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Self Sacrifice
SERMON - 10.15am, Emmanuel Church, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Sunday 28th August 2005
Revd. Matthew Vernon
Matt 16. 21-end.
It's remarkable that we can act like God.
We don't do it all the time.
Nor do I mean we can create the world or perform amazing miracles.
We can act like God through self-sacrifice.
"Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it."
Jesus' words are cryptic.
But he has just told his disciples that he will suffer.
He has just said, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
Those who lose their life for Jesus' sake are those who follow his example of self-sacrifice. And they find life through giving themselves.
You do this in many ways.
We know from experience that life, deep joy and peace, stem from giving ourselves to other people.
If I'm honest, I've often found Jesus' call to take up the cross depressing. Depressing because I've presumed it means some radical, martyr-like lifestyle change.
We shouldn't rule out that Jesus is calling you to a radical lifestyle change: look what happened to Jackie Pullinger or to Brother Roger of Taizι.
But there's too much guilt and depression in church.
Self-denial is not the same as self-rejection or self-hate.
Self-denial is closer to the joyful self-giving love expressed in Christian relationships,
be that marriage or parenting or friendship.
Jesus' words are about finding life.
As he says elsewhere, "I've come that you may have life and have in abundantly."
So let's give thanks for the ways we are self-sacrificial.
You'll forgive my first example, but if you're parents you'll know what I mean.
If you're married you should know what I mean.
If you've been part of a family you'll certainly know what I mean.
If you have good friends who you've helped through difficult times.
If you've helped with things here at church.
If you've ever forgiven someone at work.
If you've done charity work.
If you are ever been more concerned about the welfare of others than about your own rights and requirements.
Even if you've ever held a door open for someone.
That's true.
It isn't just good manners.
When you hold the door open for someone else, you are aware of their needs.
ou step outside your own narrow focus,
what ever errand you're running
and sacrifice some effort for that person.
Given how hard people here in Hong Kong find it to hold a door open for someone else,
that sacrifice is obviously greater than we might think.
As Christians our acts of self-sacrifice stem from God's self-sacrifice.
They reflect the selfless love of God.
We receive constantly God's selfless love.
We are saved by God's self-sacrifice in Christ.
It's our awareness of that that motivates our self-giving.
It's our awareness that our life
and the faith that gives meaning to our lives stem from God's love
that inspires us to love like God.
"God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4.9-11)
Here's a story about these things.
There was once a garden.
The gardener's favourite plant was the lovely and gracious Bamboo.
Year by year, Bamboo grew lovelier and more gracious.
She loved her gardener
and she delighted in dancing for him when the breeze blew through her branches.
The gardener in turn loved to watch her graceful dancing.
One day he came to visit Bamboo,
but this day he looked thoughtful and sad.
"My Bamboo," he said, "today I must ask you to help me in an important work."
Bamboo was very excited.
"Yes. I will do anything for you."
"My beloved Bamboo, for this work I need to cut you down."
Bamboo quivered with horror.
How would she ever dance again?
But she could tell that the gardener was serious.
So he cut down Bamboo.
Then he said, "Now I need to cut off your leaves and fronds."
Again, Bamboo shivered.
She gave her consent, but felt naked and cold on the bare earth.
But there was worse to come.
The gardener said, "Now Bamboo I must split you in tow and cut out your centre, I must scoop out the heart of you. I cannot use you unless I do this."
So he split Bamboo, and hollowed her out,
and gently lifted her to a place in the garden where a fresh, sparkling spring flowed.
There he laid her down,
placing one end in the water and the other end in the dry field beyond the garden.
The water sang to Bamboo as it bubbled along her channel.
It flooded the dry field and the gardener planted a new crop.
At harvest time, Bamboo, saw the abundance life in the new field that she had helped grow.
She had once danced so gracefully,
but now she danced a deeper, more powerful dance.
She no longer missed her old life,
for she saw the new life that she brought.
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