Turn the world upside down

Matthew 16:24-27

New King James Version (NKJV)

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

 
²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

I'm borrowing from my pastor's sermon yesterday. Pastor Ron told us that Christianity is "a paradox that is counter-intuitive and counter-cultural." Christianity totally flips the world's values upside down. The world ask the questions "what's in it for me? What can I get out of it?" If it doesn't benefit me, then I don't want to be involved in it. We even have a generation of young people who I've heard called the "me" generation. The me generation...That's because all they think about it "what's in it for me?"

Christianity turns the question around, upside down with the question "what's in it for the other guy? What would please my neighbors?" That is totally opposite to the world's way of thinking. The world doesn't care about their neighbor any more that how it will benefit them.

In my understanding, as a Christian, we don't achieve our ultimate happiness by getting all that we want but rather by giving all that we have. WHOA! Giving all that we have? What will be left for me?? I don't know about this Christian stuff, then, if I've got to give it all to someone else. Hold on now. Before you totally freak out, you've got to understand that the more you give away, the more happiness and joy you receive. It may sound strange to society's way of thinking but in the heavenly kingdom, that's the ONLY way of thinking. We all want to have a happy life. We all want self-satisfaction. The Rolling Stones sang

"I can't get no satisfaction
'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no "  Self-satisfaction can not be achieved through money or the things money can buy. Oh sure, money can bring temporary satisfaction but lasting joy, peace and satisfaction in life can only come through Jesus Christ.

Jesus wasn't satisfied with giving just a little here or a little there. He didn't have a 50/50 relationship with people. Jesus gave 100% of himself so that we could have the things we need and have the joys of this life. Jesus gave His very life for us. He died on the cross to pay for MY sins so that I don't have to pay for them. He died on the cross for YOUR sins too. All you have to do is just accept the free gift that He gives you. When you have Jesus at the center of your life you will have the inward joy that gives true happiness whether you've got the money of Bill Gates or a homeless bum. And isn't that inward joy what really gives us Sa-tis-fac-tion?