Past Sermons |
20th March 2005 |
Are You Happy with Your Success?
Matthew 27:11-26
Today is Palm Sunday. We entered the sanctuary waving Palm leaves and singing our praises. Just like 2000 years ago when Jesus came riding triumphantly into Jerusalem. (of course I hope the weather was better nicer for him than it was for us!)
Riding that donkey, Jesus was the picture of success. People going crazy worshipping and shouting. He got a parade like a conquering general or maybe the Boston Red Sox after their World Series sweep of the Cardinals.
But then, just a few days later, he was nailed to a cross like a common criminal. Talk about a quick descent. His popularity sank more rapidly than the Titanic! Maybe Jesus wasn't that much of a success as it first appeared.
It is interesting how we in America define "success." Most of us see success as the attainment of wealth and fame. Think about it.
Isn't it true that when we think of success... we immediately pull out names like Bill Gates, Donald Trump, or even Michael Jordan. They symbolize the "sweet smell of success." But are money and fame enough?
One person put it this way: Money- It can buy you a house, but not a home. It can buy you a bed, but not sleep. It can buy you a clock, but not time. It can buy you a book, but not knowledge. It can buy you a position, but not respect. It can buy you sex, but not love. It can buy you medicine, but not health. It can buy you blood, but not life.
Money, yeah it's nice to have - but can you equate it with success?
Some years ago, a well-dressed young man came to Paris to meet with a famous therapist. He complained of being blue, unfulfilled and depressed.
The counselor said to the young man, "Go to Grimaldi! He is the handsome, young, happy-go-lucky leader of the Continental jet set. He is the life of every party. His frivolous good times are legendary all over Europe.
"He is known far and wide for his joyous exploits. The whole world envies Grimaldi. Yes," said the counselor, "go to Grimaldi. He will show you how to be happy."
"But sir," said the young man, "I am Grimaldi!"
You see, there is more to successful living than partying, eating well and counting wealth. Our customary standards of measuring success are so shoddy and shallow... "How much money do you make?" "How many cars do you have?" "How many credit cards do you carry?"
The very questions reflect a poverty of soul... and a gross misunderstanding of what genuine success really is all about.
To get into this a little deeper, let's telescope in on Holy Week and on that dramatic scene we just read in the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate. What a contrast! How different these two men are!
Now, notice something here. If you asked some folks today who knew nothing of the story to point out the successful one in this scene... using our present day standards for measuring success... they would point quickly to Pontius Pilate.
And they would document their choice by underscoring Pilate's wealth, his position, his power, his authority, his political clout... and yet they would be wrong, wouldn't they?
In Jesus, though, we see a whole new, different understanding of success. His approach is so different that it startles us. In effect, He says, "If you want to be great or successful, then be a servant."
"Be a servant?... what on earth can Jesus mean by that? Successful people aren't servants. Successful people have servants," we cry out. What is He trying to do here... upset our whole scale of values?
Well, yes! That is precisely what He is trying to do... to give us a whole new scale of values, a new measuring stick, a new standard for measuring success.
Now, with that as a backdrop, let's look at what Jesus seemed to value, the qualities that make for real success. Here is number one.
In the mind of Jesus real success is not measured so much in terms of outer circumstances as it is in inner peace and strength. In our text, who has the inner peace and strength?
Pilate has the outer circumstances, but not the inner strength. Jesus is the strong one. In fact, Jesus' inner strength baffles Pilate.
Look at Pilate. He is confused, upset, weak. He can't make up his mind. All uptight, he runs from one group to the other asking questions here and there. He tries to pass the buck to Herod. Pilate seems to know that Jesus is innocent, but he does not have the strength of character to stand firm for what is right.
Outwardly he has it all: power, wealth, position, fame. But inwardly, where it really counts, he's milk toast.
Finally, Pilate washes his hands, tries to straddle the fence. Nervously, he gives the people what they want. He turns Jesus over to them for execution -- but then just in case someone else may see it differently -- he tries to act as if he is not really involved.
On the other side of the coin, look at Jesus!! He stands there poised, confident and unafraid. He is facing death, but His strength never wavers. Just think of it -- an unfair trial, lies, plotting, conniving, bribed witnesses, political intrigue, jealousy, hostility, hatred, a mob scene.
And in the face of it all, Jesus exhibits an amazing quality of inner peace and strength and calm.
They betray Him, deny Him, taunt Him, beat Him, curse Him, spit upon Him and nail Him to a cross... and He says, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!"
Real success is not found so much in our outer circumstances as it is in our inner peace... and by that standard, Jesus was the most successful man who ever lived.
But, oh how lacking are these qualities of peace and inner strength in our world today.
People chain smoke ... knowing the consequences... because they are nervous within.
People become habitual drinkers... knowing the consequences... because they are restless within.
People drug themselves... tranquilize themselves because the mounting pressures of life have torn their inner world to shreds. Some people would give anything for a good night's rest... for a sense of peace within.
Jesus offers it to us. "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
This is Jesus' prescription for calm and inner strength. It was this confidence that enabled those early Christians... to stand unflinchingly against horrible persecution, to sing hymns of praise in prison cells, and to face death with courage and poise.
Their inner lives were strong, secure, peaceful. Their inner lives were successful... and that is the only success that really matters. Real success is not out there... it's in here!
Secondly, I think Jesus would say that real success is not measured so much in how many possessions you acquire or in how high up the ladder you climb … real success has more to do with giving your life to and for something bigger than you are.
A dream... a cause... a purpose... a ministry... that's more important than all the money and all the material possessions in the world.
University of Kansas basketball player, Wayne Simien, spoke to a crowd of 16,000 students at their annual "Senior Night." Simien talked about how he had changed over his four years at college.
As with most elite players, his status afforded him the run of the campus, from girls to free meals to VIP rooms in Lawrence nightspots on Saturday nights.
"I had all that, but deep inside I wasn't really happy," he says. "One day someone asked me what I was truly living for, and it struck a chord in my heart and my mind.
"I was like, wow, outside of basketball and personal gain, my life is really insignificant. I wanted to live for something bigger than myself."
In July 2003 Simien was baptized at a conference for Christian athletes in Texas, and soon he was giving impromptu campus sermons and attending Lawrence's Morning Star Church. He took out his earring and started wearing a suit and tie regularly. He even traded in his hip-hop CDs for gospel music.
"Mom," he said over the phone one night, "I'm happy to tell you I threw away all that 'rap crap' you always talked about."
He concluded his remarks to the gathered crowd by saying, "No matter how many victories I've had on this court - all the championship banners, all the accolades past, present, and future - the one thing I'll glory in is my relationship with the living God.
"When I was 11 years old, I dreamed about playing on this court. Well, my dream now is to see each and every one of you, all 16,000, everyone listening on the radio and seeing this on TV, to have the same love and relationship with Jesus Christ as I do. I love all of you!"
What do you live for?
Jesus knew about that important longing deep within us and in the Sermon on the Mount... He underscored it by saying: Seek first God's Kingdom and His righteousness and everything else will fall in place. Blessed are those who keep on hungering and thirsting after righteousness, they shall be filled.
Success comes not from material possessions. Success comes from giving your life to a great dream - something bigger than yourself.
Success also means not living for self, indeed it is living for others. A little boy came home from Sunday School. He had studied the Good Samaritan parable... His mother asked him, "What did you learn?"
He said: "I learned that when I'm in trouble, somebody ought to help me." He missed the whole point. It is not all about us. And yet so often, that's who we think of first, isn't it?
By present day standards of success, Jesus wouldn't measure up so well. He was born in a stable. His mother was a peasant girl; His father a carpenter... He had little formal schooling... wrote no books... held no offices... claimed no political fame. He traveled very little.
He taught, but many scoffed at His teaching. His closest friends betrayed Him. And then almost before the story got started, He was nailed to a cross like a common criminal and put to death.
That doesn't sound like a success story, does it... and yet 2,000 years later, people bow at His name and look in amazement at His perceptive teaching and His sacrificial death. People's lives are changed because of Him!
Why? Because He showed us what God is like and what God wants us to become... and the word is love. He who is greatest and most successful among you must be a servant... a servant of God... of people... of love.
It is my prayer that wherever we are in life - we remember that real success is never measured by what's out there, but what's in here. Each and every one of us can be a success.
As a matter of fact, Jesus wants us to be a success … a success for him. All we need to do is open our hearts and minds to him … and then follow.
Pastor Tom |
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