2026年9月20日·證道
證道:如何落實捨已背十字架:單單體貼神的意思
經文:馬太福音 16:23-26
捨己背十字架不是一個概念,而是支配整個生命的原則;落實的基準,在於單單體貼神的意思,不體貼人的意思。
講章逐字稿
閱讀約 27 分鐘
本逐字稿由影片字幕整理而成,尚待牧師審閱,文字可能與講道略有出入。
引言:捨己背十字架不只是一個概念 0:02
弟兄姊妹們平安。今天跟大家分享的證道主題是「如何落實捨己背十字架」,冒號後面是「單單體貼神的意思」。這個題目,大家聽起來應該會覺得很熟悉。一開始就說「如何實踐」,或者說「如何落實」捨己背十字架——那為什麼需要實踐呢?
弟兄姊妹,捨己這件事,我想每一個人都會認為,這就是一個概念嘛。就像我們說「你要敬畏耶和華,你要時刻讚美祂」,就像這種概念一樣。我們不會每一分鐘都在想:我每一句話都要在讚美耶和華神。我們讚美祂,是一種心態;所以我們全人,都活在一個讚美祂的狀態裡面。讚美祂不是時時刻刻掛在嘴上,卻常常在我們所有的工作裡面。
可是今天我要跟大家分享的是:捨己這件事情,基本上是支配著我們整個生命的。整個生命——不管你從短程、中程、遠程,從人生的各個階段去思考,你都會很清楚地面臨一件事:世界的價值觀,相對於耶穌基督今天教導我們的「捨己」——跟從主的一個必要條件。
背十字架,我想也是一樣。因為十字架嘛,我們都知道是耶穌基督背十字架的;真正背起這個十字架、我們歷歷在目的,是耶穌。當然,羅馬時代那些受懲罰而背十字架的人另當別論。真正背起那木頭十字架、成為十字架真正典範的,就是耶穌一個人。那我們說我們背十字架,我們怎麼背呢?這是一個概念嘛——背十字架,就是要跟捨己連同在一起,然後每個人有自己困難的地方、有自己要做的事情。
弟兄姊妹,今天我要跟大家分享的捨己背十字架,第一個,我們要先認識清楚這個十字架是什麼;然後我們要進一步強調,捨己跟背十字架是隨時隨刻都要成為我們的座右銘——我們每一個思想、每一個計畫、每一個決定,弟兄姊妹,都在這個範疇裡面。所以我們強調的是:要如何把它落實、實行出來、實踐出來。
一、落實的基準:單單體貼神的意思 4:16
剛剛我們很清楚地念了《馬太福音》第十六章,背十字架的經文。我們每一個人都會記得,是從二十四節開始:
於是耶穌對門徒說:「若有人要跟從我,就當捨己,背起他的十字架來跟從我。」——馬太福音 16:24
這句話大家都很熟悉。後面的二十五、二十六節,也告訴了我們為什麼要背的原因。但是還有一個前文——二十三節——它告訴我們,如何能夠背呢?答案在二十三節:
耶穌轉過來,對彼得說:「撒但,退我後邊去吧!你是絆我腳的;因為你不體貼神的意思,只體貼人的意思。」——馬太福音 16:23
弟兄姊妹,今天我們要強調的是:捨己背十字架的實踐基準,在於我們單單體貼神的意思,而不是體貼人的意思。
其實我原來準備在結論的時候才提的:主耶穌基督在客西馬尼園所展現出來的,就是這麼一個很簡單的道理。祂很清楚知道十字架的路是困難的。祂有沒有不想背十字架呢?有的,是吧?祂求神、求天父,免了這件事情。但是祂很清楚地跟祂的父禱告說:我們要按照主的意思行,按照父的意思行,而不是按照我自己的意思行。所以這整個連在一起的時候,就有了今天要分享的主旨。
這個禮拜,在思考要講的方向的時候,我想起了兩三個禮拜前我們講到的少年官,少年官的那個故事。我感覺意猶未盡,因為那個故事的確提出了一個非常重要的道理:祂要我們按照主的吩咐去做。那主給他的吩咐是什麼?要變賣他一切所有的,分給窮人——不是拿去分給他的親戚子孫、變成家族傳承——是分給窮人,然後來跟隨耶穌。所以我就想到今天這段經文,可以讓我們進一步去思考這個問題:體貼神的意思。少年官應該去體貼耶穌基督給他的那個方法,那個方法就是主的意思、就是神的意思。可是他做不到。
二、世界的價值觀,與捨己的交換 8:22
在這個思考的範疇裡面,這個禮拜我又在網路上跟一個弟兄有些分享。分享的是什麼呢?就是一個人在他的生命裡面,要展現自己的某種才華;可是這個人展現才華的時候,他必須要跟一些人——譬如說,跟當權派——合作。在彰顯他才華的實現裡面,他其實是站在敵基督的當權派那一邊,儘管他能夠展現他自己的能力、專業能力。我不願意在這裡講得太明白,我們舉一個例子。
就像聖經裡面,在羅馬時代,有一個職業叫做稅吏。稅吏,那時候以色列人都很討厭他們的。為什麼?因為他們按照羅馬帝國給他們的律例典章——就是法律——按照法律去行。可是他們真的是按照法律行的嗎?這法律是公義的嗎?稅吏在執行這法律的時候,是不是有中飽私囊呢?
我們再引申一點:如果今天有一個人,是法律的專家,有經師的身分。稅吏一夥的來要求他說:「欸,你為我們向以色列的民眾宣講稅法。」然後他就在老百姓中間,做一個法律的解釋者。請問,他背後是什麼呢?是羅馬帝國。他在同輩、同族裡面展現了他的法律長才,後面又有大大的靠山。我不知道弟兄姊妹,這個比喻合不合適,但我想讓大家思考一下:在這樣的狀態裡面,一個解釋法律的人可以說:「因為那是法律,所以我的這個工作、我的這個作為,就是合理的。」
每一個人都可以很清楚:所有神的敵對勢力——我們的敵對勢力——從古到今,都是用法律來整治神的僕人。他們都用他們的法律。法律本身不是每一句話都是壞的;可是法律被執行起來的時候,它所執行的重點、所呈現出來的,就是敵基督的。這個例子跟我們今天的主題很相關:想要在這個社會裡面有立足的地位,或者說提升自己的地位——就像我剛剛講的那個人,為羅馬的說法到處去演講,代表的是什麼?專業、權力。結果他真正在做什麼?他真正在做仇敵的工作。
所以這裡面就出現了一個問題:在我們的生命裡面,我們很容易就忘記了「要體貼神的意思,不要體貼人的意思」。人從小到大——從第一天上學開始——他就有一個志向:要成功。首先學業進步,要金榜題名,然後事業賺大錢,才能夠光宗耀祖。對不對?沒有錯的,人是往世界的高峰去發展,這就是人的意思,就是人的文化的意思。
今天這句話,「捨己背十字架」,恰恰就是要把我們習以為常的一個價值觀、一整個價值體系拿下來,丟棄了。我們知道「捨己」這個字,希臘文是 ἀπαρνέομαι(aparneomai)。這是什麼意思呢?它不只是說「捨」,它是完全的:所有的主權、所有個人的好處、所有個人的名分,都要放掉。世界上別人擁有的東西,我們不但要放棄,其實還有一樣的態度,就是唾棄——不要,像保羅講的「看作糞土」,我們後面會拿出來講——像糞土一樣把它丟掉、摒棄,斷絕對它價值的認可。它的價值對別人來講是不得了的,但對你身邊來講,不算什麼。
我們取而代之的是什麼?為什麼世界的價值觀會變成沒有呢?我們想想看,世界的價值觀給我們的這一切,都是短暫的,因為有一句很清楚的話:人人必有一死。我們感謝上帝讓我們能夠享受生命,更是給了我們死亡——沒有死亡,我們就不知道什麼叫生命。人一生的努力,以為可以怎麼樣;很多中國的成語,「人定勝天」還是如何,要克服一些困難、展現自己,用人的邏輯、方法。我們只要把原來文化裡面、世界裡面所有的東西丟棄,換成領受上帝那無限的、不會終結的好處,我們永恆的目標。
「享受」跟「害怕」——這句話不知道你懂不懂:如果今天突然享受很多東西的時候,你知道,享樂的背後可能就是承擔不了的一種惡果。比如說你大吃大喝,結果身體不是這個病就是那個病。我今天以為賺得盆滿缽滿,後面可能面臨什麼?搶劫,還是你的孩子被綁架,還是有人看你不順眼,把你家燒了。你看過去的朝代裡面那些人,他們都只會互相傾軋嘛;能夠真正享受一段長時間的人太少了。所以你會想要錢,卻害怕有太多錢。上帝在天國給我們的,就不是這樣,對嗎?
所以捨己背十字架,其實是一種交換:把原來我們無法永恆的東西——一個可能帶來災難的東西——的所謂好處換掉,換成神給我們預備的那種豐盛、那永不褪色的、祂給我們的平安跟喜樂。
三、聖經裡的榜樣:摩西 19:29
在聖經裡面,我們剛剛講過最重要的例子——耶穌的教導。捨己背十字架,祂自己的榜樣:祂刻意把靈魂向天父禱告,就是把這些概念清清楚楚講給我們聽,也讓我們學習這個原則。祂禱告了,祂知道父的意思了,祂就照著行。所以弟兄姊妹,今天我們也從聖經裡面其他的一些人物來學習一點。有幾個人,我特別想跟大家分享,思考他們的作為。
第一個是摩西。基督是天上的君王;摩西呢,他可以成為世上君王一族的人,是吧?他可以成為法老家的人。摩西決定了什麼?他決定了他要成為神的一族的人。這麼一個決定,一方面完全改變了他一生後面的生命,但是他卻為上帝、為要讓以色列民出埃及的工作,成為神的用人。出埃及這件事情,在整本聖經裡面是很大的一件事情:帶領人從仇敵的手中出來,去事奉耶和華。
我們今天能夠接下去思考的是:我們是不是很清楚地知道,要如何像摩西一樣,在當年那個節骨眼,願意放下你可能有的一切享受呢?希伯來書十一章二十四到二十六節:
摩西因著信,長大了就不肯稱為法老女兒之子。他寧可和神的百姓同受苦害,也不願暫時享受罪中之樂。他看為基督受的凌辱比埃及的財物更寶貴,因他想望所要得的賞賜。他因著信,就離開埃及,不怕王怒;因為他恆心忍耐,如同看見那不能看見的主。——希伯來書 11:24-27
這很清楚啊。摩西,他接了一個目標以後,這目標要他必須離開他原來很舒服的環境;反而他必須有四十年,像自我放逐一樣,逃離。然後呢,他把「為基督受的凌辱」看得比埃及的財物更寶貴。這是一個很清楚的測驗尺度。我們說「我也要做到」——我們要為耶穌、為主、為主的道受凌辱,看得比世界上的財富、埃及的財物更寶貴——你做到嗎?他是看得很清楚:為基督受凌辱這件事情,他知道他所得的賞賜是大的,這賞賜清清楚楚大於埃及的財物。他那時候看不見神,但他相信這位神。
這位神能夠讓他明白——不管是從他的母親,還是他的姊姊,還是他讀過的一些典籍——他知道這位神是以色列民的神,而這位神是創造宇宙的大神。我們知道摩西被上帝委派來寫五經,《創世記》這麼偉大的一部著作。我們知道所有的聖經經典都是聖靈默示的,聖靈才是真正原始的作者;但聖靈要找一個人來寫,也是找到合適的人,已經在他的生命裡面先造就了他的人。所以從摩西寫五經,我們不得不相信,摩西腦袋裡面對很多東西的看法、知識是豐富的。這些當然是從各種典籍學習來的;我個人相信,埃及裡面絕不缺乏這種可以思想的知識。這種知識很多是事實的一種記載,可是常常對於事實的記載,給它一個帽子、給它解讀的時候,又往錯誤的方向去,有些書寫也是常有的。
所以我們在看一個東西的時候,不管它是不是聖經、神的默示,我要跟聖靈一起來看。我們看到別的東西,如果裡面有提供我們吸收新東西的時候,我也建議你們要邀請聖靈跟你一起來看。聖靈隨時給你幫助,讓你明瞭裡面所能夠學習到的真知識是什麼——這件事情能夠改變你整個思想體系,影響到你每天生命的一些決定。總括來說,這一切的努力學習,都是讓我們更能活出一個體貼神的旨意、單單體貼神旨意的生命。
四、聖經裡的榜樣:馬利亞 27:31
第二個,我們常聽到大家在提的、幾乎是已經捨己背十字架的人,是誰呢?是馬利亞,耶穌肉身的母親。在福音書裡面我們都很清楚知道,天使來向她報這個喜訊。這一方面是喜訊;對於那時候一個還沒出嫁的女孩子來講,那可能也是一個冒著生命風險的事。因為在那個年代,誰能夠明白是上帝讓一個童女受孕、懷了神的兒子?只要有一些人不明白,他們搞不好就把你用石頭打死了。不知道能不能夠面對你的家裡,或是面對已經許配了、還沒過門的丈夫。
在那個時候,馬利亞沒有問很多。沒有問說這怎麼解決、那怎麼解決。她只很清楚,體貼神的意思。馬利亞回答天使說:
「我是主的使女,情願照你的話成就在我身上。」——路加福音 1:38
就這麼簡單一句話,讓大家認知到:這是上帝、她的神派天使來給她下達的計畫。上帝的話不一定叫做命令,但上帝的話就是我們一定要遵守的話。她不是沒考慮到,不是傻傻不知道;她知道她會面臨的各種風險,但她很清楚:「情願照你的話成就在我身上」,因為「我是主的使女」。她全然就是上帝的僕人、使女——神要她怎麼樣就怎麼樣,要如何拯救就如何拯救。這不恰恰就是我們捨己背十字架的一個典範嗎?
五、聖經裡的榜樣:保羅 30:34
第三個,在聖經裡面最明顯的,是保羅。他的確做了很多事情,但是我們先了解一下,保羅是怎麼樣的出身呢?保羅的出身,我們可以知道他在社會上是有地位的:他一出生就是羅馬公民,這在那個年代絕對是一個金字招牌。然後他又是便雅憫支派的人,扎扎實實的以色列民、猶太人。他跟很多人一樣追求學問,拜在有名的名師迦瑪列門下學習。所以等於說,他的資歷、他的背景資料,足夠拿出來炫耀的了。
在他生命的軌跡裡面,他不是找不到工作;他很清楚地做一件他認為是光宗耀祖的事情:他是會堂、是法利賽派的人,跟公權力有關係,還為他們執行一個非常重要的任務——去追殺信耶穌的人。你想想看,這個工作在那個年代是有社會地位的。他能夠那樣做、有這麼一個背景,我們相信他們家裡也不缺乏足夠的錢財。所以從世界的角度來說,他是好得很的。
那今天我們看看他:當他知道、認識到,原來世界的錢財是糞土的時候,而他能夠領受到他屬天的一切豐盛——耶穌基督呼召他了——這完全是一種取代性的決定:永恆的福樂,取代世界如糞土的財富、地位。
所以今天,弟兄姊妹,我們回來自己思考。當我們面臨一些抉擇,我們常常希望在人生的階梯裡面往上爬——這個慾望、這個努力,在整個社會機制裡面是夢寐以求的一些成就。當我今天唾手可得的時候,我們當然很容易就不加思索往裡面栽。今天這篇信息的分享,就希望當我們每一個人遇到這種狀況的時候,停下來想一想耶穌基督在《馬太福音》十六章二十四節所講的這個原則:我們要守住嗎?我們要活出來嗎?還是暫緩一下,先讓我們在這世界上的成功多走幾步路再說?這是一個考驗。
六、保羅的教導:丟棄萬事,只誇十字架 36:39
保羅宣教的路程,我們都很清楚,有很多危難、很多痛苦;他也在堅持他的選擇。然後在他的書卷裡面,給了我們諸多的教導。後面一點時間,我們來看一看這些幫助我們的經文。
首先要提的是腓立比書三章七到八節,我們前面也點到了:
只是我先前以為與我有益的,我現在因基督都當作有損的。不但如此,我也將萬事當作有損的,因我以認識我主基督耶穌為至寶。我為他已經丟棄萬事,看作糞土,為要得著基督。——腓立比書 3:7-8
弟兄姊妹,你看保羅這句話,一方面把原則講出來了。他不是說「我認識了、我知道了耶穌基督很寶貴、我知道萬事對我有損」,知道了然後就攤平嗎?他是要努力去做一件事情:要丟棄。是如何跟這世界的好處隔絕,不再領受這個好處——因為這世界以前給他的:他如何為會堂追殺耶穌的門徒,然後得到各種獎賞、稱讚,在社會地位裡面節節上升。要丟棄這些原來看為寶貴的成就。為什麼?因為他現在有一個很明確的、替代性的目標,是要贏得基督。
我們常常有時候聽傳道人跟你講話,教導你如何要信主,好像用盡辦法來討好你,求你趕快信主;然後他好像就得了一個記號,說有功勞了,對不對?不是的。信主是要努力的,是要去贏得的,不是白白的。恩典神賜給我是白白的,但是你如何贏得這個白白的恩典呢?你自己很清楚有一個範疇,就是要放下對世界的嚮往,對世界給你的豐盛回饋捨棄、摒棄;不要追求世界上「要成為世界第一」的概念,不要成為那個去追逐這些世界東西的人。
耶利米書有一段話很棒,我跟大家分享一下,九章二十三到二十四節:
耶和華如此說:「智慧人不要因他的智慧誇口,勇士不要因他的勇力誇口,財主不要因他的財物誇口。誇口的卻因他有聰明,認識我是耶和華,又知道我喜悅在世上施行慈愛、公平和公義,以此誇口。」這是耶和華說的。——耶利米書 9:23-24
這句話給我們很清楚地填進來一個很重要的真理:我們原來追求的世界的東西,把它挪掉、丟掉,就留下一個空間。人總是有所好、有所追求,沒錯;耶利米書說,你追求什麼?就單單是認識耶和華——認識祂、知道祂,知道祂是一位施行慈愛、公平、公義的神。認識耶和華的人,在世人裡面其實已經是從神得著巨大福分的人了。所以我們在這件事情上面,不是以為神的恩典要求你付出什麼——神的恩典你不用付出什麼東西去得著——但是如果你沒有把它當成寶貴,那你也不配得著。
加拉太書又有一個經文,我覺得很棒,六章十四節:
但我斷不以別的誇口,只誇我們主耶穌基督的十字架;因這十字架,就我而論,世界已經釘在十字架上;就世界而論,我已經釘在十字架上。——加拉太書 6:14
這句話跟前面耶利米書做一個平行的對比:那邊誇口的是「有聰明,認識耶和華」;保羅誇口的是什麼?是認識耶穌基督。耶穌基督的十字架,是他認為最重要的。他知道這十字架的重要性,對所有的人,別的不談,只談耶穌的十字架。這十字架重要到一種程度,他自己因著傳講耶穌的十字架、誇耶穌基督的十字架,就把世界釘在十字架上面了——對於世界來說,他不再跟他們一樣;對世界來說,他已經是被世界釘在十字架上的人,好像活出一個被世界審判、懲罰的角色。這是一種完全的隔絕,對比性很強烈。
所以我們要從這裡去思考一個問題:今天我們的十字架是什麼呢?如果你還在背十字架的時候,你還會把世界的好處看成好處嗎?你還會再為那個前面講的「羅馬的說法」去當講師嗎?不會。你再也不會說:那些世界的律法就是我必須要服從、要尊重、要服事的對象。你錯了。世界的律法從來都是跟上帝的律法相對的。這很清楚嗎?
哥林多後書十章四到五節,保羅教導我們,在面對這個世界——對我們從小到大這個腦袋、思想的一種管制:更多的人生哲學,不管是以前的厚黑學什麼的,各種行銷方法、各種東西,人的智慧得出來的理論,充斥著我們的生命。所以我們必須要明白:如果我們要走一條十字架的道路,我們就要完全跟這些,不單單隔絕,還必須要防堵它們對我們的侵蝕。哥林多後書十章四到五節說:
我們爭戰的兵器本不是屬血氣的,乃是在神面前有能力,可以攻破堅固的營壘,將各樣的計謀,各樣攔阻人認識神的那些自高之事一概攻破了,又將人所有的心意奪回,使他都順服基督。——哥林多後書 10:4-5
奪回人心,順服基督——不再是順著人的意思,更不能順著世界的意思,而單單要體貼、順服神的意思。這是我們今天一直不斷強調的事情。
事實上我們看到很多人,對於人的哲學給予某種崇仰,覺得很崇高、很了不起。有的時候我也可能批評過一些人,特別是當一個人或許沒有讀多少書、沒有什麼真正好的學位——我認識一些這種人,包括牧者、老牧者——他很崇拜哲學,一天到晚在講道裡講哲學,一直在講孔子、老子什麼的。其實他真的不是很懂;你聽他講的東西非常空洞。他老是把一些哲學掛在嘴巴,好像變成用哲學來證明神學、證明上帝的神聖。其實人就把哲學抬高到那種地位——那是世界觀裡面才有的地位;在神的真理面前,毫無地位。歌羅西書二章八節:
你們要謹慎,恐怕有人用他的理學和虛空的妄言,不照著基督,乃照人間的遺傳和世上的小學就把你們擄去。——歌羅西書 2:8
是的,你被擄去的時候,記得把你的人心奪回來。我們面對的太多這種東西侵蝕我們——在我們生命的過程裡面,好像就是一種圖騰,一種地位、學問的牌子:你懂這個哲學嗎?你就是高階的人、有學問的人。真的,我們不要因為自己沒有學問就去追求這種學問。真正的學問在什麼?就是剛剛耶利米書說的:真正的學問在認識耶和華、認識耶穌基督。是不是這樣?其他的哲學、其他人的理論,都是虛空的。而這種虛空,不單單是一個灰色地帶。虛空表面看起來好像無害;當東西是虛空的時候,它就要取代你應該有的、你真體裡面的耶和華神。沒有東西是真正灰色的,沒有東西是真正無害的;在耶和華神面前,跟世界一樣的追求全部都是有害的、有損的。那樣,你就變成法利賽人了。
我們要學習箴言說的,三章五到六節:
你要專心仰賴耶和華,不可倚靠自己的聰明,在你一切所行的事上都要認定他,他必指引你的路。——箴言 3:5-6
它不是「你的道路平直」——是上帝給我們的教導、引領、聖靈的感動,足夠我們走一條平直、通往上帝的道路。在這道路上面,我們得著稱讚,因為我們討神喜悅,因為我們每天都活出生命的意義,榮耀神。羅馬書十二章第二節:
不要效法這個世界,只要心意更新而變化,叫你們察驗何為神的善良、純全、可喜悅的旨意。——羅馬書 12:2
第二節表示的,就是我們今天要單單為這個而行:我們要活出一個明白神旨意的生命。你真的去尋找,會很難嗎?如果你原來想要的東西不合,而你捨不了自己,那就很難;但如果你願意把自己原來有的捨掉,願意背起你自己的十字架,你就很能夠追尋上帝的旨意——是可喜悅的、是純全的。各位弟兄姊妹,這個道理其實並不難明白,但我們要願意捨下。
七、客西馬尼園,與生命的悖論 54:53
因為基督,祂也經歷過考驗,是吧?我們前面講客西馬尼園的時候,祂在禱告。馬太福音二十六章三十九節,祂在禱告什麼?
「我父啊,倘若可行,求你叫這杯離開我。然而,不要照我的意思,只要照你的意思。」——馬太福音 26:39
照父所願的:父啊,你去執行。基督願意接受這個杯。我們今天聽耶穌基督這個命令——捨己背十字架——是這樣的:我們要實際地、隨時警惕地活出來,不要被這個世界矇蔽;不要因為符合我們老我裡面的一些價值觀,就被帶走、被擄去。我們今天說的方法,就是要放下自己的意思,單單體貼神的意思。
然後,馬太福音十六章二十五節——也就是二十四節的下文——給了我們一個清楚的界定:基督要我們這樣做,為什麼要這樣做,如何能夠這樣做。我們講了,體貼神的意思;如果真能體貼神的意思,捨己背十字架跟隨主,我們就領受二十五節這裡給我們的一個很清楚的原則。你可以說它是一個悖論:
「因為,凡要救自己生命的,必喪掉生命;凡為我喪掉生命的,必得著生命。」——馬太福音 16:25
這樣清楚嗎?你要得到生命嗎?你就要為耶穌基督丟掉你原來的這個生命,神就給你一個永恆的生命。你如果為了保全自己的生命,你就真正得不著生命。耶穌基督繼續在二十六節教導我們:
「人若賺得全世界,賠上自己的生命,有什麼益處呢?人還能拿什麼換生命呢?」——馬太福音 16:26
各位弟兄姊妹,是的:你得著全世界,卻沒有生命——沒有生命去活出你世界的價值觀,有什麼益處呢?這不清楚嗎?沒有生命去活出你所謂想要的成就,人家給你的看重——認為你是有學問的人啊,或是說你是成功有錢的人啊——你根本沒有生命去活出來,這不是空的嗎?人還能拿什麼來換生命呢?你有一切世界的東西,都不能夠讓自己多活一刻。這道理真不清楚嗎?
結語與禱告 58:55
我們回頭好好想一想,如何單單要體貼、要順服神的旨意,跟隨耶穌,捨己背十字架跟從主。願我們大家都一起能夠在這個很嚴肅的課題上面多多思考,警惕自己:當這些試探誘惑來的時候,我們快快地能夠靠著神的幫助,知道這是誘惑而離開。感謝讚美神,我們不用擔心,因為我們有這個心,願意——「主啊,我願意跟隨祢,祢幫助我」——主必定幫助我們。
我們一起禱告。親愛的天父,再一次把我們獻上,把我們自己交在主、交在我們恩主的手中。主所吩咐的,我們願意,就必成就;我們做不到的,主必定幫助我們。神祢差派聖靈到我們生命裡面、到我們的心中來;我們有聖靈在我們身上,我們願意成就的,在神沒有難成的事,必定成就。為這樣一個神的應許向神感恩。因著對上帝耶和華神的認識、對主的認識、對主的十字架的認識,我們獻上感恩,也因此而喜悅,再一次向神獻上我們自己當作活祭,求神使用。以上感恩祈求禱告,奉我主耶穌基督聖名求,阿們。
23 min read
This transcript was prepared from the video captions and has not yet been reviewed by the pastor; wording may differ slightly from the sermon.
Introduction: More Than an Idea 0:02
Peace to you, brothers and sisters. The sermon I want to share with you today is titled “How to Deny Yourself and Take Up the Cross,” and after the colon, “Setting Your Mind Only on the Things of God.” A topic that will sound very familiar to you. It begins with “how to practise” — or “how to live out” — denying yourself and taking up the cross. Why does it need to be practised?
Brothers and sisters, I think every one of us treats self-denial as an idea. Like when we say, “Fear the Lord, praise him at all times” — that kind of idea. We do not think every minute, “Every sentence I say must be praising the Lord.” Praising him is a disposition; our whole person lives in a state of praising him. It is not on our lips every moment, yet it runs through all our work.
But what I want to share today is that self-denial is, at bottom, something that governs our entire life. Our entire life — whether you think about it short-term, medium-term, or long-term, at every stage of life — you will face one thing very clearly: the values of the world, set against what Jesus Christ teaches us today, self-denial, which is a necessary condition for following the Lord.
Taking up the cross, I think, is the same. We all know the cross is what Jesus Christ carried; the one who truly bore that cross, vividly before our eyes, is Jesus. Those punished under Rome by carrying a cross are another matter, of course. The one who truly took up that wooden cross and became the true pattern of the cross is Jesus alone. So when we say we take up our cross — how do we carry it? It is an idea: taking up the cross means being joined to self-denial, and then each of us has our own hard places, our own things to do.
Brothers and sisters, in what I share today on denying yourself and taking up the cross, first we must understand clearly what this cross is. Then we must go further and stress that self-denial and cross-bearing are to be our motto at every moment — every thought, every plan, every decision, brothers and sisters, falls within this scope. So what we are stressing is: how to make it real, carry it out, put it into practice.
1. The Measure: Setting Your Mind Only on the Things of God 4:16
We just read Matthew chapter 16 clearly, the passage on taking up the cross. Every one of us remembers that it starts at verse 24:
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” — Matthew 16:24
Everyone knows this verse well. Verses 25 and 26 that follow also tell us why we must carry it. But there is a verse before it — verse 23 — that tells us how we are able to carry it. The answer is in verse 23:
But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” — Matthew 16:23
Brothers and sisters, what we stress today is this: the measure for practising self-denial and cross-bearing lies in our setting our mind only on the things of God, and not on the things of man.
I had actually planned to bring this up in the conclusion: what the Lord Jesus Christ showed in Gethsemane is just this simple truth. He knew clearly that the way of the cross was hard. Was there a part of him that did not want to carry the cross? There was, wasn’t there? He asked God, asked the Father, to let it pass. But he prayed clearly to his Father: we act according to the Lord’s will, according to the Father’s will, and not according to my own will. So when all of this is joined together, we have the theme we share today.
This week, thinking about which direction to take, I remembered the rich young ruler we spoke about two or three weeks ago — that story. I felt there was more to say, because that story really raises a very important truth: he wants us to do what the Lord commands. What was the Lord’s command to him? To sell all that he had and give to the poor — not to hand it to his relatives and descendants as a family inheritance — give it to the poor, and then come follow Jesus. So I thought of today’s passage as a way to think further about the question of setting one’s mind on the things of God. The young ruler should have set his mind on the way Jesus Christ gave him; that way was the Lord’s will, God’s will. But he could not do it.
2. The World’s Values, and the Exchange of Self-Denial 8:22
Within this line of thought, this week I also had an exchange online with a brother. What about? About a person who, in his life, wants to display some talent of his; but to display that talent he must cooperate with certain people — with those in power, say. In realising and showing his talent, he is in fact standing on the side of the powers that are against Christ, even though he can show his own ability, his professional skill. I would rather not spell it out here, so let us take an example.
In the Bible, in Roman times, there was a profession called the tax collector. The Israelites of that day hated them. Why? Because they acted according to the statutes the Roman Empire gave them — the law. But did they really act according to the law? Was that law just? When the tax collectors enforced that law, did they line their own pockets?
Let me extend it a little. Suppose someone today is an expert in the law, with the standing of a scribe. The tax collectors’ crowd comes and asks him, “Would you proclaim the tax law to the people of Israel for us?” So he becomes an interpreter of the law among the ordinary people. Who is behind him? The Roman Empire. Among his peers and his own people he shows off his legal gifts, and behind him stands a great patron. I do not know, brothers and sisters, whether the analogy fits, but I want you to think about it: in such a position, a man who interprets the law can say, “Because that is the law, my work, what I do, is legitimate.”
Everyone can see this clearly: all the powers hostile to God — hostile to us — from ancient times until now, have used law to deal with God’s servants. They all use their laws. Not every word of a law is bad in itself; but when a law is enforced, the point of its enforcement, what it presents, is anti-Christ. This example is very relevant to today’s theme: wanting a foothold in this society, or to raise one’s own standing — like the man I described, going around giving speeches on Rome’s behalf. What does that represent? Expertise, power. And what is he really doing? He is really doing the enemy’s work.
So a problem emerges here. In our lives we very easily forget “set your mind on the things of God, not on the things of man.” From childhood — from the first day of school — a person has an ambition: to succeed. First to do well in studies, to pass with honours, then to build a career and make money, so as to bring honour to the family. Right? Nothing wrong with it; people develop toward the world’s summit. That is the mind of man, the mind of human culture.
These words today, “deny yourself and take up your cross,” are precisely about taking down the values we are used to, the whole system of values, and throwing it away. We know the word for “deny,” in Greek, is aparneomai. What does it mean? It is not merely “to give up”; it is total: all ownership, all personal benefit, all personal standing must be let go. What others in the world possess, we not only give up; we adopt the same attitude toward it — we despise it, we refuse it, as Paul says, “counting it as rubbish,” which we will come to later — we throw it away like refuse, discard it, cut off any recognition of its value. Its value is enormous to others, but to you it counts for nothing.
What replaces it? Why do the world’s values come to nothing? Think about it: everything the world’s values give us is brief, because of one very plain fact: everyone must die. We thank God for letting us enjoy life, and even more for giving us death — without death we would not know what life is. A person’s lifelong striving thinks it can achieve something; there are many Chinese proverbs — “man can conquer heaven,” and so on — about overcoming difficulties and proving oneself, by human logic and human methods. We need only discard everything from our old culture, from the world, and exchange it for receiving God’s limitless, unending good — our eternal goal.
“Enjoyment” and “fear” — I don’t know if you follow this: when you suddenly enjoy many things, you know that behind the pleasure may be consequences you cannot bear. You eat and drink to excess, and your body ends up with this illness or that. I think I have made a fortune, and what may follow? Robbery, or your child kidnapped, or someone who cannot stand you burning your house down. Look at the people of past dynasties; they only ever undermined each other. Those who could truly enjoy anything for long were very few. So you want money, yet fear having too much. What God gives us in the kingdom of heaven is not like that, is it?
So denying yourself and taking up the cross is in fact an exchange: trading away the so-called benefits of what can never last for us — things that may bring disaster — for the abundance God has prepared for us, the peace and joy he gives that never fade.
3. Examples from Scripture: Moses 19:29
In Scripture, we have just spoken of the most important example — the teaching of Jesus. Denying himself and taking up the cross, his own example: he deliberately poured out his soul to the Father in prayer, laying these ideas out clearly for us to hear, so that we might learn the principle. He prayed, he knew the Father’s will, and he acted on it. So, brothers and sisters, let us also learn a little from other figures in Scripture. There are a few I especially want to share with you, to consider what they did.
The first is Moses. Christ is the King of heaven; Moses could have belonged to the royal house of this world, couldn’t he? He could have been one of Pharaoh’s household. What did Moses decide? He decided to belong to the people of God. That one decision completely changed the rest of his life; yet for God, for the work of bringing Israel out of Egypt, he became God’s servant. The exodus is a very great event in the whole Bible: leading people out of the enemy’s hand to serve the Lord.
What we can think about next is this: do we clearly know how to be like Moses, at that critical moment in his day, willing to lay down all the enjoyment we might have had? Hebrews 11:24–26:
By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. — Hebrews 11:24-27
This is very clear. Once Moses had received a goal, that goal required him to leave the very comfortable circumstances he had; instead he had to spend forty years as if in self-imposed exile, in flight. And he regarded “the reproach of Christ” as greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt. That is a very clear yardstick. We say, “I want to do that too” — to bear reproach for Jesus, for the Lord, for the Lord’s word, and count it greater wealth than the riches of the world, the treasures of Egypt — can you do it? He saw it clearly: for bearing the reproach of Christ, he knew the reward he would receive was great, plainly greater than the treasures of Egypt. He could not see God then, but he believed in this God.
This God enabled him to understand — whether through his mother, or his sister, or the writings he had read — that this God was the God of the people of Israel, and that this God was the great God who created the universe. We know Moses was commissioned by God to write the Pentateuch, Genesis, so great a work. We know all the books of Scripture are inspired by the Holy Spirit; the Spirit is the true original author. But when the Spirit sought someone to write, he found the right person, one he had already formed beforehand in his life. So from Moses’ writing of the Pentateuch we cannot help believing that Moses’ mind held rich views and knowledge of many things. These of course came from studying many writings; I personally believe Egypt did not lack such material for thought. Much of that knowledge is a record of facts, yet often a record of facts is given a label, an interpretation, and led off in the wrong direction; such writing is common.
So when we look at anything — whether or not it is Scripture, God’s inspired word — I want to look at it with the Holy Spirit. When we read other things, and there is something in them for us to absorb, I would urge you too to invite the Holy Spirit to read with you. The Spirit is always there to help you understand what true knowledge can be learned from it — and that can change your whole way of thinking and affect the decisions of your daily life. To sum up, all this effort to learn is so that we may better live a life that is set on God’s will, on God’s will alone.
4. Examples from Scripture: Mary 27:31
The second, whom we often hear people mention, one who had all but denied herself and taken up her cross — who is it? Mary, the mother of Jesus in the flesh. We know clearly from the Gospels that the angel came to bring her the good news. On one hand it was good news; for an unmarried girl of that time it may also have been a matter of risking her life. In that age, who could understand that God had caused a virgin to conceive and carry the Son of God? If some people failed to understand, they might well have stoned you to death. Could she face her family, or the husband to whom she was betrothed but not yet married?
At that moment Mary did not ask many questions. She did not ask how this would be resolved or that. She simply, clearly, set her mind on the things of God. Mary answered the angel:
“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” — Luke 1:38
That one simple sentence lets everyone recognise: this was God, her God, who sent the angel to deliver his plan to her. God’s word is not necessarily called a command, but God’s word is what we must obey. It was not that she had not considered it, not that she was naive; she knew the risks she would face, yet she was clear: “let it be to me according to your word,” because “I am the servant of the Lord.” She was wholly God’s servant, his handmaid — whatever God wanted of her, however he chose to save. Is this not exactly a model of denying oneself and taking up the cross?
5. Examples from Scripture: Paul 30:34
The third, the most obvious in Scripture, is Paul. He certainly did a great deal, but let us first understand: what was Paul’s background? We know he had standing in society: from birth he was a Roman citizen, which in that age was an unmistakable mark of distinction. He was of the tribe of Benjamin, a thoroughgoing Israelite, a Jew. Like many he pursued learning, studying under the famous teacher Gamaliel. So his credentials, his background, were more than enough to boast of.
On the path of his life, it was not that he could not find work; he was clearly doing what he considered an honour to his family: he was a man of the synagogue, of the Pharisees, connected to public authority, and he carried out for them a very important task — hunting down those who believed in Jesus. Think about it: that work carried social standing in that day. That he could do it, and had such a background, makes us believe his family did not lack money either. From the world’s point of view, he was doing very well indeed.
Now look at him today: when he knew, when he recognised, that the world’s wealth was rubbish, and he could receive all the abundance of heaven — Jesus Christ called him — this was entirely a decision of replacement: eternal blessedness in place of the world’s wealth and status, which are as rubbish.
So today, brothers and sisters, let us come back and think for ourselves. When we face choices, we often hope to climb the ladder of life — that desire, that effort, is, within the whole social machine, an achievement people dream of. When it is within my reach today, we are of course very likely to plunge in without a thought. The hope of today’s message is that when any of us meets such a situation, we stop and think about the principle Jesus Christ laid down in Matthew 16:24: will we hold to it? Will we live it out? Or shall we put it off for a while and let our success in this world go a few more steps first? That is a test.
6. Paul’s Teaching: Count Everything Loss, Boast Only in the Cross 36:39
Paul’s missionary journey, we all know, held many dangers and much suffering; he too was holding to his choice. And in his letters he gave us much teaching. In the time that remains, let us look at some of these passages that help us.
The first to mention is Philippians 3:7–8, which we touched on earlier:
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. — Philippians 3:7-8
Brothers and sisters, look at what Paul says. On one hand he states the principle. He does not say, “I have recognised, I know Jesus Christ is precious, I know all things are loss to me” — knew it, and then just lay flat? He set out to work at one thing: to throw away. It was about how to cut himself off from the world’s benefits and no longer receive them — because of what the world had given him before: how he hunted the disciples of Jesus for the synagogue and received all kinds of rewards and praise, rising step by step in social standing. He would throw away these achievements he once counted precious. Why? Because he now had a very clear, replacing goal: to gain Christ.
We sometimes hear a preacher speaking to you, teaching you how to believe in the Lord, seemingly trying every means to please you, begging you to believe quickly; and then, it seems, he has earned a mark, some credit, hasn’t he? No. Believing in the Lord takes effort; it is something to be won, not free. Grace God gives me freely — but how do you win this free grace? You know clearly there is one domain: to lay down your longing for the world, to give up and discard the abundant returns the world offers you; not to pursue the notion of “being first in the world,” not to become one who chases after these things of the world.
There is a fine passage in Jeremiah I want to share with you, 9:23–24:
Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” — Jeremiah 9:23-24
This passage clearly fills in a very important truth for us: when we remove and discard the things of the world we once pursued, a space is left. People always have something they love, something they pursue — true; and Jeremiah says, what do you pursue? Only this: knowing the LORD — knowing him, understanding him, knowing he is a God who practises steadfast love, justice and righteousness. The one who knows the LORD is, among all people, already one who has received enormous blessing from God. So in this matter it is not that God’s grace demands something from you — God’s grace costs you nothing to receive — but if you do not treat it as precious, neither are you worthy to receive it.
Galatians has another verse I find wonderful, 6:14:
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. — Galatians 6:14
This sentence runs parallel to the passage in Jeremiah: there the boast was “understanding and knowing the LORD”; what is Paul’s boast? Knowing Jesus Christ. The cross of Jesus Christ was what he counted most important. He knew the importance of this cross; to everyone he spoke of nothing else, only the cross of Jesus. So important was it that, through preaching the cross of Jesus and boasting in the cross of Jesus Christ, he nailed the world to the cross — to the world he was no longer one of them; as far as the world was concerned he was a man the world had crucified, living out, as it were, the role of one judged and punished by the world. This is a complete separation; the contrast is stark.
So from here we must consider a question: what is our cross today? If you are still carrying the cross, will you still count the world’s benefits as benefits? Will you still go and lecture on that “Roman doctrine” we spoke of? No. You will no longer say that the laws of the world are what I must obey, respect and serve. You would be wrong. The laws of the world have always stood opposed to the law of God. Is that clear?
In 2 Corinthians 10:4–5 Paul teaches us how to face this world — which from our childhood has governed our minds, our thinking: all the philosophies of life, the old “thick-face, black-heart” school and the like, all the marketing methods, all the theories produced by human wisdom, flooding our lives. So we must understand: if we are to walk the way of the cross, we must not only cut ourselves off from these things but guard against their erosion of us. 2 Corinthians 10:4–5 says:
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. — 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
Take every thought captive to obey Christ — no longer following the mind of man, still less the mind of the world, but setting our mind on and submitting to the mind of God alone. This is what we have kept stressing today.
In fact we see many people give a kind of reverence to human philosophy, finding it lofty and impressive. I may at times have criticised some — particularly people who have perhaps not read much and have no real degree; I know some such people, including pastors, elderly pastors — who idolise philosophy and preach philosophy all day, forever talking of Confucius, Laozi and so on. In truth they do not really understand it; what you hear from them is very hollow. They keep philosophy on their lips, as if using philosophy to prove theology, to prove the holiness of God. In fact people have raised philosophy to that position — a position it holds only within a worldview; before the truth of God it has no standing at all. Colossians 2:8:
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. — Colossians 2:8
Yes — when you have been taken captive, remember to take your heart back. So much of this kind of thing that we face erodes us; in the course of our lives it becomes a kind of totem, a badge of status or learning: do you know this philosophy? Then you are a superior person, a learned person. Truly, let us not chase that kind of learning because we lack learning. Where is true learning? In what Jeremiah said just now: true learning is in knowing the LORD, knowing Jesus Christ. Is that not so? Other philosophies, other people’s theories, are all empty. And that emptiness is not merely a grey area. Emptiness looks harmless on the surface; but when something is empty, it will replace what you ought to have, the LORD God who should be in your inmost being. Nothing is truly grey, nothing truly harmless; before the LORD God, pursuits identical to the world’s are all harmful, all loss. Go that way, and you have become a Pharisee.
Let us learn what Proverbs says, 3:5–6:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. — Proverbs 3:5-6
It is not that your own paths are straight; it is God’s teaching, his leading, the Spirit’s prompting, that are enough for us to walk a straight path to God. On that path we receive commendation, because we please God, because every day we live out the meaning of life and glorify God. Romans 12:2:
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. — Romans 12:2
What verse 2 expresses is that today we walk for this alone: we are to live a life that understands God’s will. If you really seek it, will it be hard? If what you wanted before does not fit, and you cannot deny yourself, then it is hard; but if you are willing to let go of what you had, and to take up your own cross, then you are well able to seek God’s will — which is acceptable, which is perfect. Brothers and sisters, this truth is really not hard to understand; but we must be willing to let go.
7. Gethsemane, and the Paradox of Life 54:53
For Christ too endured testing, did he not? When we spoke earlier of Gethsemane, he was praying. Matthew 26:39 — what was he praying?
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” — Matthew 26:39
As the Father wills: Father, you carry it out. Christ was willing to accept this cup. When we hear this command of Jesus Christ today — deny yourself and take up your cross — it is like this: we must live it out concretely and with constant watchfulness, not be blinded by this world; not be carried off, taken captive, because something matches the values of our old self. The way we have described today is to lay down our own will and set our mind only on the things of God.
Then Matthew 16:25 — the sequel to verse 24 — gives us a clear definition: Christ wants us to do this, why we must do it, and how we can. We have said: set your mind on the things of God; if we truly can, then denying ourselves, taking up the cross and following the Lord, we receive the very clear principle verse 25 gives us. You could call it a paradox:
“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” — Matthew 16:25
Is that clear? Do you want to gain life? Then you must throw away, for Jesus Christ, the life you had, and God gives you an eternal life. If you try to preserve your own life, you truly will not gain life. Jesus Christ goes on to teach us in verse 26:
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” — Matthew 16:26
Brothers and sisters, yes: you gain the whole world but have no life — no life with which to live out your worldly values — what profit is that? Is that not plain? No life with which to live out the achievements you supposedly wanted, the regard people give you — thinking you a learned man, or a rich and successful one — you have no life at all to live it. Is that not empty? What shall a man give in return for his life? All the things of the world you have cannot buy you one more moment. Is this truth really unclear?
Conclusion and Prayer 58:55
Let us go back and think carefully about how to set our mind only on God’s will and submit to it, to follow Jesus, to deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow the Lord. May we all think much on this very serious subject and keep watch over ourselves, so that when these temptations come, we can quickly, by God’s help, recognise them as temptation and turn away. Thanks and praise be to God: we need not worry, because we have this heart, this willingness — “Lord, I am willing to follow you; help me” — and the Lord will surely help us.
Let us pray together. Dear heavenly Father, once more we offer ourselves and place ourselves in the Lord’s hands, the hands of our gracious Lord. What the Lord commands, we are willing, and it will surely be done; what we cannot do, the Lord will surely help us with. God, you send the Holy Spirit into our lives and into our hearts; with the Spirit in us, what we are willing to accomplish, nothing is too hard for God, and it will surely be done. For such a promise of God we give thanks. Because of our knowledge of the LORD God, our knowledge of the Lord, our knowledge of the Lord’s cross, we offer thanks, and in it we rejoice, and once more we offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice; may God use us. With this thanksgiving and petition we pray, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.