:26.660 And I love the picture. It was just him with a puzzled expression on his face, 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:30.720 standing in front of his garage, filled to the rafters with hand wash. 00:07:31.340 --> 00:07:34.379 Not so handy-andy. That's what the newspapers should have called him. 00:07:35.960 --> 00:07:40.540 But there is someone who spent all of his time and all of his money gathering, 00:07:40.540 --> 00:07:50.220 hoarding, hoarding, building only for his so-called wisdom to actually in the end be shown to be foolishness. 00:07:52.500 --> 00:07:56.220 And what Jesus is asking us all to lovingly consider 00:07:56.220 --> 00:08:02.939 is lest we too get to the end of our lives and we look back 00:08:02.939 --> 00:08:06.000 and we think, what was that all about? 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:10.439 You know, it might not be a garage full of hand gel, 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:13.540 but it might be a garage for you full of grades, 00:08:14.740 --> 00:08:20.420 full of promotions, full of money, full of popularity. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:23.139 And the thing is that these are all things that our hearts pursue 00:08:23.139 --> 00:08:26.920 because we think that life and purpose is to be found there. 00:08:26.920 --> 00:08:31.100 And Jesus lovingly says, 00:08:31.960 --> 00:08:36.480 don't waste your life pursuing things that won't last. 00:08:37.340 --> 00:08:41.800 And see that I love you enough that I've come to tell you to stop 00:08:41.800 --> 00:08:44.680 and to think about your soul, 00:08:45.700 --> 00:08:47.980 to think about eternal things. 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:53.000 And Jesus goes on to talk about life and death and heaven and hell 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:56.340 and what happens beyond this life. 00:08:56.500 --> 00:08:58.200 And surely we have to say, friends, 00:08:58.299 --> 00:09:00.679 that if ever there was a time in our lives 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:04.179 that should prompt us to ask that question, 00:09:05.220 --> 00:09:06.700 surely it is now. 00:09:08.899 --> 00:09:11.919 As the coronavirus has made us all wake up to the fact 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:14.639 that it doesn't matter whether you are a prince, 00:09:15.080 --> 00:09:16.419 whether you are the president, 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:18.320 whether you are the prime minister, 00:09:18.519 --> 00:09:19.820 whether you're a sports star, 00:09:19.940 --> 00:09:20.960 whether you're a celebrity, 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:23.060 whether you're Joe blocks in the street, 00:09:23.820 --> 00:09:29.019 that every single one of us shares a fragile human body 00:09:29.019 --> 00:09:31.720 and our lives are but a breath. 00:09:35.040 --> 00:09:39.280 Here is Jesus speaking into our situation. 00:09:41.820 --> 00:09:45.460 Mark wants us to see that it costs to follow Jesus. 00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:48.379 It costs to follow this king. 00:09:48.800 --> 00:09:50.800 But here's the other thing that he wants us to see. 00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:52.419 And I hope you get this today, 00:09:53.599 --> 00:09:56.479 that following Jesus is so worth it. 00:09:57.559 --> 00:10:00.419 Now, to help us see what Mark is showing us 00:10:00.419 --> 00:10:02.099 in these verses in chapter nine, 00:10:02.759 --> 00:10:03.879 let me offer you, 00:10:04.019 --> 00:10:06.839 by way of the simplest sermon outline ever, 00:10:08.199 --> 00:10:10.039 the three to one of this text, 00:10:10.919 --> 00:10:13.719 beginning with three men on a mountain. 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:16.440 So here are Peter, 00:10:16.440 --> 00:10:21.040 here are Jesus' closest three disciples. 00:10:21.639 --> 00:10:24.420 And they've been led up this mountain by Jesus. 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:27.480 Now, it's important for us to see that detail in the text. 00:10:28.040 --> 00:10:32.860 So this is not as if they have accidentally stumbled up the mountain here. 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:35.720 This is not some orienteering trip gone wrong, 00:10:35.779 --> 00:10:38.720 like James and John need to brush up on their compass skills. 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:46.800 Jesus has led them up this mountain because he knows they are most likely feeling the weight 00:10:46.800 --> 00:10:52.300 when they consider the cost of what he has just laid out in front of them. 00:10:52.299 --> 00:10:58.240 And Jesus wants them to witness what's about to happen, 00:10:58.819 --> 00:11:02.879 to help them see that following him is so worth it. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:07.620 And Jesus is transfigured before them. 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:11.879 Meaning something of Jesus' full glory 00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:16.439 is now fully unveiled for them to see. 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:20.939 And you see Mark trying to communicate that to us. 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:24.480 Do you see him trying to use his limited human words and metaphors 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:25.820 to try and communicate that to us? 00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:28.720 I don't know what you used to do to try and communicate whiteness. 00:11:29.580 --> 00:11:30.360 When you were young, 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:32.220 I remember that we used to try and communicate it 00:11:32.220 --> 00:11:34.759 by talking about something being Daz White. 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:37.139 It was the best that we could come up with. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:38.240 Something was Daz White. 00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:41.120 Well, do you see Mark trying to do the same thing here? 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:43.220 What does he talk about? 00:11:43.259 --> 00:11:46.320 The whitest that bleach could get something. 00:11:48.300 --> 00:11:50.879 He's trying to help us see the radiant brightness, 00:11:51.779 --> 00:11:56.659 the pure, splendid radiance that was Jesus' in this moment. 00:11:56.659 --> 00:12:03.299 And for here, in this brief moment in history, 00:12:03.439 --> 00:12:08.379 these three men catch a glimpse of Jesus' full glory. 00:12:08.379 --> 00:12:13.539 The glory that he had with God, his father in heaven, 00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:15.159 before he came to earth. 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:19.840 The glory that he set aside as he stooped down, 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:21.159 as he humbled himself, 00:12:21.460 --> 00:12:24.700 as he took on a human body with the express purpose 00:12:24.700 --> 00:12:28.559 of standing in the place of his people 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:31.500 as he dies for their sins on the cross. 00:12:31.500 --> 00:12:35.700 And the glory that he will show on the other side of the cross 00:12:35.700 --> 00:12:37.539 as he rises from the grave. 00:12:38.120 --> 00:12:41.500 And the glory that the whole world will know 00:12:41.500 --> 00:12:45.679 and will bow to one day when he returns to judge the world 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:48.360 and has the final word on history. 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:51.860 Here is Jesus in all his glory. 00:12:51.860 --> 00:12:55.440 And if you're a Christian here today, 00:12:55.480 --> 00:12:58.700 I want you to be encouraged by this glorious picture of Jesus, 00:12:59.500 --> 00:13:02.320 who the other side of his death and resurrection 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:07.460 now lives to intercede for you right now. 00:13:08.360 --> 00:13:12.940 That this is the Jesus that holds your life in his hands. 00:13:13.539 --> 00:13:17.300 And this is what Jesus will be like when we see him. 00:13:17.299 --> 00:13:20.240 And when he comes in all his glory, 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:24.459 this is the Jesus that you and I are waiting for. 00:13:26.199 --> 00:13:29.539 Here is the king in all his majesty. 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:34.139 What a wonderful truth for us to grasp afresh today 00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:35.899 in these uncertain times. 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:38.479 Here is Jesus in all his glory. 00:13:40.259 --> 00:13:41.859 And so from three men on the mountain, 00:13:42.059 --> 00:13:44.500 let's move to consider two figures from the past. 00:13:45.620 --> 00:13:47.159 Verse four, if you come with me, 00:13:47.159 --> 00:13:50.259 you see Moses and Elijah appear on the mountain with Jesus, 00:13:50.620 --> 00:13:52.839 these two big Old Testament figures, 00:13:53.799 --> 00:13:57.699 as it were representing the whole of the Bible story 00:13:57.699 --> 00:14:01.659 up to this point, the law and the prophets, the story. 00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:05.339 And they appear here with Jesus as if to say, 00:14:05.740 --> 00:14:07.799 this is what it's all been about. 00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:10.879 Everything that we said and did, 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:12.699 everything in our ministries, 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:14.620 everything that happened in our time on earth 00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:18.220 was pointing to and building towards this, 00:14:18.360 --> 00:14:21.259 the most glorious of moments. 00:14:21.659 --> 00:14:24.259 Because every promise that God made, 00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:29.259 that he would lovingly and graciously act to rescue his people, 00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:32.500 that he would deal justly with their sin, 00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:34.299 that he would make them clean, 00:14:34.419 --> 00:14:35.940 he would purify them, 00:14:35.940 --> 00:14:39.600 and he would open heaven's gates so that the peoples of the world 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:42.260 could by faith in Jesus Christ, 00:14:42.580 --> 00:14:45.280 be at peace with and know their creator. 00:14:45.860 --> 00:14:50.100 Those promises are about to reach their fulfillment 00:14:50.100 --> 00:14:52.620 and everything that will happen in the days to follow this 00:14:52.620 --> 00:14:55.860 in the moment of Jesus' death and resurrection. 00:14:55.860 --> 00:15:00.480 And I love Peter's response here. 00:15:02.340 --> 00:15:03.779 Doesn't know what to do, does he? 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:04.800 What does he do? 00:15:04.860 --> 00:15:06.180 He offers to build tents. 00:15:06.279 --> 00:15:10.340 Now, I've no idea where he thinks he's getting the kit for that for. 00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:11.259 Right? 00:15:11.300 --> 00:15:13.200 I don't imagine there's a mountain warehouse outlet 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:14.779 on top of this mountain. 00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:18.779 This may well be Peter's way of saying 00:15:18.779 --> 00:15:20.720 that he doesn't want this moment to end. 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:23.980 But I reckon more likely, 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:27.139 if you think about what's being added here, 00:15:28.420 --> 00:15:30.740 that this is him recalling that in this moment, 00:15:30.840 --> 00:15:33.580 he was running around well out of his depth. 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:37.160 That he didn't have a clue what was going on. 00:15:38.860 --> 00:15:40.860 And that has greatly encouraged me this week 00:15:40.860 --> 00:15:41.879 as I've thought about that. 00:15:43.100 --> 00:15:47.340 As one who right now feels so out of his depth, 00:15:48.560 --> 00:15:50.500 running around trying to understand 00:15:50.500 --> 00:15:51.279 what's going on, 00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:53.039 but increasingly coming to see 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:56.419 my own helplessness and weakness in this moment. 00:15:58.019 --> 00:15:59.600 And we laugh at Peter here, 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:03.340 but I think we should see something of ourselves as well. 00:16:05.779 --> 00:16:08.159 And the call then is we embrace that. 00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:12.919 It's not to draw on the inner wells 00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:15.940 of our emotional and intellectual resilience. 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:17.460 Because we know, friends, don't we, 00:16:17.460 --> 00:16:19.500 how quickly those wells run dry. 00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:23.259 Surely the call as we see Peter here 00:16:23.259 --> 00:16:24.580 and as we see this moment 00:16:24.580 --> 00:16:29.399 is to throw ourselves on this Jesus, 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:32.899 embracing him, 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:36.559 forsaking all, running after him, 00:16:37.460 --> 00:16:39.919 fixing our eyes on him, 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:43.840 and daily drawing from the bottomless well 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:46.840 of God's grace to us in him. 00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:51.840 This is about him being who he is. 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:56.120 This is about him doing what he's about to do 00:16:56.120 --> 00:17:01.840 in buying and keeping a sinful fool like me for himself. 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:04.519 This is Jesus. 00:17:05.600 --> 00:17:06.980 In all his glory. 00:17:09.380 --> 00:17:13.220 And then finally, we move from two men 00:17:13.220 --> 00:17:16.019 from the past, two figures from the past, 00:17:16.100 --> 00:17:17.759 we move to one voice from the heavens. 00:17:17.880 --> 00:17:18.460 Verse seven. 00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:20.980 Do you see verse seven? 00:17:21.059 --> 00:17:22.940 There appears a dominant cloud in the mountain, 00:17:23.180 --> 00:17:26.620 the cloud being the biblical symbol of God's presence. 00:17:26.619 --> 00:17:29.599 And God the Father, do you see, 00:17:29.699 --> 00:17:32.000 he speaks from heaven about his son. 00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:36.699 He says, this is my beloved son. 00:17:37.819 --> 00:17:40.679 Now it's the same affirmation that the father made 00:17:40.679 --> 00:17:42.839 about Jesus, his son, at his baptism, 00:17:42.979 --> 00:17:44.599 back at the start of his ministry. 00:17:44.599 --> 00:17:46.959 And now here it is again, 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:51.339 almost as it were approaching the end of his earthly ministry. 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:54.599 Not so much this time as an encouragement, 00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:57.139 but as an endorsement. 00:17:58.399 --> 00:18:00.159 Because look at what is added. 00:18:01.679 --> 00:18:03.379 Echoing those words we heard, 00:18:03.719 --> 00:18:06.279 read earlier from Deuteronomy about the true 00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:08.139 and the final prophet of the Lord 00:18:08.140 --> 00:18:10.300 that the people have to watch for. 00:18:11.900 --> 00:18:15.660 Simply listen to him. 00:18:17.780 --> 00:18:19.680 Now let me give you some stats about listening. 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:25.120 The average person has 27 conversations a day. 00:18:26.220 --> 00:18:28.700 Each conversation lasts about 10 minutes, 00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:30.759 which means that the average person 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:33.940 spends four and a half hours a day listening to people. 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:36.220 Now you project that forward, 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:37.440 you build that out, 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:42.420 that means that we spend roughly 68 days a year listening. 00:18:43.620 --> 00:18:45.299 In fact, it's estimated that you and I 00:18:45.299 --> 00:18:49.320 will listen to 80,000 people in our lifetimes. 00:18:49.420 --> 00:18:50.460 Now that's a lot of voices. 00:18:51.380 --> 00:18:52.519 It's a lot of opinions. 00:18:54.740 --> 00:18:56.320 But it begs the question, doesn't it? 00:18:56.340 --> 00:19:00.600 Who is the most influential voice in our lives? 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:03.180 Who is it that we're listening to? 00:19:03.340 --> 00:19:04.860 Who is top of that list? 00:19:04.859 --> 00:19:09.759 Because you see the call of God, 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:11.619 our creator here saying, 00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:15.979 you must make my son Jesus number one on your list. 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:19.299 You need to listen to what he says. 00:19:20.879 --> 00:19:25.139 You need to base your life on his revealed truth. 00:19:25.140 --> 00:19:30.400 You need to base your life on every word that proceeds from his mouth 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:32.980 because he is my son. 00:19:33.900 --> 00:19:38.440 And here is heaven's ringing endorsement of Jesus. 00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:45.340 And all of a sudden, verse eight is back to being just Jesus and the three disciples. 00:19:45.339 --> 00:19:47.619 In an instant. 00:19:48.899 --> 00:19:50.579 And for Peter, James and John, 00:19:50.659 --> 00:19:55.000 it's back to living cross-shaped lives as they follow this Jesus. 00:19:57.159 --> 00:19:58.879 Do you know what it costs to follow Jesus? 00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:02.199 Remember the question we asked at the start? 00:20:02.419 --> 00:20:03.220 Is it worth it? 00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:06.259 Well, just as we close, 00:20:06.339 --> 00:20:10.660 let me tell you about an interview that I watched recently with Tim Farron, 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:13.019 the former leader of the Liberal Democrats. 00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:17.400 And he talks about how he used to have a friend at school called Jack. 00:20:18.360 --> 00:20:22.500 And he described Jack in the interview as a typical college Christian. 00:20:22.600 --> 00:20:23.700 Whatever that means, I don't know. 00:20:23.779 --> 00:20:24.740 But that's how he described him, 00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:26.200 a typical college Christian. 00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:33.759 whose faith in the eyes of Tim Farron was weird, restrictive and unattractive. 00:20:33.819 --> 00:20:38.420 And he had absolutely no inclination of exploring the faith of his friend Jack. 00:20:39.740 --> 00:20:42.620 And in the interview, he talks about how not long after school, 00:20:43.640 --> 00:20:45.779 his dad got a job in Singapore. 00:20:47.160 --> 00:20:49.400 And so the whole family moved over to Singapore. 00:20:50.380 --> 00:20:54.059 And they were assigned a little house in Singapore by the company. 00:20:54.059 --> 00:20:57.419 And the previous family that lived in the house were Christians. 00:20:58.679 --> 00:21:00.940 And they left behind many things in this house. 00:21:01.980 --> 00:21:04.899 But one thing they left behind was a collection of Christian books. 00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:08.960 And because Tim found himself not being able to speak the language 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:14.240 and not having many friends and to avoid him going utterly bored, 00:21:14.779 --> 00:21:20.039 what he did was he set about reading every book that he could find in the house. 00:21:20.039 --> 00:21:25.259 And out of a desire to avoid what he saw as the God stuff on the shelf, 00:21:25.339 --> 00:21:29.539 he read everything that he could find, including the Winnie the Pooh collection. 00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:35.420 Until he came to the point where there was nothing left on the shelf apart from those books. 00:21:36.619 --> 00:21:38.119 And so he picked up and read. 00:21:39.180 --> 00:21:42.399 And as he did that, in his words, his own words, 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:44.940 and perhaps I imagine with Jack at the back of his mind, 00:21:44.940 --> 00:21:48.320 he says that as he read them, and I quote, 00:21:49.320 --> 00:21:55.140 it hit me almost with a physical force that this is true. 00:21:56.100 --> 00:22:00.480 And if it's true, then nothing else matters. 00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:05.320 In fact, nothing is even close to mattering. 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:08.899 So here's the truth today. 00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:10.599 It costs to follow Jesus. 00:22:11.779 --> 00:22:13.839 It really costs to follow Jesus. 00:22:15.059 --> 00:22:16.259 So is it worth it? 00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:21.419 Well, let me just suggest to us as we close that because it's true, 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:25.579 because Jesus verifiably rose from the dead, 00:22:26.980 --> 00:22:28.659 and friends, it is absolutely worth it. 00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:32.579 Here is Christ in all his splendid glory. 00:22:32.579 --> 00:22:38.339 And here is the promise that he makes at the end of Mark chapter 8. 00:22:39.259 --> 00:22:41.919 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:48.619 But whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 00:22:49.419 --> 00:22:50.740 Let us pray together. 00:22:55.819 --> 00:23:00.139 So Father, you tell us that your word searches minds and exposes hearts. 00:23:02.579 --> 00:23:08.099 And so by your spirit, would you right now encourage those who need to be encouraged? 00:23:09.619 --> 00:23:12.319 Would you still those who need to be stilled? 00:23:14.119 --> 00:23:16.859 Would you comfort those who need to be comforted? 00:23:18.119 --> 00:23:21.720 And would you challenge those of us who need to be challenged? 00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:27.579 And so as we respond to the call that the Lord Jesus makes on all of our lives, 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:30.740 Lord, would you help us to follow him 00:23:30.740 --> 00:23:33.720 out of a deep love for him 00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:36.319 and for what he's done for us on the cross. 00:23:37.339 --> 00:23:39.299 And so it's in his precious name that we pray. 00:23:39.980 --> 00:23:40.339 Amen. 00:23:40.339 --> 00:23:40.440 Amen. 00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:40.480 Amen. 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:40.500 Amen. 00:23:40.500 --> 00:23:40.539 Amen.