LANDMARK!

Last year, it was nice to spend a Dallas summer in a part of the world that was in winter. Not much of a winter, though, just comfortably mild, a tad brisk. Down Under. Mostly in Sydney.

One of the highlights was a boat ride around the Sydney harbor. A delightful experience. Especially to see the landmark that distinguishes the harbor: Sydney Opera House. Jørn Utzon’s masterpiece is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and an iconic building, indeed, that marks not only harbor, but also city, country, nation, and continent. A landmark!

What marks us as Christians? What stands out as our “landmark”? What is the defining characteristic of the disciple?

In Mark 8, Jesus gives the first of his three Passion Predictions.

And He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer
many things and be rejected …
and be killed,
and after three days rise again.
Mark 8:31

That was Jesus mission—His suffering mission, underscoring the theme of Mark that discipleship is a call to glory … by way of suffering. But Peter, the disciple, doesn’t care for that modus operandi.

And Peter took Him aside
and began to rebuke Him.
Mark 8:32

Hey, come here a minute, Jesus! What’s all this stuff about dying? Rubbish! That’s not what kings do. They come to conquer their capitals, capture their palaces, and occupy their thrones. Not die! Here, Jesus, let me tell you exactly what to do. Rocky [aka Peter] here’s got it all under control. I’ll get you to Jerusalem and put you on a throne. And we’ll reign happily every after. Got it?

And Jesus’ response?

But turning around
and seeing His disciples,
He rebuked Peter and said,
“Get behind Me, Satan;
for you are not setting your mind
on God's interests, but man’s.”
Mark 8:33

And then comes the “landmark,” the high point, the milestone that defines discipleship and what it is all about.

And He [Jesus] summoned the crowd
with His disciples, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to come after Me,
he must deny himself,
and take up his cross
and follow Me.
Mark 8:34

Jesus’ suffering mission was to become the disciples’ mission as well. They were being called to suffer, following His example.

The landmark! Self-denial. What Jesus calls for is not a denial to self of things, but a denial of oneself, the opposite of self-affirmation, self-promotion, self-adulation, …. Self-denial. Even to death.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.”

On the other hand, narcissism, the love of self, appears to be on the rise all around us. More than half of those aged 18 through 25 said “becoming famous” was an important goal—five times as many as named “becoming more spiritual” as a goal. That vanity is a symptom of narcissism goes without saying. 12 million people in the U.S. submitted themselves to cosmetic procedures in 2007. As a practicing dermatologist, I can heartily attest to the fact that a veritable industry thrives on the narcissistic culture’s agonizing over the paleness of teeth, darkness of skin, shortness of eyelashes, wrinkling of brows, rippling of fat, and the urgency to wax, spray, laser, peel, lift, tuck, and color.

… in the last days
difficult times will come.
For people will be lovers of self ….
2 Timothy 3:1

Self-denial? Hardly!

But we disciples know what we ought to do. Self-denial is our landmark! May it mark our lives indelibly as we follow our Master in His suffering mission. Even to the end!