Easter Sunday - Non-conformity & Christlikeness
'‘Greetings!’ It’s not the kind of thing you expect a dead man to say. But then why should Jesus’ death be any different to his life which was characterised by non-conformity?
From the moment of his birth, actually from before he was even born, Jesus didn’t conform to the world’s standards and expectations. Right back at the start of Matthew’s gospel, in chapter 1, we’re told he wasn’t conceived in the normal way, but through the Holy Spirit (1:18, 20). His birth isn’t announced in the local paper or on Facebook, but in the heavens and by angels (1:20; 2:2). Before his crucifixion, during his trial Pilate asked Jesus, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ But we’ve known, since Matthew 2, that he was born the King of the Jews. But the wise men don’t find him in the palace in Jerusalem, but in a barn in Bethlehem.
It’s no different as Matthew recounts Jesus’ public life and ministry. Matthew’s gospel is arranged around five great sermons that Jesus gave, the Sermon on the Mount, on mission, on heaven, on the church, and on the end times. Many of those who heard Jesus called him teacher, but they had to admit he didn't conform to their image of rabbi’s and scribes. He taught as one having real authority (Matt. 7:29).
And it wasn’t just what he said, but also what he did that marked him out as different. Jesus did things that no other person has done. Who else, made the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, cleansed lepers, made the deaf hear, raised the dead raised, or brought good news to the poor like Jesus? (Matt. 11:4-5) Who else has fed thousands with just a few loaves and fishes, or walked on water or stilled storms with just a word? Jesus wasn’t like any other human being, which lead even his disciples to ask: “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” (Matt. 8:27)
Given all this, it’s no surprise that the crowds began to wonder if Jesus was the Messiah, the one God had promised to send to deliver his people. But Jesus wasn’t about to conform to their expectations of who the Messiah is or what he would do. As we remembered last week, Jesus rode into Jerusalem not on a war horse, but on a donkey. He had come to rescue God’s people, but it wasn’t the Romans who were occupying Jerusalem that he’d come to vanquish. It was sin and death. The crowds didn’t realize this when they lined the road shouting ‘Hosanna, Long Live the King!’ and spread their cloaks and palm branches before him.
To all outside appearances, Jesus went on to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Less than a week after that triumphant entry Jesus was betrayed by one of his disciples, arrested by the priests and elders, denied by even his closest friends. Even though he was proclaimed innocent he was still sentenced to death by the Roman governor, Pilate. The crowds which had cried ‘Hosanna!’, now cried ‘Crucify!’ To be fair there were those who still hailing him as the King of the Jews as they tried to crown him, but those were just Pilate’s soldiers who were mocking Jesus as the twisted a crown of thorns onto his head, before they took him away to execute him. All looked helpless and hopeless. After he breathed his last, the Roman centurion supervising the crucifixion did proclaim, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” (Matt. 27:54). But it’s too little, too late. He’s already dead. His body is taken away and laid in a tomb.
It’s said there’s two things in life that are certain, death and taxes. Unfortunately, in Matthew 22 Jesus said we have to keep paying our taxes. He said we must “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s” (Matt. 22:21)! But as for death, well, in his death Jesus continued to defy expectations. He failed to conform to what we know to be true. The dead simply don’t come back to life. Or do they?
Jesus had told his disciples, numerous times, that after three days he would be raised from the dead. Even the chief priests and elders had heard him say it, which is why they arranged to have the tomb guarded (Matt. 27:62-6). They didn’t really believe that would happen, the dead just don’t come back to life. Rather, they believed that Jesus’ disciples would steal his body and then claim that he’d been raised. The disciples themselves don’t appear to have believed. Matthew’s honest enough to admit that even after they’d been told of the resurrection some still doubted (Matt. 28:17). At our Wednesday communion service this week someone asked why? Why didn’t believe? How could they doubt? Why? Because the dead just don’t come back to life!
If an angel hadn’t appeared with thunder and lightening, would the Mary’s have believed the message?
5But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” (Matt. 28:5-7)
In his life, in his death, in his resurrection, Jesus didn’t conform to the standards and expectations of this world. And as we gather together this morning to remember that, we also need to remind ourselves that he called us to do the same. Jesus calls us to follow him, to become radical disciples. We’re not to be conformed to this world, but to begin living as citizens of heaven right here and right now.
Not conforming doesn’t mean we run out and grab a placard and begin protesting against everything. Nor does it mean that we retreat from the world and hide away from it. We’re called to be in the world, but not to be shaped by it. There are plenty of pressures seeking to make us conform. Let me briefly outline just a few of the more potent ones that we face today, courtesy of John Stott who’s book Radical Disciple you might like to check out as we’re looking at a few of his themes in the coming weeks. Here then are four ‘isms’.
There’s pluralism, which tries to convince us that all religions are equal, that it doesn’t matter what we believe, if anything. But as Jesus reminded Satan, ‘it is written ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” (Matt. 4:10. Stepping out of Matthew for a moment, Jesus said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father, except through me.’ (John 14:6)
In many ways pluralism has become a given in our society. The grounds have shifted so that it’s not about beliefs but about actions and attitudes. Ethical relativism tries to convince us that it doesn’t matter what we do or how we live our life, because there are no absolutes. But Chris alone is Lord and he cares a great deal about what we say and do. Jesus said: 21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. (Matt. 7:21)
Then there’s materialism, which doesn’t just say that matter is all there is, that this world is all that matters. But as one of the more outrageous Bond films stated, the ‘World is Not Enough!’ Jesus put it far better when he said:
19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt. 6:19-21) (Strive first kingdom 6:25)
Materialism leads to narcissism, the belief that it’s all about me. After all, I’m the most important person in the world, aren’t I? The world constantly tells us we should look after number one, that we should seek our own wealth and happiness above all else. But Christ calls us to deny ourselves:
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matt. 16:24)
And rather than obsessing over self-love, we’re to love God and our neighbour. (Matt. 22:37-9)
Pluralism, ethical relativism, materialism, narcissism are just four of the forces that try to shape us and model us. But we’re called to resist them, to not be conformed to the world, but to be conformed to the image of the Son (Rom. 8:29). We’re called to be radical disciples, following Christ and the example of his life, his love, his humility, his faithfulness and sacrificial service.
We’re also called to carry on Christ’s mission in the world, to pick up were he left off. Jesus began his public life and ministry proclaiming:
17From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matt 4:17)
That mission isn’t over! It’s been handed over to us. After he’d been raised from the dead, Jesus met his disciples upon the mountain in Galilee and gave them this charge:
18All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
We know these words as the Great Commission. But, like with the Lord’s Prayer, there’s a danger in being so familiar with them. We can think that memorizing them is the same as fulfilling them. But these aren’t words just to memorise or rattle off, but words we should live and breath as Christ’s disciples. They’re words we should live by.
One of the ways we can do that is to look at them with fresh eyes. So today let me ask you, do you see St. Thomas’ Mission Statement in there? We’ve just launched our five-year plan, so if you’re a regular here hopefully it should be familiar to you. If you’re a visitor, it’s on the very front of the pew sheet you should have received when you came in this morning.
Our mission is to:
Speak the Gospel
Teach the Bible
Build Community
to demonstrate God’s love
Do you see how this comes from Jesus’ final words? We’re to go and make disciples and baptize them. We can only do this if we speak the gospel, if we share the good news with people and call them to repent. We’re to teach them to obey everything that Jesus has commanded. We’ll that’s teaching the Bible isn’t it? What about Building community? We’ll we’re to go to all the nations, not just the Jews. And we’re to baptize people, that is welcome them into the church, the community of God’s people in relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And we do all this to demonstrate God’s love to the world, as we find in Jesus.
It’s a big job isn’t it? Following Christ, being a radical disciple isn’t easy. But look back over Matthew 28 with me. Do you see the great comfort and support that Jesus gives us as we seek to be radical disciples?
When the angel appears, the hardened soldiers are scared stiff. But what does the angel say to the women? “Do not be afraid!” And the message he has is one of comfort for the disciples. Even though they’d denied Jesus and abandoned him, he will not abandon them. No, he welcomes them back and calls them to meet with him.
Then as the women rush off what happens? Jesus meets them! He didn’t have to do that. Apart from the ‘Greetings!’ what he says is almost exactly the same as what he’d said via the angel. So why did Jesus appear to them? I think it’s to provide them with extra comfort and support.
When it comes to the Great Commission, did you notice the way it’s bracketed by great promises from Christ? He begins by saying that he’s been given all authority in heaven and on earth. He’s not dead and defeated, but alive and victorious. After humbling himself and becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross, he’s now been highly exalted and given a name to which every knee should bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord, as the hymn in Philippians 2 put it. Before Jesus lays out the duties of radical disciples, he reminds us that he’s in charge, he’s got all the power. But we don't just go out in his name in with his power.
These past few days have been hard, as the reality hits home for Sarah and I. In a week’s time we’ll be saying our final farewell. We wish that we could stay here forever, but God is calling us elsewhere. But as we prepare to go I’ve been comforted by Jesus’ final words in Matthew 28:20. As you prepare to say goodbye to us, and then in a few weeks to Chris and Di, and then a month or so after that to Ivy, I hope you can keep Jesus’ final words close to heart. For having given his disciples this great big commission, having charged them not to be conformed to the world, but to follow him in his mission, Jesus says these final words:
“And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20b)
As we live as radical disciples, as we strive not to be conformed to the world but instead to be like Christ, as we speak the gospel, teach the bible and build community, God is right here with us. Christ is present with us through his Spirit. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is at work within us. What more could we want as we strive to be radical disciples of Christ?